Education slammed for "breathtaking incompetence" of exams announcement

Sunday 07 March 2021

Education announced on social media that international exams would take place this year, before backtracking on the decision just hours later following "strong and articulate representations" by students who have been left confused and outraged.

Education stated through the States' social media channels late on Saturday afternoon that international exams would go ahead for students this year.

Most public exams overseen by the UK government have been cancelled and are being replaced by an alternative assessment process based on teacher assessment.

However, with around 60% of Sixth Form students taking some form of international exam, Education decided that they should go ahead in June "unless it is unsafe to hold them", stating that "while there are arguments for and against having exams in this period of uncertainty, having listened to a range of views, the committee decided that there were more pros than cons to exams going ahead."

Shocked students clearly disagreed and following feedback from those affected, the committee announced later that same evening that it would "take a little more time to consider this issue to make sure the decision is the right one."

Rec’d copy of student’s email to #ESC Committee earlier; author has given permission for me to share.

This is an intelligent, informed, articulate yet understandably savage critique of #ESC decision & decision-making process.

Next generation deserves better than incompetence. https://t.co/RHjl2v8FpC pic.twitter.com/i6tP5YiT0c

— Gavin St Pier ???????? (@gavinstpier) March 7, 2021

Pictured: Some students have reported feeling completely let down by the way the announcement was communicated. 

Education said: "The decision will be temporarily set aside and we will issue a further statement on this early next week. We do apologise sincerely for any upset caused to students by the way in which this message has been conveyed this evening. We believe it should have been cascaded directly to students via their schools.”

The fact that this did not happen was labelled "despicable", "totalling inappropriate" and "unacceptable" in one IB student's letter to Education President Andrea Dudley-Owen. In a detailed response that has been shared on social media, they said the Education Committee appeared to be unaware of the workload they were now imposing on IB students at short notice. 

Having originally been told two weeks ago that exams would not take place, Deputy Gavin St Pier said Education's actions had caused untold stress and uncertainty. 

"Whilst Guernsey can have done nothing about the UK government’s indecision on the matter of exams in recent weeks, by any standards, government’s handling of this is breathtakingly inept and lacking any empathy for students and their families."

Pictured: Teachers need to know what is happening as they need to build a portfolio of work upon which to assess students' performance in the absence of exams. 

In a letter to the committee this morning, Deputy St Pier said Education should convene urgently to make a final decision.

"A further statement early next week is simply not good enough for those who need to decide today whether they need to rebuild revision timetables and plan for exams," he said.

"Whilst you will have all the facts and advice to hand on which to make your decision, personally I would counsel that if you cannot guarantee the xams wil be going ahead, you cannot leave any further uncertainty at this very late stage and have little choice but to reaffirm the original decision advised to students that the exams would not be going ahead."