Student grading system changed

General education schools adopted a new grading system for the academic year 2018 to 2019. Head of the General Education Policy Department at the Ministry of Education, Culture, Science and Sports T.Nyam-Ochir explained the new system in the following interview.

Why was the grading system changed?

The curriculum of general education schools in Mongolia was revised three times over the last 15 years. As a result, there was a need to improve teaching tools and change textbooks, grading system, and teaching methodologies. This is the only way to make a comprehensive education system.

Although changes are made to curriculums, its contents and teaching hours, the grading system hasn’t been adjusted for a long time and the textbooks are outdated. Parents are very angry about this. The letter grading system – A, B, C, D, and F – has been used for more than 10 years. Researchers and scientists found that this type of grading has many disadvantages. Therefore, once we revised the curriculum, we decided to change the

grading system.

How different is the two grading systems different?

The new system has eight levels. In the past, a student who got an F was immediately evaluated “bad” at the lesson or topic when, in fact, this student had acquired new knowledge and skills to some extent. A student who completed 5- percent of his work would not feel motivated to study further if he or she is graded the same as a student who executed 20 percent of his work. If a student’s academic performance is at 20 percent, teachers can help him reach 30 percent next. Like so, the new grading system has eight levels based on the academic performance of students.

Has this percentage grading system been proven to be effective in other countries?

We believe that revising the grading system will help the Mongolian education keep up with global trends and create more advantages. Grades will show how a teacher should work with each student.

The grading system was discussed in May, approved in June and introduced to teachers in August. Other countries do not grade children in primary schools. They take general education exams when students move from middle school to high school. They use the scores as a reference to determine the national education quality.

Our education system can also be shifted to a system with an impartial evaluating system.