Our Own English High School Fujairah

[shawarma]

Our Own English High School Fujairah - Dubai FAQs info. List of OOEHS schools information:

OOEHS Abu Dhabi | OOEHS Abu Dhabi discussion
OOEHS Al Ain | OOEHS Al Ain discussion
OOEHS Dubai | OOEHS Dubai discussion
OOEHS Fujairah | OOEHS Fujairah discussion
OOEHS Sharjah | OOEHS Sharjah discussion

Gulf News 08 Sep 2006. Cheating in exams, but by who?

Principal vows to find and punish culprits
By Fuad Ali, Staff Reporter

Fujairah: The principal of a school at the heart of an exam cheating controversy has vowed to restore the school's credibility, promising to find and punish any wrongdoers.

Sixteen students from Our Own English School in Fujairah had their IGCSE Biology grades 'amended' by the examination board after it ruled there was a 'clear breach' of exam regulations.

The University of Cambridge International Examinations (CIE) Malpractice Committee found evidence of malpractice 'compelling', declaring that parts of the students' answers have been altered.

As a result, the marks of the concerned students, for one out of the three Biology papers, have been cancelled leaving the students with much lower marks.

Parents and students have expressed confusion and anger at what they feel is injustice, insisting their children are the first victims in the case.

Principal James Paul said the school's examination officer was suspended pending the results of their inquiry, but he was at pains to clarify that the teacher in question has not been found guilty as the inquiry is yet to commence.

A statement by Global Education Management System (GEMS), the parent organisation of the school, also announced they have appointed an inquiry team chaired by an 'independent officer from the UAE's education community'.

Sulaiman Salim Jumai'e, Head of Private Education Department at Fujairah Education Zone, said the authorities are awaiting the results of the school's internal inquiry before initiating their own investigations.

Saeed Al Khatibi, Deputy Director of Fujairah Educational Zone, insisted that such cases of exam malpractice are rare but anyone found guilty, whether it is the school or an individual, will be dealt with accordingly.

Meanwhile, some parents of the 16 students affected say they are hoping the school's appeal to the CIE against its decision will spare their children the extra workload of retaking the exams in November.

For those who hoped to enter universities in Egypt or Sudan the appeal is already too late as the deadline for university entry applications passed last week.

[shawarma]

Well, I guess he found a culprit 8O ...

It all sounds a bit strange to me. The examinations officer started checking papers and without thinking, started altering answers? Someone who'd worked in the school 12 years?

From the Gulf News 19 Sep 2006...

Teacher altered exam answers to 'help students'
By Fuad Ali, Staff Reporter

Fujairah: A school teacher at the heart of an exam cheating controversy has been dismissed and will soon leave the country after he was found guilty of "gross professional misconduct", it was revealed.

Sixteen students from Our Own English High School in Fujairah had their grades reduced drastically after the University of Cambridge International Examinations (CIE) cancelled the results of a biology paper due to evidence of exam malpractice.

Parents of the 16 students expressed confusion and anger at the turn of events and insisted all along their children were the victims of injustice.

Following the CIE's decision, the school immediately suspended the examinations officer, V.S. Shastri, pending an investigation into the matter.

It was during the investigation that Shastri admitted to making the alterations on exam papers, according to Wilf Stout, a Director at Global Education Management System (GEMS), the parent organisation of the school.

Stout told Gulf News their inquiry team, chaired by an independent education professional, also found that Shastri acted alone without the knowledge of any of the 16 students.

Shastri told the inquiry team how, after the students had finished their exam, he checked the answers and without thinking about his actions started altering what he thought were the wrong answers. He did so to "help the students".

The inquiry team's report found that Shastri did not act in a premeditated manner but spontaneously.

Yesterday, Stout met Sulaiman Salim Jumai'e, Head of Private Education Department at Fujairah Education Zone, to discuss the findings of the GEMS report.

Following the report's recommendations, Shastri was dismissed from the school with immediate effect and his visa will be cancelled.

Shastri has worked in the school for 12 years and was described as being an "outstanding" teacher, popular with students. He's also said to be extremely remorseful over what Stout described as being "10 minutes of weakness".

The school has now submitted an appeal to the CIE, over the reduced grades, in which they presented the report's findings.

Parents of the 16 students expressed confusion and anger at the turn of events and insisted all along their children were the victims of injustice.