Exams – SC: headache for the oral English session on November 9

As it will be the day before the elections and this test will last all day, the Mauritius Examinations Syndicate (MES) is considering a postponement. However, it will be necessary to have the approval of Cambridge Assessment International Examinations.

There are eight sessions of English Language Speaking (formerly Oral English) in the School Certificate (SC) examination calendar this year. This practical test brings together candidates from different colleges, in groups, for each session. The first session was held on Saturday 5 October and the last is scheduled for 9 November. This date is also the eve of the general elections, with all the folklore that entails.

As the English Language Speaking test is oral in nature and requires a quiet environment and concentration, the MES is considering the option of a postponement, so as not to penalize candidates. However, the written exams are not yet finished and it is necessary to find a slot that does not coincide with another test. The date of November 16 had been considered, as the last exams on the schedule are on November 15. However, according to Cambridge regulations, all practical sessions must be completed by November 15.

In the group of November 9, there are, in particular, students from Queen Elizabeth College. It is also necessary to know if parents have not planned to go on vacation, after the exams. The task therefore promises to be complicated, even if in 2019, candidates had taken their Oral English exams, the same day as the elections.

The other problem that the MES is currently facing is the lack of examiners. Generally, it is the English teachers who are trained for this. But many have not committed to the exams this year. What is even more critical is that there is a new formula applied by Cambridge this year. An English examiner even came to Mauritius for training last August.

Which means that there is not much room for manoeuvre to find other examiners, because only those who have been trained know the new formula. Moreover, there are also fears that some will be absent in the wake of the Divali festival.

There are also apprehensions regarding the Design and Technology exam, at the HSC level, which is scheduled for 11 November, the day the results are announced, from noon to 3 p.m.