May 19, Lviv. In the conference hall of Zaxid.net OPORA told what results to expect from this year's EIT. Speakers of the CN OPORA Olha Strelyuk and Nazar Matkivsky focused on public observation of external testing and analysis of this year's innovations. 

For over two years OPORA holds a set of public observers to monitor the EIT campaign. The task of the organization is to cover 50% of test points in the Lviv region, objectively evaluate the process of testing and provide recommendations for its improvement. In its work OPORA uses the Decree of Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine from 01.04. 2008 № 284, which allows to track the entire process of testing of graduates of secondary schools. Public observers may be present in the testing points (in the corridors and classrooms, where entrants will write tests), to communicate with those responsible for the testing and instructors, to enforce keeping rules and procedures of EIT with participants and staff. Olha Strelyuk urged everyone to personally supervise the review process to assess students' knowledge and professionalism of external testing as a crucial component for admissions. 

This year's innovations (considering of score of high school diploma, EIT certificates for the previous years and the introduction of additional tests), according to Nazar Matkivsky, make it impossible to ensure equal access to education for all citizens. Thus, Ministry of Education has not yet proved transferring of the points in the certificate in the 200-point scale. As shown the previous years, the difference in the average score in the certificate issued by a school in the village and town, is about 15 points, which is a very significant advantage on admission. 

Do not forget that the EIT system is a system of ranking, which is the objective measure and it evaluates the applicant's knowledge relative to other entrants. This means that in case of change of the total number of students, knowledge of a single applicant in 2008 and 2009 are also measured in different ways - this is an example of how consideration of past certificates violates principles of rating, underpinning the EIT. Introduction of additional tests to improve the results of  EIT, and restoring of  high school training, which the ministry plans to introduce next year, returns the country to the old assessment and violates principles of equal access to education.