WILLEMSTAD - The central written exam for the exam year 2020 will be canceled for all final exams for VWO, HAVO, VWO and VWO. The Final Test for Basic Education (EFO Test) at the end of the 2019-2020 school year will also be canceled.
Eugene Rhuggenaath, acting Minister of Education, announced this in a memo regarding the coronavirus outbreak and decisions regarding the final exams and the 2019-2020 school year. In the memo it is further announced that the central practical exam (CPE for PBL and PBL) and the central written and practical exams in the VWO will also be canceled.
This applies both to the regular final exam students of day and evening education, and to the students who take the national exam. Schools and exam candidates are given the opportunity to complete their school exams in accordance with the Test and Closure Program (PTA). Exam candidates can, based on their school examination grades, graduate or complete their graduation, says Rhuggenaath.
For Curaçao, the existing pass-fail system will be maintained as much as possible for VWO and HAVO. This applies to the core subjects’ rule and the maximum number of fail marks. The 5.5 rule (the average grade of the central exams must be at least 5.5) is canceled.
The already successful pass and fail system will remain in place for the VSBO. After the results, candidates who failed based on the pass-fail scheme in the first round will be given the opportunity to retake two courses in the second period.
This resit also only concerns a school exam. Until the beginning of June 2020, schools have the space to complete the school exams and thus meet their PTA, and in the period thereafter the retakes. Furthermore, the Expertise Center for Tests and Exams (ETE) will publish a new exam sheet with information regarding the closing of the 2019-2020 school year for graduation classes and the Education Inspectorate will issue an adapted exam manual with new dates and agreements regarding the exam.
In the memo, the Education Minister indicates that physical education at school is expected to resume no earlier than April 20, 2020. An analysis of the situation at that time will be decisive for the decision in this regard. According to Rhuggenaath, it can be concluded that the resumption of the educational process at school will undoubtedly show differences in learning progress per student.
“Despite the fact that we do our very best to provide the students with the best possible education in these times of crisis, this is unfortunately not entirely in our sphere of control. In any case, anyone can, in anticipation of these differences and the restart of the educational process at school, adjust the remaining education program by drawing up an action plan in advance,” reports the Minister of Education.
