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Wednesday, April 07, 2010

It's a testing time for failing students in Thailand

Students in Prathom 6 and Mathayom3 and 6 have struggled in almost all subjects in the latest round of exams, Deputy Education Minister Chaiwuti Bannawat says.

Students queue to draw lots to enter Mathayom 1 (Grade 7) at Ratchasima Witthayalai School in Nakhon Ratchasima’s Muang district yesterday. A total of 262 students sought admission, although the school could only admit 130 new Mathayom 1 students. PRASIT TANGPRASERT

Students who sat the Ordinary National Education Test (O-Net) scored less than 50% on average in five core subjects: Thai language, social studies, English, mathematics and science. This is on a par with past years, he said yesterday.

The worst average scores were in English. Prathom 6 (Grade 6) students scored 32 out of 100, Mathayom 3 (Grade 9) students scored 23 out of 100, and Mathayom 6 (Grade 12) students scored 24 out of 100.

Students in Prathom 6 and Mathayom 3 did better in health and physical education, receiving 65 and 57 on average, Mr Chaiwuti said.

The results were reported by the National Institute of Education Testing Service (Niets), which oversees the exam.

Mathayom 6 students earned the highest average scores in Thai language, with 46.

Niets has decided to withdraw results previously announced for the General Aptitude Test taken by Mathayom 6 students, after students complained the results were miscalculated.

Mr Chaiwuti said Niets found mistakes in its computer program that processed the marks and had to adjust the results.

Up to 61,667 students, or nearly 33% of those who sat the exams, would receive higher marks, while 3,975 students, or about 2%, would get lower marks.

Meanwhile, a draw for students competing for seats at Mathayom 1 schools ran smoothly yesterday, said Chinnaphat Phumrat, secretary-general of the Basic Education Commission.

This selection is reserved for students living near the schools where they have applied for seats.

Students who fail in the draw can ask the commission to find seats for them on Sunday and Monday, he said.

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