Education changes its mind on GCSEs
EDUCATION has announced a major shake-up of how all 14- to 19-year-olds will be tested, with schools being able to pick and choose from a wide range of qualifications.
But it has admitted the move will make it difficult to compare the island's performance with other jurisdictions.
Minister Robert Sillers insisted the board remained passionate about benchmarking and will work to find new ways to make sure schools are achieving as they should.
The new qualifications framework will see schools select from a range of exams from 2015, including new qualifications being offered in England as well as international GCSEs and GCSEs from Wales and Ireland.
The department had previously recommended breaking away completely from England, but it has gone back on that after the results of a public consultation.
Education came under fire in 2011 after it had to be forced to release GCSE results including English and maths, used as the benchmark in England and which showed local high schools were underperforming in comparison.
Deputy Sillars said benchmarking would still be key.
'We will then be able to judge how we are doing against other jurisdictions globally.'
