The Cabinet has approved the reintroduction of the scaling process for the national examination. Education Minister Aseri Radrodro informed Parliament on Thursday that public consultation will be conducted to gather community opinions on the matter.
Radrodro indicated that the scaling system is set to be implemented, pending Cabinet approval, for the 2025 academic year. This will follow the completion of consultations and the necessary policy adjustments at the school level to facilitate the transition.
He explained that the scaling system allows for a fair representation of student performance, noting that many individuals have experienced this system prior to its discontinuation in 2015. According to him, it serves to standardize examination scores, compensating for different levels of difficulty across various subjects and exams.
Radrodro also pointed out the need to address disparities in student performance. He mentioned that this year, there has been a decrease in students from rural and maritime areas, as many migrate to urban schools for better opportunities.
He emphasized that many countries utilize a form of scaling in their national examination systems to maintain consistency and fairness. By reintroducing the scaling system in Fiji, the aim is to align with international practices in student assessment, ensuring that students’ results are credible and comparable on a global scale.