A new working group comprising representatives from Church, state and private schools has been appointed to review the examination system for students who finish their primary school education.

Education Minister Galea said that the working group was another crucial link in the chain of reform that the ministry was carrying out in the education system. Currently, the “11+” exam consists of the Junior Lyceum Exam and the Common Entrance Exam for state secondary and Church secondary schools respectively.

Minister Galea said the initial pilot projects which networks schools together to form colleges were already showing positive signs – the Gozo and St Benedict’s Colleges combine Junior Lyceum and Secondary school students at the same school.

He said that while the reform document outlines that some form of assessment needs to occur at crucial stages in a child’s educational path, it is also important to review the systems that have been in place for the past 25 years.

“It would be unwise to eliminate any form of 11+ examinations, be it the Junior Lyceum or the Common Entrance examination and not replace it with a benchmarking system that shows all concerned what level of skills acquisition a child has achieved and indicated what targets the child, his or her educators and parents need to aim for.”

The policy document “For all Children to Succeed (2005)” states that we need to work on how to eliminate the rather staccato, if not abrupt, manner by which students move from primary to secondary schooling in the state system.

He said the review will include a study of the rationale of the 11+ examination and the educational context in which it operates. Validity aspects will also be studied in depth and in its conclusions, the working group will make recommendations with regard to the soundness of this examination and possible alternatives.

The 11+ Examination Review Working Group will be chaired by Dr Grace Grima and will have as members, Prof. Frank Ventura, Peter Vassallo, Leonard Grech, Bernie Mizzi and Fr Charles Mallia. The working group is expected to complete the review by May 2007.