Examiner shortage means papers could be marked overseas, TES reports
The option is being considered by the exam board OCR, who could enlist markers from countries such as Spain and South Africa.
The use of overseas markers could raise concerns, as they may not be familiar with the syllabus. However, OCR maintains that, if this option did become reality, any overseas marker would be ’adaptable and qualified teachers with good subject knowledge’.
The use of overseas markers is not unheard of, with OCR’s sister board, Cambridge International Examination (CIE), already using overseas markers from New Zealand, South Africa and Spain to mark the IGCSE qualification.
Exam boards are struggling with the rise in demand for markers. This has been aggravated by a shift towards linear, end-of-year exams which has caused a significant increase in the number of scripts submitted for marking each year.
CIE’s chief executive Michael O’Sullivan, also chairing the ‘examiner task force’ set up Cambridge Assessment, said that overseas examiners would have to go through the same rigorous checks as domestic markers.
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