In response to the COVID 19 Pandemic, which is causing disruptions in schools, EQAP advises the Heads of the Education Systems, Ministries of Education, schools, parents and students of the following with respect to the South Pacific Form Seven Certificate (SPFSC) programme:
1. With closure of schools and disruptions to classroom learning, we suggest flexibility, modification and adaptations in the teaching and learning programme while maintaining its quality. Our goal is to ensure students are able to learn and achieve the learning outcomes regardless of the time taken or mode of learning used.
2. Any student, who is properly registered, is entitled to sit the SPFSC exam. The SPFSC Qualification does not have any policy in place regarding attendance that would disqualify a student from sitting the exam.
3. In April, EQAP, will launch its SPFSC Moodle to provide online learning platform for SPFSC students. Students will be able to access study guides prepared by EQAP which include lesson notes and lesson activities using devices such as laptops, smart phones and tablets from remote locations to allow them to continue with learning. Schools will be notified through their principals and SPFSC coordinators in the third week of April about how their teachers and students can access the SPFSC Moodle.
4. The 2020 SPFSC exam timetable provided to schools during the 2020 SPFSC workshops is draft and subject to change. EQAP will take the COVID-19 situation and disruptions to the school year into account when setting the final timetable.
5. EQAP will work with individual schools and ministries to finalise the timetable as the year progresses, recognising that the situation may differ between and across countries.
6. The SPFSC Internal Assessment (IA) tasks are an integral component of the SPFSC programme and where possible, should continue as usual. However, IA tasks that require group work and/or specific site visits are being revised to meet the current situational needs. These changes related to IA will be communicated directly to schools through the principals and SPFSC coordinators by the third week of May.
7. IA task due dates will be rescheduled to accommodate the time constraints caused by the current situation.
These are challenging times and we need to be resilient to ensure sustainability in all aspects of our lives. Please stay safe and healthy!
Message from EQAP Director Dr Michelle Belisle