MATSEC adds 5% compensation to Italian listening comprehension exam after complaints

The MATSEC board said that following complaints filed by candidates after the SEC Italian listening comprehension component, it immediately commenced a thorough investigation to determine the best course of action which would ensure that students sitting for this component would not be disadvantaged.

The Italian SEC examination consists of four components, each of which accounts to a varying degree to the global mark which determines the final grade scored by each student. The modules carry the following marks: The listening comprehension (21%), the oral part (14%), reading module (20%), written paper (45%).

In a bid to obtain a clear indication of the candidates’ performance in this section, MATSEC instructed markers to correct a representative sample of the papers amounting to 25% of the cohort of students that sat for the examination. This ensures that the resulting performance is indicative of the overall general performance of students in the listening comprehension component, including Gozitan students.

The marks registered by the sample for the March 2017 session compare very well with the marks registered in 2015 and 2016. Despite these findings, MATSEC has decided to apply a 5% compensation on the marks attained in this component of the exam in Malta. Known as a special consideration, such mechanism is a post-examination adjustment to a candidate’s mark or grade to reflect, inter alia, an event outside of the candidate’s control at the time of the assessment, which has had, or is reasonably likely to have had, a material effect on a candidate’s ability to take an assessment or demonstrate his or her normal level of attainment in an assessment.

Such special consideration is defined in the manual of the Joint Qualification Council, which is the body that regulates UK examination Boards. Although such manual only allows for a special consideration of a maximum of 1% in such circumstances, MATSEC has decided to raise this compensation to 5% which is normally cited in exceptional circumstances limited to very serious cases.

MATSEC is confident that this correctional computation will ascertain that no student is disadvantaged as a result of the sound quality of the Italian listening comprehension.

In the eventuality that students would still like to re-take this component, MATSEC has also made arrangements for all candidates to do so voluntarily during a special session which will be held on Friday 26 May. Students who opt for such a resit will do so on the understanding that the mark obtained in this sitting will replace the original mark.

All students who sat for the Italian listening comprehension SEC exam will be receiving an email with the above details. Those planning on re-taking the component need to apply, free of charge, at the MATSEC offices on 20, 21, 24 or 25 April, 2017 during normal office hours. Gozitan candidates are to apply at the Examinations Centre in Victoria on the same dates.

Meanwhile, MATSEC has ascertained that the sound system used for the Spanish and German listening comprehensions was satisfactory and the circumstances do not warrant the application of special considerations.