The National Institute for Educational Testing Service is pushing for exit exams for all Grade-9 students from next year.

NIETS director Utumporn Jamornmann said those who failed the exam would be required to repeat Grade-9 courses.

Utumporn said yesterday it was part of NIETS' role to hold exams to assess academic knowledge at each level - including Grades 3, 6, 9 and 12.

"We think these should be exit exams to ensure candidates treat them seriously," she said.

If exams were not taken seriously then performances would not reflect true levels of knowledge and results not reliably aid government education planning, Utumporn added.

For Grade-12 students exit tests existed with the Ordinary National Educational Test, or O-Net. Students completing Grades 3, 6 and 9 were picked for tests randomly. However, Utumporn was hopeful all students would soon be sitting exit tests.

"I hope Grade 3 and Grade 6 students will sit exit exams by the 2008 academic year," she said.

She was speaking after a meeting with Office of Basic Education Commission (Obec) secretary general Khunying Kasama Varawarn na Ayutthaya.

Kasama agreed with exit exams for Grades 9 and 12. But, she was reluctant to embrace the idea for Grades 3 and 6.

"We have to consult with Education Minister Wijit Srisa-an," Kasama said, adding she wanted to make sure exit exams did not unfairly affect underprivileged students. Kasama concluded with NIETS that all Grade-12 students would sit NIETS tests this year as would some students at Grades 3, 6 and 9.

Her office would conduct testing of Grades 2, 5, 8 and 11. Exam data would be used to improve Obec services. Utumporn said if exams encountered legal obstacles, NIETS would find other ways to motivate test takers.

Supinda na Mahachai

The Nation