Last weekend, over 58,000 applicants participated in the graduation exam. After the exam, some applicants stated that the Azerbaijani language questions were difficult and the texts were complex, even resembling the type of questions found in the Group III (block) exam.
But can these dissatisfactions be justified?
Regarding the topic, AzEdu.az was addressed by Khazri Muradov, winner of the “Young Teacher of the Year” competition and a teacher of Azerbaijani language and literature.
He stated that it would not be correct to consider all questions in the exam difficult.
"To some extent, the opinions of some applicants regarding the time-consuming nature of the questions can be understood. This is because the questions required more thought and time compared to previous years. Nevertheless, stating that the exam was very difficult overall is not the correct approach.
A large portion of the exam questions were from the grammar section, particularly from syntax topics. Azerbaijani language teachers know well that syntax is a field that requires not just reading, but more practical problem-solving and logical thinking. That is why syntax is sometimes called “the mathematics of the Azerbaijani language”.
In addition, questions related to complex nouns, sentence members, and direct speech were quite simple and easily solvable tasks for a well-prepared student. The fact that only two questions were time-consuming could have created a sense of difficulty for some applicants".
The main problem is the misguidance of students:
"Unfortunately, some teachers or during the preparation process, students are instilled with ideas like “a question will not come from this topic”. Believing this, the student does not seriously study that topic. When encountering a question from that topic in the exam, they become psychologically shaken, and it becomes difficult to restore motivation.
Some students only choose easy practice tests because it is easier to score high marks, which creates a sense of complacency in them. However, a student who does not participate in difficult practice tests cannot be fully prepared for the stress and level of the real exam. In this regard, the teacher recalled a saying: “He who does not sweat in training will bleed in battle”.
As for the dissatisfactions regarding text questions, the teacher stated that the structure of these tasks is the same as the examples provided in collected tests and resources; only the texts differ. In other words, there is nothing unusual or unexpected here.
The presence of students who achieved high results also indicates that the exam was not impossibly difficult. Such exams make the competitive environment healthier. Young people who wish to be admitted to university and pursue professions such as doctors, teachers, or engineers in the future must also be prepared for certain difficult challenges".
Overall, the exam can be considered neither too difficult nor too easy:
"The main issue is the correct guidance of students. Instead of creating complacency by telling them “this won't come, that won't come”, it is necessary to teach them to be prepared for every topic.
At the same time, students' psychological preparation is also important. Exams can sometimes be easy, and sometimes difficult. If there are difficult questions, they are equally difficult for everyone. Therefore, applicants preparing for upcoming exams should not lose motivation with thoughts like “the exam was difficult”. For a student who prepares diligently and works carefully, there is no unsolvable question".
