Foreign language exams and certifications must have surveillance cameras?

The Ministry of Education and Training has issued Regulations on organizing exams and granting foreign language certificates according to the 6-level foreign language proficiency framework for Vietnam with many changes compared to previous regulations to enhance the autonomy and responsibility of exam organizing units, especially in terms of anti-cheating.

This is a draft on regulations for organizing exams and granting foreign language certificates according to the 6-level foreign language proficiency framework for Vietnam to replace Circular 23 of 2017, amended and supplemented by Circular 24 of 2021, which is being widely consulted.

Many new regulations on foreign language certificate exams and examiners

In the draft, the Ministry of Education and Training sets out minimum requirements for conditions to ensure the quality of organizing exams and granting foreign language certificates according to the 6-level foreign language proficiency framework for Vietnam, applicable to universities, academies, colleges with foreign language training majors and related organizations and individuals.

New regulations on organizing exams and granting foreign language certificates will help exam organizers be more autonomous and test takers be more serious. In the photo: A foreign language class for students in Ho Chi Minh City

PHOTO: DAO NGOC THACH

Specifically, to organize a foreign language proficiency test, units need to meet 5 standards with 18 criteria. However, these standards and criteria are specified specifically, clearly and with higher requirements than previous circulars.

For example, previously, the regulation required the exam organization to have "at least 20 examiners for speaking and writing in English, 10 examiners for speaking and writing in each other foreign language (if any); examiners must have a certificate of completion of the examination marking training program as prescribed by the Minister of Education and Training", but the new draft requires at least 30 people for English and 20 people for other foreign languages. These people must have a master's degree or higher in one of the foreign language majors in the foreign language, literature and culture group or a foreign language major in the educational science group.

Regarding facilities, the draft introduces a new regulation that requires a camera system to monitor the entire process of organizing the exam and a monitor screen to monitor the camera system placed in the exam room. Units are also required to provide photos of candidates during the exam on the certificate lookup and verification system.

Regarding the exam questions, the Ministry of Education and Training requires that questions used to organize the exam can only be considered for reuse after at least 2 years; between 2 consecutive exams, the content of the reading and listening sections must not overlap by more than 25%; the speaking and writing sections must not overlap. These regulations have not been set forth in previous circulars.

The examination organization must establish regulations and procedures for organizing the examination to ensure security, safety, objectivity, fairness and seriousness; clearly assign responsibilities to departments involved in organizing the examination; and have effective measures to prevent cheating. Data from surveillance cameras is one of the official bases for considering and handling violations of examination regulations.

In what cases is the exam prohibited?

For candidates, if they let others take the exam or do the test for others in any form; cause disturbance or sabotage the exam; assault the exam organizer or other candidates, they will be banned from taking the exam at all foreign language proficiency test organizations for 2 years.

Thus, the draft circular with the above new points helps exam organizing units increase autonomy and accountability, and strengthen solutions to ensure security, safety, reliability, and fairness in organizing exams and granting foreign language certificates according to the 6-level Foreign Language Proficiency Framework.

In particular, increasing the application of information technology and digital transformation in all stages to prevent the maximum number of substitute exams and proxy exams will force candidates to strictly comply with exam regulations to avoid being banned from taking the exam.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/thi-va-cap-chung-chi-ngoai-ngu-phai-co-camera-giam-sat-185241126135348278.htm