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Seniors Protest 'Olympiad-Level' Math Pretest

After taking the maths pretest, 12th-grade students in the science/mathematics track complained about the difficulty of the test.

They launched an online petition calling for some of the exercises to be simplified. Teachers acknowledge that the pretest was quite difficult for achieving a top grade, but believe that all students could achieve a passing grade. The Ministry of Education responded to the students' request, with Minister Dan Perciun inviting them to a discussion with representatives of the National Agency for Curriculum and Evaluation, the institution responsible for developing the tests.

The petition has already been signed by over a thousand students. The petitioners state that the structure of the exercises and the difficulty of the test are comparable to those of a maths olympiad. Students in the science/mathematics track from the "Alexandru Ioan Cuza" Theoretical High School share the same opinion. Some of them believe that the baccalaureate exam will be most challenging for students aiming for high grades.

VOX:

"Personally, I found the pretest accessible for a grade of five or six, but for a grade of 10 it is a bit more difficult to achieve. I had difficulties with the probability item, but I don't know this area well and it is typically more challenging."

"The students who strive and want to get high grades may have encountered difficulties with some items. It can be disappointing to put in so much effort and see that your effort is not fully rewarded. For me, there were two parts where I had difficulties, but because I didn't review the material sufficiently, I got a five."

"I found the pretest quite accessible for a grade of five. For a grade of 9-10, more effort is required. Personally, I had difficulties with geometry."

Maths teacher Natalia Bega says that the difficulty of the test exceeds the average level.

"The students were not yet fully prepared for the pretest because we still have a curriculum to complete. Exam preparation started recently, two or three days ago. They still have two months to prepare for the baccalaureate exam. I think it is a test slightly above average difficulty," explained maths teacher Natalia Bega.

The Ministry of Education is open to a discussion with the students who are asking for the simplification of items in the pretest.

"From the information provided by the agency, the difficulty is comparable to that of previous years. The promotion rate in mathematics for those who graduate from a high school, not referring to those who study in colleges, is quite high, increasing in recent years. We are very open to meeting with them to discuss," said the Minister of Education and Research, Dan Perciun.

This year, the baccalaureate exam will take place between June 4-21. The maths test is scheduled for June 14.

Translation by Iurie Tataru

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