Perhaps today it is impossible to find a person who would not hear anything about the Unified State Exam, or the exam. The pros and cons of such testing are not discussed for the first year - on television, in schools, as well as in everyday life. We will tell about them, but first we’ll deal with the history of its occurrence.
When the exam was introduced
Few people know, but the first exam was held back in 2001. True, the experiment did not cover the whole country, but only a few republics: Yakutia, Chuvashia and Mari El. It was also used in two areas: Rostov and Samara. The very next year, the scope increased - now the exam was held in sixteen regions of Russia. Every year the number of regions increased: 47 in 2003, 65 - in 2004. As a result, by 2006, students in 79 regions of the country passed the exam, and two years later their number exceeded one million - a single exam was introduced throughout the Russian Federation.
If from 2001 to 2008, representatives of the Ministry of Education in each region established a list of subjects covered by the USE independently, then it was later approved by the Minister himself.
What is a single exam?
In fact, the exam is a common test. Students receive a list of questions and must choose the correct answers by indicating them in a specially issued form.
The answers received not only affect the assessment of the passed subjects at the end of school and the issuance of a certificate of secondary education, but are also considered as the main indicator for admission to universities. True, in some institutes, taking into account the pros and cons of the Unified State Exam, you have to write an essay (for example, when you enter the Faculty of Journalism) and additionally pass some exams.
Without fail, the graduate passes the exam in the Russian language, as well as mathematics (there are basic and specialized options). He can also optionally write a test in such subjects as chemistry, history, physics, computer science, biology, social studies, literature, geography and foreign languages. Specific subjects are selected depending on which particular institution the student plans to enter, based on the results of the exam.
Rules for
An exam is conducted in specially equipped rooms. The contents of the collections of questions to the last remains unknown even to persons conducting testing - seals are removed in the presence of authorized persons immediately before distribution to graduates.
Together with the collection, the examinees receive a form - you need to enter your data in block letters in it, as well as note those answer options that the student considers correct.
The conduct is very strictly monitored: a variety of equipment is used, attracted from other regions by observers. Any attempt to write off, use cheat sheets, call up friends or search for answers on the Internet immediately leads to the fact that the exam for a specific person is terminated, it is withdrawn from the audience.
Grading
Speaking about the exam, the pros and cons inherent in it, it is worth noting a rather complicated grading system: it is needed primarily in order to fill out a certificate of secondary education.
For grading, primary and test scores are used. The maximum test score is always one hundred. The primary is converted into a test using a certain coefficient. Moreover, for different objects, it can vary significantly. For example, in 2011, for an exam in the Russian language, 30 primary points were equated to 49 test points, while in mathematics, to get 49 test points, it was enough to get 10 primary points.
Of course, this not only significantly complicates the counting procedure, increasing the possibility of error, but also seriously confuses schoolchildren who are already so confused and frightened by the upcoming procedure.
Now you can talk about the pros and cons of the exam.
Potential benefits
The main advantage can be called the opportunity for graduates to take only one exam - it is taken into account both when leaving school and when entering universities. It’s quite convenient, because before the introduction of the Unified State Exam they had to not only be tested at the school, but also go to the reception of the chosen institute in order to repeat the procedure there.
In theory, the introduction of the exam was to exclude the possibility of admission “by pulling” - the points speak for themselves, and only a more talented student who scores the most correct answers can count on a place at the university. Alas, in practice it turned out quite differently - some students receive the right answers in a timely manner or even they are allowed to use cell phones and cheat sheets during the exam.
When passing the exam, the assessment is on a 100-point scale, and not on the classic 4-point. This makes it easier to distinguish between excellent students, almost excellent students and successful good guys.
Thanks to a single standard, it becomes possible to more easily compare performance in different cities and regions.
On this, the main advantages of the decision end. But, in order to objectively assess the pros and cons of the exam and the exam (Basic State Exam, taken after the end of the 9th grade), it will be useful to talk about important disadvantages.
Obvious flaws
The corruption that flourishes in this environment has already been said. In addition, university teachers are no longer able to choose truly worthy students from among the applicants - having a certificate with high scores, even a person who obviously does not have high mental abilities easily enters an elite university. True, in some cases they can be sorted out by additional exams, essays and essays - this does not affect the USE's pros and cons, but it allows expanding the examiners' area of ​​influence.
But, according to many experts, the fact that the new testing format is killing the existing education system is much worse. For example, while the advantages of passing the exam in the exact sciences (mathematics, chemistry, physics) can still be argued, the pros and cons of the exam in English, history and literature are inclined to the benefit of the latter. The student does not need to know the entire volume of the school curriculum - just remember some point facts, which destroys the holistic knowledge of the subject.
Also, in some subjects, for example, social science, there are quite controversial questions that do not have a clear answer - during an oral examination a talented applicant would easily substantiate his point of view, and during testing he should simply shade one of the answers, hoping for good luck.
Examination scandals
Of course, talking about the pros and cons of the exam, one can not help but mention the series of scandals associated with it.
For example, in 2010, hundreds of teachers were detained in different regions of the country (Rostov and Perm regions, the Republic of Dagestan) who tried to pass the exam for students, receiving remuneration for this.
In 2013, graduates from the Far East posted online forms with answers that could be used by students from other regions - due to the significant difference in time zones.
Very often, university professors complain that among applicants who came from the Caucasian republics, many have high scores in the Russian language, but they do not know how to write correctly, and sometimes they simply do not speak well.