After subjecting the learners’ results to careful studies… Saadawi announces:
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Mohamed Al-Saghir Saadawi, Minister of National Education, revealed a set of new procedures and visions aimed at improving the “educational evaluation” system and ensuring the formation of an intellectually and psychologically balanced student. These steps can only be implemented in the field by subjecting data related to learners’ school results to careful studies, in order to identify areas of strength and control shortcomings, until the goal of improving the performance of the educational system is achieved.
In this context, the first official in charge of the sector explained that the expected reforms are based on reorganizing the evaluation mechanisms according to an integrated vision that takes into account the pedagogical, psychological and social dimensions, while adopting a gradual approach based on scientific analysis of the effectiveness of the educational system, and the involvement of various actors in the educational field, with the aim of improving school performance.
This is how students are evaluated in school tests and examinations
In his response to a written question from the representative of the National People’s Assembly, Jeddou Rabah, who holds the number 10167, about how to evaluate the students’ quarterly results and the results of the certification exam, and based on the Ministry of Relations with Parliament’s submission, No. 517, dated February 10 last year, Saadawi provided a set of explanations regarding the procedures for evaluation and periodic review of the regulations for evaluation and pedagogical control.
“Specialized committees” to review curricula for the three stages
From this standpoint, the first official in charge of the sector revealed that the process will be through appointing specialized committees in the National Program Council, which will work to review and update the educational curricula for the primary and middle education stages, and rewrite them for the general and technological secondary education stage, by reconsidering them in terms of content and structure that is consistent with the approach with competencies currently adopted.
In addition to ensuring that programs are adapted to the requirements of the times, digital and scientific transformations, as well as consolidating national values and labor market developments.
In this context, the Minister of National Education pointed out that the pedagogical evaluation is consistent with the spirit of modern educational curricula that are based on an integrated perception of the cognitive relationship, and seek to translate knowledge into skills that contribute to building competencies and determining mechanisms for evaluating them. These curricula are also based, according to the same source, on making the learner the focus of the educational process, by adopting the approach to the pedagogical project, and giving the learner an active role in evaluating his learning paths and strategies, in a way that enhances his independence and develops his intellectual and cognitive capabilities.
In addition, Minister Saadawi pointed out that students’ results in official exams are a reflection of overlapping factors, some of which are pedagogical, and some of which are related to the students’ psychological and social context, as the results of some students in the first semester begin modest and improve from one semester to another to reach the desired level in the third semester exams. This, according to the Minister, is considered indicators of the practice of formative assessment as an organizing and modifying tool that helps students’ learning and ensures the progress of their acquisition of learning, and this is embodied in personal progress. For the student, considering that the results of the certificate are the result of effort throughout the school year, and with the combined efforts of all pedagogical supervisors and the family as a social partner in improving the results of their children, especially those coming to the intermediate education and baccalaureate certificate exams.
Mechanisms for measuring student performance
In addition to what was mentioned previously, the Ministry of National Education, according to Saadawi, is working to study the accurate data related to these results, in order to identify the recorded strengths and shortcomings, with the aim of improving the performance of the educational system. The evaluation process also remains continuous and comprehensive and subject to in-depth scientific analysis, by establishing mechanisms to measure the effectiveness of education and ensuring the improvement of its outcomes. Certain mechanisms are adopted to measure its effectiveness, including an examination to evaluate students’ gains in the primary education stage, and the official examinations for the intermediate and secondary education certificates. General and technological “baccalaureate”, in addition to success and failure rates across the academic years and rates of transfer through the different educational stages and repetition, as well as a study of the effectiveness of structured treatment of learning in the primary education stage.
In addition, it will also rely on the pedagogical treatment system in the intermediate education stage to measure the effectiveness of education, in addition to using the guidance ratios for the two common streams for students in the fourth year of middle school, and the guidance ratios for the streams of the second year of secondary school, in addition to seeking help from the percentage of students who were directed to vocational training and education, in addition to focusing on pedagogical inspections that aim to evaluate and develop the performance and practices of teachers.
Adjusting the timing of foreign languages in primary school
Confirming the above, Saadawi stressed that these measures taken also came to ensure a systematic and organized process, through which educational curricula are improved and modified, as they will include pedagogical evaluation gradually according to developments, needs and developments in the local and global educational arena.
Hence, among the touches or modifications that the guardian ministry has embodied on the ground in order to achieve quality in education, is the implementation of a new curriculum in the English language in the first year of intermediate education in the current school year. In addition, ensuring an adjustment in the timing of foreign languages in order to achieve a more appropriate pedagogical balance in teaching foreign languages, as well as restructuring the subjects and timings of the third year of primary education.
In implementing the axes of the amendments, the Ministry also relies on a gradual and phased approach, which takes into account the specificities of the educational reality and the available capabilities, as well as the nature of each axis of the reform. This is done within a multi-dimensional action plan, which is accomplished according to thoughtful priorities and based on periodic evaluations and consultations with the social partner and actors in the educational field. It is also keen to accompany the change with continuous training and continuous evaluation of the results.
Based on the above, the Minister indicated that it has become necessary to include each “pedagogical system” in its local reality, regardless of the benefits of this unified balance of concepts, the exchange of information, and the dissemination of the results of investigations, by raising and deepening the basic cultural and training level, as well as preparing for sustainable education, the priority given to the needs and interest of the learner, as well as the gradual generalization of preparatory education, in addition to the inclusion of multilingualism, along with organizing education and training in a way that prepares young people. To adapt to the constant movement of professions, with the importance of opening the school to the surroundings, and the independence of educational institutions, as well as reorganizing academic divisions and tracks and establishing bridges between them.
In the same context, the Minister stressed that the work is being carried out in a consultative and participatory manner open to various actors in the educational field, according to organizational and pedagogical mechanisms, which are adapted according to the nature of each stage, in order to ensure the participation of everyone in an effective and balanced manner.
Training of professors and inspectors under the microscope
In a related context, Minister Saadawi indicated that his interests attach great importance to the training of human resources, as it is the cornerstone of any process, by reviewing the initial training courses in higher schools for teachers, in addition to expanding and updating continuing training programs for the benefit of professors and inspectors at all educational levels, as well as strengthening educational and pedagogical capabilities in accordance with educational developments.
Digitizing educational processes to enhance management transparency
Regarding evaluation and follow-up mechanisms, the Minister highlighted that his interests seek to develop and reorganize the pedagogical calendar to ensure the quality of education and improve educational performance, in addition to enhancing transparency in management, by digitizing all administrative and educational processes related to ensuring good learning for students, which aims to simplify administrative procedures. It also works to involve the educational family and the social partner in making educational decisions that will improve school life.
In addition, subjects and timings will be restructured in the first stage of primary education, in addition to expanding the teaching of the English language to the fifth year of primary school starting in the 2024/2025 academic year.
On the other hand, we have been involved in an effort to enhance the teaching of informatics by providing specialized supervision and the necessary equipment in the intermediate and secondary general and technological education stages, in addition to ensuring the teaching of fine education and musical education in the three educational stages, while ensuring specialized supervision for them in the intermediate and secondary schools, in addition to developing the mechanisms for applying the diagnostic assessment examination for the students’ achievements in the three educational stages.
In conclusion, the Minister indicated that his sector is working to devote all its efforts to raising and improving assessment practices, to bring the student to self-evaluation, as well as in psychological pedagogical supervision by strengthening the pedagogical role and the guiding role to ensure psychological pedagogical accompaniment, which helps him develop his intellectual and psychological capabilities and self-esteem and through it build his future personal project.
