Luanda — Generalised national exam for the 6th, 9th and 12th grades, scheduled for this year, will boost and provide effectiveness to the education and teaching system in the country, said Thursday the secretary of the President of Republic for Social Affairs, Fátima Viegas

The president 's aide said so at the opening of the International Symposium on External Assessment on Learning of the Ministry of Education.

She said starting from this point onwards, the necessary autonomy and confidence will be guaranteed in order to face the challenges in the context of external assessment.

Speaking of the event, she said that it represents an important moment for the definition of guidelines for the implementation of a National System of External Assessment on Learning.

"In this regard, we highlight the important role that cooperation between Angola and Portugal, particularly in the field of Education, plays in fulfilling this goal", she stressed.

However, she clarified that Angola is aware of the heavy challenges that still arise in order to achieve the goals and aspirations established within the framework of the Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations (UN) 2030 Agenda and the 2063 of the African Union (AU).

The official said the holding of the Pilot Phase of the National Exams, which took place in the last academic year, was a milestone in the sector, as its success will lead to the holding of the national exams, scheduled for next June.

According to data from the Ministry of Education, presented at the Symposium, the pilot phase was carried out with 134,000 students in the 6th grade and 760 in the 12th grade, spread in 56 classes.

Around 40,000 students from the 6th, 9th and 12th grades in the Portuguese Language, Mathematics, Natural Sciences and Physics subjects will attend the 2023 Generalised National Exam.

To the minister of Education, Luísa Grilo, the event essentially aims to discuss the role, impact and challenges of external evaluation and its sustainability in the national context, as well as exchange experiences with partner countries.

The event, under the motto "External Assessment on Learning, reflecting, acting and transforming" was attended, both in-person and virtually, by experts and teachers from Angola, Portugal, Cabo Verde and Mozambique.