UNITED KINGDOM – Education Secretary Michael Gove says GCSEs will be “more challenging” after a radical shake-up will see the current system replaced with a nationwide televised battle to the death.
After ditching plans for an English Baccalaureate certificate, Michael Gove continued calls for a more rigorous system that would abolish modules and axe coursework in favour of giving student axes.
The reforms will see pupils in England study basic lessons in survival as well as weapons training, hand to hand combat and R.E.
New standards
Exams regulator OfQual outlined the new system of examination in which students would be expected to compete for a chance to live long enough to make it to higher education.
GCSE reform has been a controversial topic among ministers, with Mr Gove most recently announcing the need for a major overhaul of the current A*-G grades. The current proposal is the latest suggestion to replace the current GCSE system with a more credible way of separating students according to ability.
The new simplified grading options would also be introduced: alive or dead.
In addition to simpler grading, English will now involve the study of at least one survival guide and maths will feature the necessary arithmetic to ensure students are able to keep count of the number of live opponents at any given moment.
Chief regulator Glenys Stacey said: “GCSEs are important and valued qualifications, but we have seen over the last two years that they can be improved.
“We have a real opportunity here to put in place reformed GCSEs which will be as engaging to watch as they will be to participate in.”
Stacey also clarified that due to the new life or death format, exam resits would be impossible.
GCSEs are taken by hundreds of thousands of 16-year-olds each year although that number is expected to fall considerably in the years following the new grading system.
The way forward
In a Commons statement, Mr Gove said there was a “widespread consensus that we need to reform our examination system to restore public confidence”.
“What we can’t do is we cannot continue with a system where there has been rampant grade inflation,” said Mr Gove.
“Implementing a system based on Hunger Games would ensure that only the best students would receive the best grades.”
“Or any grade. At all. Ever.”
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