Abstract:

Many educational systems use official examinations in order to certify competencies that have developed or knowledge that has been acquired at the end of a programme or course of study. These exams avec often considered as high-stake tests because of the impact they may have on the future of the examinees. Results become factors of social promotion as they give access to some educational programmes or better jobs. At the individual level, the implementation of these tests may result in high anxiety and encourage strategies such as cramming. At the social level, they reflect relations between groups and reinforce particular values.

The concept of high-stake test does not apply only to certification situations. In fact, different mode of learning assessment may have major consequences depending on the cultural environment in which they take place. We see, for example, that comparable tests have a different impact when they are administered in Asia rather than America. Some examples of high-stake tests in the Eastern world and the Western world raise issues with regard of consequential validity – this concept being defined as the interaction between the stakeholders, the purpose, and the context.

High-stake tests are recent in Europe and America. However, in China, the Keju system used high-stake tests as early as 606. Under the Ming dynasty, a Keju syndrome emerged with anxiety, depression or even suicide; it is still persistent in many countries of Asia. In Nepal, a strict national exam system has been set in place. In 2015, the Government decided to eliminate the passing note, thus reducing dramatically the negative consequences. Our research aims at clarifying the rationale for such a reform and analyse the impact of moving from a must pass exam to a no fail exam the stakeholders and the curriculum.

We observe that the negative consequences that are associated with a test are in fact related to its use and vary according to the cultural and social environment. It is important to envision the consequential validity from an ecological perspective.

Keywords:

High-stakes test, Assessment, Validity.