2019 National High School Graduation Exam: Electronic marking will be used, and 24/7 surveillance cameras will be installed to monitor the grading process.
According to information from the Ministry of Education and Training, the 2019 National High School Graduation Examination will see technical adjustments in the grading process. Specifically, electronic marking will be used on the multiple-choice answer sheets to prevent examiners from knowing the connection between the candidates' personal information and the content of their answers.
The Ministry of Education and Training stated that the method of organizing the national high school graduation exam will continue to be implemented in 2019 and subsequent years with technical adjustments based on lessons learned from the 2018 exam and admissions process, especially in the grading stage, until the new general education program is fully implemented.
Accordingly, the Ministry of Education and Training will review and refine the technical procedures to ensure strict, objective, and transparent supervision of all stages of the examination; amend and supplement the Examination Regulations, clearly defining the responsibilities of localities, universities, and officials involved in invigilation and marking.
Improve the quality of professional training for exam organizers; enhance the application of information technology in exam management; strengthen inspection, examination, and close supervision of all stages, especially the grading stage, of the exam organization process.
For the marking of multiple-choice exams, the Ministry of Education and Training will preside over the centralized marking process. The marking rooms will be equipped with 24/7 surveillance cameras. The multiple-choice exam marking software will be modified and upgraded to include specific access control and data encryption to prevent user interference.
Accordingly, exam processing staff cannot know the connection between the candidate's personal information and the content of the multiple-choice answers because the answer sheets are electronically coded. At the exam sites and examination boards, surveillance cameras will be installed in the rooms containing the exam papers and answer sheets, monitoring 24/7.
In addition, we will continue to supplement, refine, and improve the quality of the exam question bank as a basis for constructing exam papers that better meet the objectives and requirements of the National High School Graduation Examination, ensuring reasonable differentiation to assess students' academic abilities.
The exam content is based on the high school curriculum, primarily focusing on grade 12; ensuring it is appropriate for the abilities of high school students and has suitable differentiation. The official exam development process will prioritize improving the review and evaluation stages to ensure the exam meets the requirements of the national high school graduation exam in terms of difficulty and balance across different exam versions.
Regarding exam supervision, as in 2018, each province will continue to organize an examination council chaired by the Department of Education and Training; university and college lecturers will be assigned to participate in coordination, following the principle that lecturers from a particular locality will not participate in coordination in that locality.
The Ministry of Education and Training believes that improving the method of organizing exam grading will enhance the accuracy, objectivity, and honesty of exam results. Honest and objective results will be an important basis for universities and colleges to use in their admissions process.