Technical snag in online exam baffles Sharjah students

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Technical snag in online exam baffles Sharjah students
The students were given an extra half-an-hour for the lost time.

Sharjah - As the lingering snag couldn't be solved even after 30 minutes into the exam, the MoE instructed the schools to replace the electronic exam with print.

by

Afkar Ali Ahmed

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Published: Thu 21 Jun 2018, 9:28 PM

Last updated: Thu 21 Jun 2018, 11:45 PM

Students of many public and private schools that follow UAE's Ministry of Education's (MoE) curriculum were left baffled after a technical failure prevented them from taking their exam online. However, as the lingering snag couldn't be solved even after 30 minutes into the exam, the MoE instructed the schools to replace the electronic exam with print. The students were given an extra half-an-hour for the lost time.
Earlier, the MoE had issued directions to the schools in Sharjah that students of Grades 5, 9, 10 and 11 must apply and take the examinations electronically. The exams of the schools started on Tuesday with physics and mathematics papers.
Supervisors and teachers said the confusion caused by the snag unsettled school management and students because 30 minutes were wasted as the experts tried to fix the error.
Ibrahim Baraka, director of Al Shula School in Sharjah, said the exams went off smoothly after the students were given printed question papers and answer sheets to write answers.
Tareq Al Shaikh, director of the Sharjah Menara School, said students took their exams in a very healthy environment. He stressed there was complete adherence to the exam time and regulations set by the MoE.
Students speak out
The students said the failure in the electronic system caused them to panic and worry, but the management immediately replaced it with printed papers and compensated for the lost 30 minutes.
However, a number of 12th graders voiced their dissatisfaction about the physics paper. They unanimously said the physics exam was tough and required more time. They said they needed an extra half-an-hour to complete it. Instead of one hour, we should have been given one-and-a-half hours, they pointed out. The students also contended that the questions should have covered diverse topics so that their abilities could be tested properly.
Exam time puts off parents 
Majority of the complaints received from parents were about the timing of the exams of Grade 12 at 12 noon (each day), said Ibrahim Baraka, director of Al Shula School in Sharjah. They expressed surprise at the timings set by the Ministry of Education when the sun beats down and the heat wave is at its peak. The parents said in the morning, students are more active and can give their best in exams. The school buses would also not ply and pick up students during noontime, forcing parents to arrange transportation for their children to take the exam.
 
afkarali@khaleejtimes.com
 


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