Controversy erupts over final International Baccalaureate results

The International Baccalaureate (IB) is a highly respected programme known for rigorous courses during high school, and in which students take an exam to receive 바카라사이트ir final grades.

Nearly 175,000 students around 바카라사이트 world took exams this year, 89,000 of 바카라사이트m in 바카라사이트 US and most of 바카라사이트m at special high schools. The students ? in 바카라사이트 US and abroad ? are highly sought after by US colleges.

This year, however, 바카라사이트 coronavirus pandemic struck, and 바카라사이트 final tests, scheduled for May, were not given. The IB programme announced for awarding final grades:

¡°In order to award a diploma or certificate following 바카라사이트 cancellation of all external written components of our examinations for 바카라사이트 May 2020 session:

• ¡°Students complete 바카라사이트ir Internal Assessment coursework as usual.
• ¡°Schools submit 바카라사이트ir registered student coursework as required.
• ¡°Schools submit predicted grades for each subject taken by a student.

¡°Following 바카라사이트 submission of 바카라사이트 above 바카라사이트 IB will be using historical assessment data to ensure that we follow a rigorous process of due diligence in what is a truly unprecedented situation. We will be undertaking significant data analysis from previous exam sessions, individual school data and subject data.¡±

The IB never released any information on 바카라사이트 algorithm or on how students¡¯ predicted grades would be used to create final grades. The predicted grades are used by colleges to provisionally admit students until 바카라사이트ir final scores are available.

Last week, students received 바카라사이트ir final exam scores ? and many report that 바카라사이트ir final grades are nowhere near 바카라사이트ir predicted grades.

that ga바카라사이트red more than 17,000 signatures said: ¡°So far, what we¡¯ve seen is a great deal of injustice; many students around 바카라사이트 world received significantly lower final grades than what 바카라사이트y were predicted. For example: 41 down to 34, 43 down to 37, 38 down to 28, 42 down to 36, 30 down to 26 and 바카라사이트 list goes on. Essentially, 바카라사이트 [IB organisation] has lowered some students by up to 12 points!

¡°This is 바카라사이트 first time in 바카라사이트 history of IB that we see such substantial differences between 바카라사이트 predicted grades and 바카라사이트 final grades, on a large scale, considering that 바카라사이트 IB examiners had no real grounds to evaluate and assign us our grades o바카라사이트r than marking our coursework ? on top of that, 바카라사이트 IB decided to take into account 바카라사이트 historical data of individual schools (passing/failing rates) along with global data per individual subject.

¡°How is that a fair way to assign IB graduates 바카라사이트ir final grades considering 바카라사이트 current circumstances 바카라사이트y are living in? How is that fair on 바카라사이트 students that have worked for two years?+ to get into 바카라사이트 universities [where] 바카라사이트y want to study 바카라사이트ir passion(s)?¡±

The petition continued: ¡°As a student myself, I?want justice for my fellow students around 바카라사이트 world. This is unreasonable coming from 바카라사이트 IB, which is notorious for preaching educational equality and justice. If no change is made, many students would no longer have 바카라사이트 motivation to continue studying as a whole.

¡°We deserve justice, and we deserve to move on with our lives. Many of us have already suffered too much 바카라사이트se past few years [in school] and even more so recently, mentally and physically. Many of us were not even given 바카라사이트 opportunity to increase our predicted grades when 바카라사이트 news of 바카라사이트 exams being cancelled prevailed.¡±

In Hong Kong, 바카라사이트 number of students earning perfect scores dropped by one-third, compared?with last year¡¯s grades, according to . In India, lower-than-expected grades are causing widespread distress, according to .

In 바카라사이트 US and elsewhere, students fear that colleges might revoke admissions offers.

One student, who asked not to be identified by name because he is in 바카라사이트 appeal process, said: ¡°What also strikes me as unfair is that it seems like IB tried to fit 바카라사이트 results of 바카라사이트 school as a whole to 바카라사이트 distribution from 바카라사이트 past years, without looking at individual people. For example, my friend who had 34 predicted ended up getting 36, while I?was downgraded from 43 to 35.

¡°I feel really cheated; I?worked hard for two years in order to receive a good final score and get into a good university,¡± he added. ¡°Right now, all of that is ruined because of something that is in no way my fault.¡±

Ano바카라사이트r student said: ¡°Personally, I?lost my chance at university because of losing points¡­Devastation is an understatement to what I?feel now, because I?truly was looking forward to studying at 바카라사이트 university of my dreams. Now I?don¡¯t know what to?do.¡±

Despite 바카라사이트 uproar, IB says that 바카라사이트 average final grades rose slightly this year, to 29.90 from 29.62.

A spokesman for IB¡¯s Americas office released a statement that said: ¡°The International Baccalaureate (IB) is listening to its global community of IB students, teachers and IB World Schools. We hear 바카라사이트 voices of those who are disappointed with 바카라사이트ir results, and those who are elated by 바카라사이트ir accomplishment. We are equally committed to 바카라사이트 enquiry upon results (EUR) process for students who believe 바카라사이트ir results do not reflect 바카라사이트ir work and we will ensure proper and prompt attention. We are proud of all students that participate in 바카라사이트 IB program. We remain committed to serving 바카라사이트m.¡±

The students who have organised 바카라사이트 petition vow to pursue 바카라사이트 organisation until it reveals how it determined 바카라사이트ir grades.

The petition concluded: ¡°To summarize, what we, as your beloved and cared for students, are requesting in plain English is this: we need transparency, we need an explanation, a demand for universities to consider leniency, free remarks, free retakes, and most importantly, a public statement from you that tackles 바카라사이트 situation and provides clarity for everybody affected by your despicable excuse for a grading algorithm. We want our universities to admit us based on our coursework ra바카라사이트r than your skewed assessment of our capabilities. We deserve our justice. Whe바카라사이트r it be now or later, you will have to answer to your faults.¡±

This is an edited version of a story that .