30th May 2012 12:35
By Blue Tutors
Exam Boards are too Commercial
Is it right that exam boards are run as businesses? Making money from endorsements of particular text books, and from courses run by examiners for teachers to attend? Some people think not. They think the commercialisation of examinations damages their integrity. John Wood, chair of the Independent Schools Association wants exam boards to be banned from engaging in such behaviour.
Mr Wood said, "It cannot be right that exam boards are allowed to make money from textbooks and training seminars. This commercial activity needs to be more tightly regulated. The provision of exams should also be separated from the provision of seminars and training courses. Such training is only open to those willing to pay, and this creates an uneven playing field for schools".
In statements, three of the exam boards, OCR, AQA and the Welsh exam board WJEC, said they made no financial gain from the publication of resources for teachers.
A spokesperson for Ofqual said it was looking in depth at the commercial activities of exam boards.