The aim of many high school students is to enter university. Chemistry students from classes 3/9 and 3/10 at Udon Thani Rajabhat University show what can be done.

Is this the final demise
of the A-Net examination?

The purpose of the A-Net examination was to be part of an integrated system to combine the many factors of a student's achievement and performance. In 2010, it looks as if that will all change

The present system involves a student's cumulative grade point average (GPAX) of upper secondary school, the Grade Point Average (GPA), Ordinary National Education Test (O-Net) and the A-Net results.

This was deemed a fairer way to grade students' performances rather than the old way of taking an entrance examination, which normally benefited students who could afford to go to tutoring schools and did not take into account a student's study record.

The National Institute of Education Testing Service (Niets) came in for considerable criticism over its handling of the defective examination results of last year, leading to a lack of public confidence in this standardized system of examinations. The examination is now under the direction of the Office of Higher Education Commission (Ohec).

The pursuit of a love for learning

The thinking behind having this standardized examination system was that some academic commentators stated that traditional entrance examinations for students having completed Mathayom 6 were too difficult due to the examination content. It was suggested that basing the content on first year university textbooks was not relevant and needed to change.

By having university lecturers and secondary school teachers working together, it was deemed that the new examination content would be more appropriate and conducive towards the students developing a "love for learning" and, in addition, it would introduce students to the pursuit of lifelong learning. Furthermore, major administrative reforms were promised in order to restore public confidence in the system.

For those who have been watching this process over the last year, it was of no surprise to see articles in Matichon and the Bangkok Post announcing that 90 percent of students taking the A-Net examination this year failed math, science and English. The Council of University Rectors decided recently to replace the A-Net examination with an aptitude test in 2010. Trials start in 2008.

This has been met with skepticism as some, notably those from the science fraternity, argue that an aptitude test would not be able to gauge the advanced scientific knowledge needed by students for further study in the field of science.

An aptitude test as a replacement

It was my personal opinion that A-Net had had its day and this was confirmed by the Council of University Rectors. The idea of using the A-net test seemed good at the time, but did those in charge really examine the reasons why testing takes place at all?

Thailand seems preoccupied with testing. Some would argue that there are too many tests. As an outsider, it seems to me that having four distinct exams to determine a student's university admission is fraught with danger. The more elements to consider, the more likely something will go wrong (Murphy's Law).

For a test to work effectively, I believe that it has to be both valid and relevant. Valid test results provide us the information we need, such as the skills level, processes and knowledge that need to be assessed. Relevant tests consistently evaluate a student's performance. To put it simply, what are we testing and how are we going to do it?

In order to find out what is required to be tested, it would be prudent to assess the skills, processes and knowledge required by students by having a university panel decide what was required from a university student and then amend the upper secondary school curriculum to take into account these changes. This would negate the requirement for "cramming schools" and all students would be conversant with the examination process.

Alas, this will not be the case. Rather than starting from scratch, amendments to the existing system will be adopted leading to further confusion and more importantly, a continuation of the detrimental affect on our students' possible careers. As parents, we have a responsibility to push for changes in the education system so we can protect our investment in the future, our children.

Steve Graham is an English language teacher at the Language Center, Udon Thani Rajabhat University in northeast Thailand. If there are any comments or areas for debate that you would like to discuss, you can contact Steve at: shed_chelsea@hotmail.co.uk .