SEC Biology paper

Now that SEC O-level results have been issued, I would like to express my opinion on the Biology exam paper.

Paper I, for which all candidates sit, was quite well balanced. However, on reading Papers II A and II B (Paper II A being slightly more difficult), one wonders whether this was a Geography/Environmental Studies exam or a Biology exam. Both papers were heavily based on issues related to plants and their environment. Only one question out of seven in Paper II A and two questions out of eight in Paper II B were somewhat linked to human biology.

This does not mean that the floral geographical environment should not be given its due importance; far from it. However, one should be aware that any exam paper should be well balanced, preferably covering all areas of the syllabus.

The majority of the students were very frustrated. To focus on just one section of the syllabus and give minimum importance to the rest is very unfair to both students and teachers who would have invested time and great effort to cover the syllabus in its entirety.

This inconsistency on the part of the MATSEC board gives rise to considerable preoccupation. The only comfort is that most of our college students did well.

As a biology teacher, I would recommend that the MATSEC board analyse all papers thoroughly before putting them to print. That way, students and teachers may reap the fruit of their past efforts and continue to use the syllabus as a faithful guidance to future exams.