4/10/2020

Sixth form students, who have been tirelessly trying to cope with the current circumstances and adapt to the changes being constantly made, are starting a petition.

This is a request for the MATSEC board to reconsider the decision made for A-Level Science practicals.

The MATSEC examinations board have decided to impose written practical papers (instead of a hands-on practical) on Biology, Chemistry and Physics students who will sit for their A-Level exams in June 2021. This has been decided as a mitigation measure due to the current circumstances and this decision has resulted in quite an added stress in many of us students rather than a relief.

MATSEC cancelled orals for language students and other practical components such as those for PE and these are not going to be replaced by a written paper. Geography students had their fieldwork replaced with awarded marks as well.  In these cases, students will be awarded the full marks without doing any extra papers.

During such stressful times when students of other subjects are being relieved of some material and one of the exam papers to compensate for the stress of COVID, us science students are being subjected to the extra stress of having to prepare for a paper for the first time when we have already finished our first year. All this is increasing our stress and decreasing teaching time as teachers have to prepare us for this paper.

Believing that all subjects should be treated equally, the same system should be taken up for Biology, Chemistry and Physics A-Level students. The practical should also be removed and students should be awarded the marks without the new written practical paper so as to ensure that we are all treated equally.