We wish TVET candidates success

Final examinations are conducted to demonstrate that a particular discipline has been thoroughly studied in a formal or vocational programme. 

They prepare a person for the job or for the next step up the academic ladder.

Last Monday, a total of 32,402 candidates, made up of 23,990 males and 8,412 females, began the 2023 Certificate II Examination and other examinations for technical students across the country.

The examination, which will end on August 4, covers Pre-tertiary Diploma, Technician Part I, Diploma in Business Studies, Certificate II – Intermediate, Technician Part Two, Technician Part Three and Advance.

While wishing the candidates success in their ongoing examination, the Daily Graphic is urging them to be mindful of examination fraudsters who are out there to dupe unsuspecting candidates.

We also wish to remind the candidates of the implication of any kind of examination malpractice, especially on their future.

They must therefore stay away from such practice as the Commission for Technical and Vocational Education and Training (CTVET), the organisers of the examination, has given an assurance that the examination is within their capability.

Examination malpractice has the potential of weakening and discrediting the credibility and sanctity of the certificate candidates carry.

Examinations are conducted to bring out fully baked products who are ready for the world of work or who must progress to the next stage on the academic ladder.

This is particularly so for candidates in the trade sector, where every single mistake can cause havoc and fatalities.

So, this examination is crucial for TVET learners because they are not just going to write anything that can be corrected in case there is a mistake.

It is in the light of this that organisers of examinations all over the world try to safeguard their examinations and constantly adopt innovative ways to achieve this.

So, as part of the search for the well baked craftmasters in the various trade areas, starting from this year's examination, the CTVET has introduced serialisation to curtail or minimise exam malpractice.

Serialisation ensures that candidates in the same examination hall may receive the same questions but with different question numbers on each of the series.

According to the CTVET, the purpose of serialisation is to ensure the issue of cheating during examinations and leaking of examination questions is eliminated or minimised.

While agreeing with the CTVET on this laudable step, the Daily Graphic urges supervisors, invigilators, security officials and, particularly the candidates, to be committed to a malpractice-free examination to ensure the credibility of their certificates.

We believe that the position of the CTVET that learners within the TVET sector are well prepared but not half-baked is non-negotiable.

Half-baked electricians, mechanics, chefs, engineers, carpenters, plumbers, masons, among the numerous other professionals, are like murderers with a poisonous substance or with daggers or guns ready to kill.

That is why we see the serialisation of the examination by CTVET as welcome news, such that copying or having foreknowledge of a paper may be irrelevant, as answers to question numbers may not correlate.

Even as the country is encouraging more people to venture into the TVET sector, everyone should be concerned about the quality of the graduates that come out of the institutions.

As the candidates continue to write the examination, we cannot but wish them well and congratulate their teachers on preparing them adequately for the task ahead.