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It is almost certain that the scouting tests will no longer take place this year. If it was already certain that exams for the 2nd, 5th and 8th years will come to an end next school year, their end is almost certain this school year, according to Nascer do SOL sources from the new majority who makes up the Government. Only the final exams of the 9th year, in Mathematics and Portuguese, which count towards the final grade, will continue as foreseen in the AD program. The carrying out of exams in digital format should also be a process stopped by the next Government and one of the first measures of the guardianship. This is a purely political decision, since there is the capacity – technically and logistically – to reverse the digitalization process this year, as Nascer do SOL reported first-hand last week. The AD has always spoken out against this evidence, which is one of the new Government's commitments.
Although the outgoing Government, in one of its last acts of management, approved the availability of funds for the acquisition of new computers directly by schools to replace broken computers – news also reported by Nascer do SOL in the last edition –, the measure is considered hasty and does not guarantee any security. Schools have already started to receive the 6.5 million euros made available by the Ministry of Education, but the difficulties are many and the pressure on schools is great. In addition to the public tenders and direct adjustments that have to be carried out for the public contracting regime in record time – as exams are scheduled for the beginning of June –, there is still uncertainty that the market will be able to respond to demand. In other words, there must be a number of computers available in stock to meet the needs of all schools in order to replace broken computers, which cannot be repaired in a timely manner.
Other difficulties pointed out by school directors regarding the possibility of exams being carried out in digital format are the more than likely network failures in several schools that arise, the inexperience of students in taking the tests in this format and the fact that they do not there are enough plugs in the classrooms to connect the computers. Despite the outgoing Government having decided to split the tests into two shifts, these are all entropies that justify canceling the process this year.
Regarding the considerations regarding the assessment tests, the AD program is clear: «Since 2016, the performances of Portuguese students have consistently fallen in the various international reference assessments (…)The recovery of learning has failed, the direction given to curricular changes has failed, the assessment failed, the digital transformation failed and the assessment test model established in 2016 failed». The model will therefore be radically changed, with the commitment being: «Implementing assessment tests in Portuguese, Mathematics and a rotating subject (every 3 years) in the 4th and 6th years (end-of-cycle years), of universal and mandatory application”.
Regarding the 9th year exams, everything should remain as it has been until now. Only the format will be on paper, as it always has been, until an evaluation of the pilot project carried out to implement digital technology was carried out two years ago and schools are properly prepared to carry it out safely. This follows the demands made by parents, school directors and even IT teachers, who have already announced a strike during the next period as a form of protest for being assigned to repair computers when their role is to teach.