Praneeta Prakash 
The Ministry of Education is awaiting Cabinet approval for the reintroduction of exam scaling.
Acting Director of Examinations and Assessment, Sereseini Lesi, says national consultations held in July last year showed strong support for scaling, with many stakeholders agreeing it would help restore balance and fairness in student performance.
She highlighted this during the Fiji Principals Association Annual Conference.
Lesi says scaling was removed in 2015, and the negative effects of its removal are now being realised, particularly the shortage of STEM teachers.
She says that before scaling was removed, Year 12 exam participation was much stronger.
In 2012, 13,615 students enrolled and 13,113 sat the exams, with only 502 absent.
Since scaling was scrapped, however, the number of student’s not sitting exams has increased significantly.
The Acting Director of Examinations and Assessment adds that the lack of scaling has contributed to students losing confidence in sitting examinations.
“That is really a cause for concern to us as national policymakers. Look at the number of students. What can we do to try and improve this? 1,000 students are leaving in Form 6. What can I do to contribute to this? This will contribute to social evils and the economic crisis we have here. So I’m throwing it to you — think seriously about what else needs to be done. And again, last year alone, with a 69 percent pass rate in Year 8, 6,000 students failed.”
Lesi confirms that the Ministry has already forwarded its Cabinet paper and is awaiting final approval before scaling is formally reintroduced.
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