The Commission on Higher Education (CHED) admitted that conducting entrance examination online for incoming students in colleges and universities is a bit "problematic."
In an interview Monday, CHED chairman J. Prospero De Vera III said the integrity of examinations when administered online is a bit problematic as schools are unsure who is answering the test.
"Ang mahirap kasi sa online (entrance exam), hindi mo alam kung 'yung bata o iba ang sumasagot para sa kanya. Iyan ang pinakamahirap na disenyo ng exam," De Vera explained.
(What is difficult in online entrance exam is you do not know if it is the student or someone else is answering for them. That is the hardest exam design)
The higher education chief added that should universities and colleges conduct online entrance tests for admission of their students, the exam design should be revised.
While higher education institutions (HEIs) in the country have finished admitting students for the current school year, De Vera said that it was a challenge due to the pandemic.
"Nagka-problema talaga kasi 'yung iba ginawa nilang online pero hindi naman lahat ng bata ay kayang makapag-exam online. So, ang ginawa ng ibang state universities and colleges (SUs), nakipag-tulungan sila sa kanilang mga local government para sunduin ang mga bata upang makapag-exam sa eskwelahan," he shared.
(There was really a problem because other universities conducted it online but not all students can take it. So, what other SUCs did, they worked with their local governments to transport students to their schools so they can take the exam)
De Vera said that HEIs are now preparing how to conduct online entrance examinations for the next academic year.
"Kailangan baguhin mo ang disenyo ng exam kung gagawin mo online. Iyan 'yung medyo problematic area sa ngayon, 'yung pagdating ng entrance exam para sa academic year 2021-2022," he added.
(There is a need to change the design of the examination if it will be done online. That is the problematic area right now -- the entrance exam for academic year 2021-2022)
De Vera mentioned as an example the University of the Philippines (UP), which he said is not yet ready to conduct its College Admission Test (UPCAT) online.
"Ang nagkakaproblema ngayon ay ang UP dahil hindi naka-disenyo ang UPCAT for online. Dapat ay ibibigay ngayong third quarter of the year para sa next school year pero hindi pa sila ready i-administer ang online UPCAT kasi marami ring mag-eexam, lagpas 100,000," the CHED chairman said.
(UP is having a problem right now because its UPCAT is not designed for online. It should be conducted this third quarter of the year for the next school year, but they are not yet ready to administer the online UPCAT as it also has a lot of examinees, over 100,000)
De Vera assured that universities and colleges across the country are trying their best to achieve the same learning outcome despite the change in the mode of teaching.
Face-to-face classes have been suspended in the country since the government implemented a hard lockdown in parts of the country in mid-March to encourage strict home quarantine and reduce the risk of virus transmission.