How to Estimate School Examination and Certification Grades

When students are anticipating Grades 8, 10 or 12 examinations (and results or selections) it is perhaps useful to estimate their marks. This post aims to show parents, students, teachers and stakeholders how to estimate the grades of students.

Percentage based grading - an example

There are two benefits of knowing the likely grades of students - and especially the grade 12 students - before they sit the national exams based on percentages ranking (shown below). 

• Firstly, this will help students to revise well and teachers to prepare their students properly for examinations. 
• Secondly, this can help students to make suitable choices on School Leavers Forms (SLF). 

Exam & School-based Test Results

Suppose the total marks in an 'external' examination is out of 100 marks, a student who sits the exam can get a mark ranging from 0 to 100. The student is then graded accordingly. The final grading takes into account the student's performances in both the external examination and internal school-based tests/assessments for that particular subject.

The collating of marks is called Standardisation. This stage uses the student's MARKS from both the external (exam marks) and internal (school-based) performance results. Usually, the internal marks have less weight than the external marks.

The examinations are very important. The student will not be graded or go through the selection process if they do not sit the national examinations. Therefore as mentioned, exam plays a crucial part in the standardisation of student's marks. And, eventually selections to higher institutions. 

In retrospect, exactly how the standardisation of results (and percentage composition of Internal vs external marks) in PNG is done is NOT available in the public domain. But, general inferences of marks and grading can put students in better positions. Especially, in a great position to prepare for exams and make informed choices on SLF.

So far, the post places emphasis on external exam performance. Yes, an exam is important in all scheme of things. In fact, exams results are the culmination of all the work that has been done over time, at different grade levels. The exams marks are barely the reflection of school-based learning.

Percentage-based Grading

The example of the breakdown in marks below can help you rationalise how the process works. Note that this is for guidance purposes only

For example, in Maths B a student's grades could be awarded on a percentage-based criteria as follows:

A = top 5 %
B = 25%

C = 40%

D = 25%

F = bottom 5%

So if a student wants to get an A in the Maths B exam (out of 100 marks) they MUST score 95/100 or more in the examination.

Schools Overestimating Internal Marks

There is always the temptation for schools to manipulate student's internal marks. Such practise should not be encouraged. It had little or no effect on student's overall performances and grading. It does the student no good.

Schools must record students marks (and estimates where a student missed tests) according to the student's performance. 

In reality, if a student combines this 'guesstimate with the Internal School Assessment result, he/she will be in a better position to revise well prior to the exams and also make an informed choice on the SLF.

If you have any questions or find this post useful, please leave a message at the bottom and I'll respond in due course.

Recommended reading:

GPA for PNG Universities Student Information

Air Niugini Online Booking Domestic Secial Fares Flight Cancellation

Before Independence day, the Christmas period or the school holidays, Air Niugini must stop cancelling flights. In fact, the cancellation of flights can be described as a wound that Air Niugini needs to find a remedy for. 

Often, the reason for Air Niugini schedule cancellations is either not made known to the customers or communicated to them prior to arrival at check-in. Apparently, the sad norm is many customers turned up at check-in to find out that their flight is cancelled.

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Air Niugini Online Booking and Check-in Using Mobile Phone - Beat the Queues

Air Niugini must put the interest of customers first

Air Niugini must put the interest of customers before its aim to make money.  For example, if there are two or three passengers to pick up at Lae Nazab Airport,  the company must make every effort to fly them on schedule.

It must not cancel a flight just to create a backlog so that it will relieve the backlog on the next flights. This is about business ethics and the ethics of the operations managers to stay true to schedule unless it is really necessary to cancel a flight.

It is also sad that many passengers are normally sent away to cater for themselves during a flight cancellation. 

Understandably, if/when Air Niugini cancels a flight it has a duty of care to provide accommodation and transportation for ALL delayed passengers,  not just a few. For example, if you leave Simbu and travel to Goroka to catch a flight and it's delayed, you'll have to travel back to Simbu or stay the night with wantoks at Goroka.

Only the affected customers who may have produced a hotel receipt will probably be accommodated. 

It is a question of business ethics and responsibility to customers - regardless of their status - who are supposed to be on the cancelled plane. All delayed customers must be provided with accommodation, meals and transport.  This is the right thing to do!

PNG Air Niugini's scheduled cancellations

Understandably flight cancellation happens under respectable situations.  But PNG Air Niugini's schedule cancellations have been regular and are fast becoming a norm. The management must now look at ways to stop cancelling flights at regular intervals. The management must fly its passengers to their destinations on schedule.

The two issues:

• Firstly, Air Niugini's flight cancellations are now a norm and widely accepted or ignored or expected by many.  It's a problem that needed addressing immediately.  
• Secondly, many delayed passengers are not always accommodated. The company has a duty of care to all passengers who may have been delayed due to the company's decision to cancel a flight.

These are serious issues that bring Air Niugini's business and management ethics into question and it's time the company does something about it.

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The Air Niugini Bird of Paradise taxing to stop at Nazab Airport outside Lae Morobe Province. This was a flight after a cancellation the day before.