The education authorities are still in the process of deciding which venues students will use to sit for O and A level exams, as parents expressed their concern over the mixing of students.

A spokesperson for the exam body MATSEC said discussions about the choice of examination centres in the current circumstances are still ongoing.

Times of Malta spoke to the exam body after some parents expressed concern that their efforts to keep children safe from COVID-19 will be futile if students are forced to mix while sitting for their exams.

The upcoming sessions will this year be held in June and October, moved from May and September because of delays in the start of the scholastic year.

But while schools are following strict protocols to ensure COVID-19 does not spread, including keeping children in so-called bubbles to restrict mixing, parents fear this will all be in vain once the exam sessions begin.

Students are worried all their hard work will be for nothing

During meetings for parents of children sitting for O levels held recently, the education authorities dismissed calls for the exams to be held in the students’ own schools, saying this would not be logistically possible.

One parent told Times of Malta that students were not only being put at risk but all their studying could be for nothing if they are forced to go into quarantine.

“We are talking about thousands of students going around different schools on a daily basis. What’s the point of keeping them in bubbles all year only to have them go round schools during exams? The students are worried all their hard work will be for nothing,” one parent said.

Another mother said: “The children were so unsettled last year because of all the uncertainties. I hope they won’t have to go through it again, especially when the authorities have had much more time to plan,” she said.  The MATSEC spokesperson said the choice and administration of examination centres falls within the remit of the Ministry for Education. The ministry is in continuous consultation with public health authorities, he said.

Times of Malta has also reached out to both the education and health authorities, but no reply was received by the time of writing.

In a statement, the Maltese Association of Parents of State School Students said the country cannot afford to have students who have been in separate bubbles throughout their scholastic year mix during their SEC exams. In view of this, MAPSSS believes that this year’s SEC exams should be held at the students’ schools.

MAPSSS also appealed for vulnerable students and students who cannot physically attend their SEC exams to be accomodated.