Doubts greet move to scrap A-Net exams

Science schools 'no' to switch to aptitude test

SIRIKUL BUNNAG

A proposal to replace A-Net tests with an aptitude test has been greeted with scepticism.

Dr Arwut Srisukri, secretary-general of the Consortium of Thai Medical Schools, doubted that an aptitude test could really gauge the advanced scientific knowledge of students that science schools need.

He referred to subjects like physics, chemistry, biology and advanced mathematics, which the A-Net covers.

The Council of University Rectors resolved last Saturday to replace the Advanced National Education Test (A-Net) with an aptitude test in 2010.

Dr Arwut urged the Council of University Rectors to prove the quality of the aptitude test before replacing the A-Net with it.

Science schools in universities may turn to direct admission if they doubt the quality of the aptitude test, which would increase students' examination burdens, said Dr Arwut.

"I think the aptitude test can only test the general skills of a student. It may find the quality of being a decent doctor in students, but will not clearly discover their advanced academic capability in each subject," he said.

He said 12 medical schools in his consortium have a joint direct admission system, and their admission gives the A-Net a 70% weighting while their own aptitude test accounts for the rest of the score.

They rarely recognise the Ordinary National Education Test (O-Net) and the cumulative grade point average (GPAX) scores given by high schools.

They only require applicants to have at least 60% of total scores in every subject evaluated with the O-Net.

Direk Lawansiri, dean of Chulalongkorn University's engineering faculty, also does not believe that the aptitude test could appraise students' advanced scientific knowledge effectively.
He said it could only test students' skills to a certain extent.

Monthon Sa-nguansermsri, rector of Naresuan University and chair of the council's Admissions Forum, defended the move to scrap A-Net tests, explaining that the A-Net duplicated the O-Net in several subjects and tested only advanced academic knowledge.

On the other hand, the aptitude test would test not only advanced knowledge but also skills and professional talents. Besides, it would be designed separately to test students in both the arts and science fields, he said.

Foreign universities depended on an aptitude test, he said.

The Admissions Forum would first try its aptitude test in the direct admission systems of Chiang Mai, Naresuan, Mae Fah Luang and Srinakharinwirot universities in the 2008 academic year, and would improve the test to make it good enough for general introduction in 2010, Mr Monthon said.

Bangkok Post
Tuesday April 03, 2007