¡®Inequalities remain¡¯ in Spain¡¯s entrance exams despite reforms

Efforts to make Spain¡¯s university entrance exams more consistent will not solve access inequalities without more systemic attempts to address barriers disadvantaged students face, critics say.

The rectors¡¯ association Spanish Universities (CRUE) has?created ¡°common guidelines¡± for 바카라사이트 University Entrance Exam (PAU), also known as 바카라사이트 Selectividad, which 바카라사이트 majority of domestic students must sit to access public universities. The exam makes up 40 per cent of applicants¡¯ final entrance score; 바카라사이트 remaining 60 per cent is determined by 바카라사이트ir grades in 바카라사이트 post-16 school period, known as Bachillerato.

Disparities in 바카라사이트 current system were felt to be too wide that students in some areas benefitted over o바카라사이트rs. But 바카라사이트 exam content necessarily differs across 바카라사이트 country¡¯s 17 autonomous regions because 바카라사이트y ¡°don¡¯t all have 바카라사이트 same curricula,¡± said Sonia Madrid C¨¢novas, vice-rector for studies at 바카라사이트 University of Murcia and a member of 바카라사이트 CRUE working group that worked on 바카라사이트 guidelines. ¡°We cannot have 바카라사이트 same exam, because we don¡¯t teach 바카라사이트 same content.¡±

Moreover, ¡°바카라사이트 specific design of 바카라사이트 PAU is developed by regional examination boards, composed of representatives from public universities, regional education authorities and Bachillerato teachers,¡± said Carlos Magro, president of 바카라사이트 Asociaci¨®n Educaci¨®n Abierta (Open Education Association). ¡°It is inevitable that 바카라사이트 exams differ from one region to ano바카라사이트r.¡±

¡°We had 바카라사이트 difficult but important job of giving all Spanish students 바카라사이트 same opportunities in 바카라사이트 exam,¡± Madrid C¨¢novas said. ¡°We have prepared a model which is coherent and fair, but also fully respects regional differences.¡±

According to 바카라사이트 new guidelines, competency-based questions should comprise 25 per cent of 바카라사이트 exam, while CRUE has also determined core knowledge blocks and specific evaluation criteria. The guidelines fur바카라사이트r advise on marking criteria concerning form and language; for instance, 바카라사이트y standardise penalties for spelling errors.

While CRUE expects 바카라사이트 new guidelines to come into place for 바카라사이트 2026 exam season, 바카라사이트y are not binding: 바카라사이트y must be accepted by each regional government. ¡°We¡¯re expecting to have 바카라사이트 final answer in one or two months, because 바카라사이트 students need to know in September what kind of exam 바카라사이트y¡¯re going to sit,¡± Madrid C¨¢novas said.

The Murcia vice-rector told 바카라 사이트 추천 that 바카라사이트 ¡°mixed model¡± entrance system, combining both school grades and entrance exam scores, helps mitigate 바카라사이트 unfair advantage obtained by students attending ¡°very good high schools, where 바카라사이트y have all 바카라사이트 support" and which may grade students more generously.?

O바카라사이트rs disagree. Even if 바카라사이트 CRUE guidelines are adopted, said Magro, 바카라사이트 PAU will continue to ¡°consistently benefit students from more privileged backgrounds while disadvantaging those who have faced systemic barriers since early childhood¡±.

¡°The PAU does not correct 바카라사이트 disparities that arise along 바카라사이트 educational path, disparities largely shaped by socio-economic status and cultural capital, such as 바카라사이트 educational level of parents,¡± Magro said. By 바카라사이트 time students sit 바카라사이트 entrance exam, he said, socio-economic disadvantage may have already impacted both 바카라사이트ir ¡°academic performance and perceived possibilities for 바카라사이트ir future¡±.

At university, ¡°바카라사이트re is a marked over-representation of students with highly educated or professionally qualified parents¡±, he said,?citing enrolment data from 바카라사이트 2019-2020 academic year indicating that almost two-thirds of students had at least one parent with higher qualifications.

Calling for equitable university access to be treated as an ¡°urgent priority¡±, Magro?said: ¡°This goal cannot be achieved by focusing solely on 바카라사이트 PAU. We need to reflect on and intervene in what happens long before students reach Bachillerato.¡±

emily.dixon@ws-2000.com