By Agnes de Goede··an average:
from right to left
After the introduction of the new progress test in primary school, more students received a recommendation for senior school. That is the government’s conclusion on this new test, which has caused a lot of controversy this academic year. The Secretary of State for Education says this method of testing increases equality of opportunity. But teachers and the Primary Education Board see it differently and still see inexplicable differences. “This is unacceptable.”
Last school year, the Progress Test was taken for the first time by all students in the eighth grade. The test replaces the traditional Cito final exam. Remarkable: There are six different tests that elementary schools can choose from using this new testing method.
In addition to the well-known test developed by CITO, there are five other tests from other providers.
Adopting advice from the test
In addition, something else has changed: if a student scores higher than the school's advice, the school is obliged to adopt the test advice. Thus, the student gets a VWO level in the test, but previously got a HAVO level as school advice, then the new advice becomes VWO.
The idea behind this is that students from different backgrounds are treated the same way.
According to State Secretary Marielle Bull (Education), the latest figures show that this has already been achieved. She wrote that day in a letter to the House of Representatives. Three quarters of primary school pupils who, according to the test results, could handle more have already received a recommendation for a higher school.
Paul wrote that this had happened in previous years to less than a third of elementary school students. So she was satisfied.
Fewer tips for pre-vocational secondary education
The figures also show that the number of pre-vocational education (VMBO) advice was lower. This academic year, 35 percent received pre-vocational secondary education advice, compared with 39.6 percent in the previous academic year. The number of pre-university education (VWO) recommendations remained roughly the same.
Schools and the PO Board (Primary Education Sector Organisation) reported concerns about the progress test earlier this year. And those concerns have not gone away, according to a survey by RTL News. For example, the Allan Turing School in Amsterdam found that a third of students scored lower on the test than the school advised. For example, HAVO instead of VWO.
Key differences between the tests
Teachers also saw significant differences between the six types of tests. For example, one test seemed to be performed much better than the competing test.
The PO Board said in its response that it was “aware of the surprise” message. Board Chairman Freddie Wyma said: “It makes a difference to a student’s chances of getting into secondary education with any of the six test providers your school board has selected. This is unacceptable.”
“It's about the future of our 11- and 12-year-olds.”
Wema: “There is a difference of 13.4 percentage points in the levels achieved between the two tests. This should be a reason to think again about a letter to parliament that includes such an optimistic message. In addition, in five of the six tests the pre-test percentage – the university test recommendations have fallen by a quarter compared to last year, and these are significant differences that concern the future of our children aged eleven and twelve.
Martin Oijvaar, director of education at SKOWF, a school board with 22 schools in West Friesland, is also not reassured: “I am surprised by the letter and do not find the statements convincing,” he says in response. He also sees big differences between the tests in schools in his region, but also at the national level. “The big difference between the so-called LiB test and the other tests is particularly striking.”
The ministry points out that the tests are comparable and that they do justice to performance. It will present a new assessment later this year. The VVD is pleased with the results. “It has succeeded in increasing equality of opportunity for children in particular,” says MP Arnd Kestmann.
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