Originally, Monitor 9 was to have tested the knowledge of elementary school students who were applying for spots at Slovak high schools. Following the postponement of the date on which it will be held, however, Monitor 9 has become a test of school principals and the Education Ministry.
Despite clear orders that envelopes containing the tests could only be opened on the day they would be given to students, "at 07:15 at the earliest", dozens of elementary schools opened them much earlier. Their directors violated the rules with the clear aim of gaining an advantage over schools that respected the orders.
The head of the pedagogical institute that oversaw such fraudulent behaviour failed both professionally and morally. But rather than exposing which school directors broke the rules, the Education Ministry wants to cover the whole affair up, and has said it will not investigate the matter because the envelopes "could have been opened by the courier companies". Which is nonsense, because each school principle signed for the envelopes as unopened.
The results of these tests must be shown by students on their applications for high school. If the education minister is not disturbed at having several dozen school principals under him that cheat and demoralize the school environment, shouldn't such a minister at least disturb the cabinet?
Sme, February 20
