Last Thursday marked a significant moment for me and many other students as we received our A-level results (Editorial, 17 August). While I didn’t achieve the exact grades I had hoped for, I am grateful to have gained admission to my first-choice university. However, I feel compelled to express my sentiments regarding how our government has treated our year group.
The last formal exams I sat before my A-levels were the Sats in year 6. It is unfathomable to expect a group of children to endure a pandemic and suffer its consequences, including a lack of quality education, mental health struggles, and tremendous disruption to our normal lives. To then impose full A-level exams on us seems both extraordinary and cruel.
When undertaking A-levels, much of the knowledge and skills developed during GCSEs are still utilized. Therefore, the significant portions we missed out on during the pandemic undoubtedly had a profound impact on our academic performance. It is appalling for the government to disregard this reality and treat us as mere statistical experiments, all in an effort to return to pre-pandemic levels.
Unfortunately, the pandemic has created vast gaps, and far too many students have fallen through them, exacerbated by the government’s neglectful approach. I feel let down by a government that appears to have little regard for state schools.
The education secretary’s remark that no one would be interested in pupils’ exam results a decade later showcases a complete lack of sensitivity (Thousands fewer students in England awarded top A-level grades, 17 August). Gillian Keegan should be championing the value of the government’s assessment and qualifications system, rather than undermining it.
The A-level qualification has been hailed as the “gold standard,” opening doors for higher education, better employment opportunities, and higher earning potential. By insinuating that these results will hold no significance in the future, Keegan undermines the entire notion and dismisses the anxieties and stresses experienced by students awaiting their results.
It is crucial to recognize that many young individuals will not pursue further studies beyond A-levels. For them, obtaining the best grades possible is vital to ensuring continued access to the best employment opportunities.
Furthermore, it is worth noting that individuals who excel in any examination often take great pride in their achievements, long after a decade has passed (Keegan’s Wikipedia page proudly mentions that she was the only pupil at her school to attain 10 O-levels).
It would be an extraordinary feat to fully comprehend the depths of Tory ministers’ hypocrisy, but the education secretary’s remarks about the fleeting relevance of A-level grades would shock even Hercules. Would she have dared to repeat those words in front of students, parents, and tutors at a local sixth form college where students, who are just as capable as their predecessors, found themselves in tears and bewildered by their results?
These students are victims of a calculated statistical manipulation. These exams represent their first experience under what could be considered “normal conditions,” yet they must suffer the consequences of yet another display of Tory bravado. These young individuals are eligible voters, and I sincerely hope they do not forget what has transpired.
Have an opinion on the Guardian’s content today? We welcome your letters for potential publication in our letters section. Please email us your thoughts.
Denial of responsibility! VigourTimes is an automatic aggregator of Global media. In each content, the hyperlink to the primary source is specified. All trademarks belong to their rightful owners, and all materials to their authors. For any complaint, please reach us at – [email protected]. We will take necessary action within 24 hours.
