wanted to complain about the discrepancies in the state exams. They claimed that the level of the state exams strongly differs from those of the previous years. The students called on the Ministry of Education to take measures aimed at providing more transparency and consistency with the state exams. They explained that multiple problems were detected in the state exams. The Algebra 1 state exams contained a subject which had not been announced beforehand. The students made it clear that “this is in violation of the existing rules.” Many candidates panicked when they came across this at the state exams because they were unfamiliar with it. There were also problems with the Algebra Q state exam because the students were only taught some of the lessons or did not get the chance to practice it thoroughly. The students explained that there were similar problems last year and that those problems would be addressed at the resit. But the students pointed out that “that solution is not practical.” “What happens if you do not score enough points to quality for a resut? Than the problem still has not been addressed,” said one of the students. The students made it clear that each student is entitled to a fair chance to perform well at the state exams. They brought these problems to the attention of the nation via social media and the press in an attempt to get them addressed. The students also tried to get the Youth Council involved but according to them that did not yield any results. The director of AVO, Gracia

Valies-Ormskirk, stated that she understood the concerns of the students but that she could not make any promises as the complaints must first be investigated. “We must investigate the procedures surrounding the quality and difficulty level before conclusions can be reached,” said the director who added that complaints are filed each year. According to the director, students often claim that they do not recognize certain lessons or that it was not taught to them in the manner in which it is given at the state exams. The director explained that the state exams are not only aimed at testing knowledge but also at testing if students can analyze and solve problems. The students who delivered a petition at the Ministry of Education hope that the investigation will lead to fair, transparent and predictable exams in the future.