A lot has already been said about the school exams and the Corona virus. But what came to my attention again… soon you will have a child with a Corona diploma! I didn't know what I was hearing, what a nonsense always. What people want to 'prevent' is that this will soon become the general statement:Oh... did you pass your exam in 2020? Then you have a Corona diploma. In other words… you are matted with your exams. And that makes me so angry!
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These are bizarre times and everyone has to take a step back. Not just financially, but in all your doings. And I don't think there's anything wrong with that, because it's one of the few ways in which the majority of Dutch people can contribute by doing nothing.
We have now also reached the point where the Corona virus has ensured that the central final exams have been cancelled. It is not yet known exactly how it will continue, at least we have not heard anything about it from school. Not heard whether the current school exams will continue or not and in what form if possible. Haven't heard about a possible diploma in this Corona time. Not that strange, by the way, because I understand that they need time to put everything in order.
What I don't understand, however, is that there is already going around that a Corona diploma would be worth less than an exam paper obtained in another year. Even though the government clearly indicates that this will not be the case, people have already passed judgment. I think that's unfair and I'll tell you why.
Normally, your total list of marks is based on your school exams, interim tests and the central final exams. An average is drawn from this in a certain way and that mark is included in your list of marks when you receive your diploma. All your final grades together show whether you finally get your paper yes or no (taking into account any allowed fail marks and compensation points).
In this case, there are no central final exams. In my adolescent's class, for example, this is already leading to assumptions about success or failure. I understand, we also thought that an adolescent is in good shape now and then might already have 'passed'. A premature conclusion, of course, because school exams may still have to be taken.
But suppose that is not the case, that no more school exams are taken. Then I still don't think this group of children is being matted with their Corona diploma. Suppose that all children who would now have passed according to their list of marks will actually receive their diploma. Why would they be matted then?
I agree with you, they didn't have to do a central final exam. But they have worked hard in the past 8 months on the list of grades that is now available. They have made all kinds of tests, practical exams, assignments and presentations. And they got numbers for that. If those were good numbers, then doesn't that show that this is a group of teenagers who have done their best in the past 8 months at the level they are at? Whether that is VMBO, Havo or VWO level. As if a central final exam could add something to that?
In all cases, a central final exam adds an extra test moment. At sometime. And a lot of stress. Children who get very good marks for the central final exam are children who have studied very hard and have a portion of stress resistance available. But what if you didn't get good grades for that last central exam and did the rest of the year? Then you probably still stand just enough for everything. Just enough to put your final paper in your pocket. So even in that case you are entitled to your diploma and that diploma is just as valid as the now so-called Corona diploma.
Butrrrr… there are also children who throw their cap at it all year round. Adolescents who are not (yet) motivated and who get very bad grades. Adolescents who think 'I'll do that at the end for a while'. Just before the exam, they hit it for a few weeks to get their final diploma in this way. That is also possible. Until now, these children had just as much chance of getting a diploma by passing the central final exams as all other candidates. And that is seen as a 'good diploma'.
If we think that's a justified diploma, such as that last-mentioned group of 'last minute bangers' get their diploma, why in God's name should we now talk about a Corona diploma? If those teenagers have now shown in 8 months that they are in good shape, then I think they have earned their diploma twice as much! Why then should the final diploma be worth less compared to the other group that gets the diploma at the last minute with their heels over the ditch. That doesn't make sense, does it?
I'm curious how you stand in this!
