British government faces mounting pressure over exam row
Skip to main content
  • Home
  • Economy
    • Aviation
    • Bazaar
    • Budget
    • Industry
    • NBR
    • RMG
    • Corporates
  • Stocks
  • Analysis
  • World+Biz
  • Sports
  • Features
    • Book Review
    • Brands
    • Earth
    • Explorer
    • Fact Check
    • Family
    • Food
    • Game Reviews
    • Good Practices
    • Habitat
    • Humour
    • In Focus
    • Luxury
    • Mode
    • Panorama
    • Pursuit
    • Wealth
    • Wellbeing
    • Wheels
  • Epaper
  • More
    • Subscribe
    • Videos
    • Thoughts
    • Splash
    • Bangladesh
    • Supplement
    • Infograph
    • Archive
    • COVID-19
    • Games
    • Long Read
    • Interviews
    • Offbeat
    • Podcast
    • Quiz
    • Tech
    • Trial By Trivia
    • Magazine
  • বাংলা
The Business Standard

Tuesday
February 07, 2023

Sign In
Subscribe
  • Home
  • Economy
    • Aviation
    • Bazaar
    • Budget
    • Industry
    • NBR
    • RMG
    • Corporates
  • Stocks
  • Analysis
  • World+Biz
  • Sports
  • Features
    • Book Review
    • Brands
    • Earth
    • Explorer
    • Fact Check
    • Family
    • Food
    • Game Reviews
    • Good Practices
    • Habitat
    • Humour
    • In Focus
    • Luxury
    • Mode
    • Panorama
    • Pursuit
    • Wealth
    • Wellbeing
    • Wheels
  • Epaper
  • More
    • Subscribe
    • Videos
    • Thoughts
    • Splash
    • Bangladesh
    • Supplement
    • Infograph
    • Archive
    • COVID-19
    • Games
    • Long Read
    • Interviews
    • Offbeat
    • Podcast
    • Quiz
    • Tech
    • Trial By Trivia
    • Magazine
  • বাংলা
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 07, 2023
British government faces mounting pressure over exam row

World+Biz

Reuters
17 August, 2020, 09:45 am
Last modified: 17 August, 2020, 09:52 am

Related News

  • Metro rail recruitment exam postponed over allegations of irregularities
  • Britain must do more to promote its values abroad: Sunak
  • Gibraltar recognised as a British city, 180 years late
  • British Virgin Islands should be temporarily returned to UK rule, inquiry says
  • Two British-Iranians arrive in Britain, ending Iran prison ordeal

British government faces mounting pressure over exam row

That process led many students to lose places at top universities

Reuters
17 August, 2020, 09:45 am
Last modified: 17 August, 2020, 09:52 am
Students wearing protective face masks hold placards as they protest outside the department of education, amid the spread of the coronavirus disease (Covid-19), in London, Britain, August 15, 2020.
Students wearing protective face masks hold placards as they protest outside the department of education, amid the spread of the coronavirus disease (Covid-19), in London, Britain, August 15, 2020.

The British government faced the threat of legal action and criticism from its own lawmakers on Sunday after it sparked anger by mishandling English exam grades during the pandemic.

After a nationwide lockdown forced exams to be cancelled, the government used an algorithm to assess grade predictions made by teachers, and lowered those grades for almost 40% of students taking their main school-leaving exams.

That process led many students to lose places at top universities.

To compound the issue, results show that grades were less likely to be lowered for students who attended fee-paying private schools, while bright students at traditionally poorly performing schools could have results downgraded.

On Saturday night the exams regulator published guidance on an appeals process, only to withdraw it hours later because it needed further review.

Barrister Jo Maugham said his Good Law Project had appointed solicitors to pursue litigation on behalf of students, and urged the government to launch a suitable appeals system in time for students to go to college in September.

Robert Halfon, chairman of the cross-party education select committee in parliament and a lawmaker in Prime Minister Boris Johnson's ruling Conservative Party, described the removal of the appeals guidance as farcical.

"It sows confusion among pupils, head teachers and school teachers and it's the last thing we need at this time," he told the BBC.

Conservative lawmaker Robert Syms said the government risked Conservative lawmakers "going on warpath".

UK interior minister says migrants see France as racist, Mail reports

Johnson's government has been criticised for its handling of the pandemic, with the country recording the highest death toll in Europe and the most severe economic contraction of any major economy so far.

Having won an electoral landslide in December with a pledge to "level up" struggling parts of the country, Johnson's Conservatives have retained a solid lead over the opposition Labour Party in opinion polls despite the problems.

That could change however over issues, including hastily-introduced quarantines that have forced the cancellation of holidays and the looming end of a successful job support scheme, as well as the chaos surrounding exam results.

Labour leader Keir Starmer said the prime minister needed to take charge and fix the problem before results were released on Thursday for exams taken by 16-year-olds.

The government has said pupils will not have to pay to appeal grades and most students will have received the correct results. Exams regulator Ofqual said some of the predicted grades given by teachers were "implausibly high".

While France published the methodology for how it would award grades months in advance of results day, Britain announced changes to its process the day before results were released.

Top News

British / exam

Comments

While most comments will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive, moderation decisions are subjective. Published comments are readers’ own views and The Business Standard does not endorse any of the readers’ comments.

Top Stories

  • A man stands in front of collapsed buildings following an earthquake in Kahramanmaras, Turkey February 6, 2023. Ihlas News Agency (IHA) via REUTERS ATTENTION EDITORS - THIS PICTURE WAS PROVIDED BY A THIRD PARTY. NO RESALES. NO ARCHIVES. TURKEY OUT. NO COMMERCIAL OR EDITORIAL SALES IN TURKEY.
    Deaths exceed 2,600 as catastrophic quakes ravage Turkey, Syria
  • 30% cos see double-digit growth even in hard times
    30% cos see double-digit growth even in hard times
  • Govt borrowing from commercial banks surges
    Govt borrowing from commercial banks surges

MOST VIEWED

  • A black smoke from a fire is seen at the Iskenderun port after an earthquake in Iskenderun, Turkey February 6, 2023. REUTERS/Ece Toksabay
    Large fire, plume of smoke at Turkey's Iskenderun port
  • A civil defence vehicle is seen near rubble, following an earthquake, in Aleppo, Syria, in this handout released by SANA on February 6, 2023. SANA/Handout via REUTERS
    Russia says 300 army personnel clearing debris in Syria
  • People wait their turn to get fuel at a petrol station, in Karachi, Pakistan June 2, 2022. Picture taken June 2, 2022. REUTERS/Akhtar Soomro/File Photo
    Pakistan, IMF grapple for consensus to unlock critical funding
  • File photo. Somalia soldiers and policemen look on as Hassan Hanafi, a former media officer for the Somali Islamist group al Shabaab, stands tied to a pole before his execution by shooting at close range on a field in General Kahiye Police Academy in Somalia's capital Mogadishu, on April 11, 2016. REUTERS/Ismail Taxta
    At least 34 killed in clashes in Somaliland - two doctors at public hospital
  • Syria hospital treating earthquake victims pleads for help
    Syria hospital treating earthquake victims pleads for help
  • How should you talk to ChatGPT? A user's guide
    How should you talk to ChatGPT? A user's guide

Related News

  • Metro rail recruitment exam postponed over allegations of irregularities
  • Britain must do more to promote its values abroad: Sunak
  • Gibraltar recognised as a British city, 180 years late
  • British Virgin Islands should be temporarily returned to UK rule, inquiry says
  • Two British-Iranians arrive in Britain, ending Iran prison ordeal

Features

Photo: Collected

Get your partner a lovely present this Valentine's Day

14h | Brands
Pottery Wheel Craft Kit: A creative outlet for little hands

Pottery Wheel Craft Kit: A creative outlet for little hands

14h | Brands
Say it with Colours

Say it with Colours

1d | Mode
Photo: Courtesy

From 'Made in Bangladesh' to 'Designed in Bangladesh'

1d | Panorama

More Videos from TBS

Who will survive? Adani or Hindenburg?

Who will survive? Adani or Hindenburg?

5h | TBS Stories
James Gunn’s 8-10-year plan for the DC Universe

James Gunn’s 8-10-year plan for the DC Universe

5h | TBS Entertainment
LC issues lead to severe shortage of surgical equipment

LC issues lead to severe shortage of surgical equipment

8h | TBS Insight
Stage plays are going on in the digital age

Stage plays are going on in the digital age

13h | TBS Stories

Most Read

1
Leepu realised his love for cars from a young age and for the last 40 years, he has transformed, designed and customised hundreds of cars. Photo: Collected
Panorama

'I am not crazy about cars anymore': Nizamuddin Awlia Leepu

2
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) logo is seen outside the headquarters building in Washington, U.S., September 4, 2018. REUTERS/Yuri Gripas/File Photo
Economy

IMF approves $4.7 billion loan for Bangladesh, calls for ambitious reforms

3
Belal Ahmed new acting chairman of SIBL
Banking

Belal Ahmed new acting chairman of SIBL

4
Fund cut as Dhaka's fast-track transit projects on slow spending lane
Infrastructure

Fund cut as Dhaka's fast-track transit projects on slow spending lane

5
Photo: Collected
Startups

ShopUp secures $30m debt financing to boost expansion, supply chain

6
Photo: Courtesy
Panorama

From 'Made in Bangladesh' to 'Designed in Bangladesh'

EMAIL US
[email protected]
FOLLOW US
WHATSAPP
+880 1847416158
The Business Standard
  • About Us
  • Contact us
  • Sitemap
  • Privacy Policy
  • Comment Policy
Copyright © 2023
The Business Standard All rights reserved
Technical Partner: RSI Lab

Contact Us

The Business Standard

Main Office -4/A, Eskaton Garden, Dhaka- 1000

Phone: +8801847 416158 - 59

Send Opinion articles to - [email protected]

For advertisement- [email protected]