Teacher Estimates Replace Algorithm That Reduced Exam Grades

High school students in England hoping for university admission will be given grades estimated by their teachers, rather than by an algorithm, after the British government reversed the controversial decision to rely on an AI to produce exam results. It follows uproar after about 40% of A-level results were downgraded by exams regulator Ofqual, which used a formula based on schools' prior grades.

The resuts of critical high school GCSE and A-Level exam results highlight the flaws in a biased education system where algorithm generated results are being replaced by teacher assessments.

Graduating in a pandemic was never going to be easy but now pupils are being re-marked by schools. Roughly 300,000 students who recently received their A Level results had had a grade assigned to them based on a piece of code put together by Ofqual, the exams regulator.  Now, teachers' estimates will be awarded to students unless the computer algorithm gave a higher grade. The governmant Minister and schooll qualifications agency, OfQual, responsible for these decisons have both apologised for the "distress" caused.

Previous Algorithm generated figures suggest 36% of England’ results were marked down by one grade, while 3% were down by two. Ofqual numbers also show a 4.7% rise in A and A* grades in private schools versus 2019, and just a 0.3% shift in the needle for state institutions. 

With the Algorithm there has been little explanation regarding how it worked. The government was expected to release a near 150-page document that could shine some light on its mechanism, but that did not get released.Among the concerns still being raised is the fact that an individual student’s life chances still hang on an estimated balance on their school’s historic performance. 

In a statement, Education Secretary Gavin Williamson acknowledged the "extraordinarily difficult" year for students, after exams were cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic. He said the Department for Education had worked with Ofqual to design "the fairest possible model" but it had become clear that the process of awarding grades had resulted in "more significant inconsistencies than can be resolved through an appeals process".

A-level students held protests across the UK in response to grades they said were unfairly awarded, amidst widespread criticism from oppoition party spokesman. In Scotland, where there is diferent educational regime, the responsible authorities have abandoned algorthmic moderation following widespread complaints and will award results based on students's teacher assessement. 

The Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) said about 69% of 18-year old applicants across the UK were currently placed with their first-choice university, which it said was "higher than at the same point last year".

Reuters:    Human Rights Watch:     Telegraph:       Wired      TES:   BBC: 

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