Slashdot Mirror
100% Failure Rate On University of Liberia's Admission Exam
slew writes "Apparently none of the 24K+ students who sat for the 2013 Liberia University entrance exam got a passing mark, and fewer than a hundred managed to pass either the english (pass level 70%) or math (pass level 50%) sections required to qualify to be part of the normal class of 2k-3k students admitted every year... Historically, the pass rate has been about 20-30% and in recent years, the test has been in multiple-guess format to facilitate grading. The mathematics exam generally focuses on arithmetic, geometry, algebra, analytical geometry and elementary statistic and probability; while the English exam generally focuses on grammar, sentence completion, reading comprehension and logical reasoning. However, as a testament to the over-hang of a civil war, university over-crowding, corruption, social promotion, the admission criteria was apparently temporarily dropped to 40% math and 50% English to allow the provisional admission of about 1.6K students. And people are calling foul."
Allow exit exams determine fitness? Terrible idea. In the public American educational system, it is very difficult for any teacher to give students a failing grade. To do so, paperwork must be drawn up and the teacher often has to defend the failing grade before a review panel. Count on the review panel to reverse the grade letting the student pass, and the teacher can begin worrying about his/her job security. No, any academic troubles a student might have can easily be fixed at the beginning of the next level. Ask any teacher.
Second, it's just not logical that any educational institution must accept the exit exams of another body as proof students are ready for this coursework. The variance is off the charts.