Theft of 238 Singapore-Cambridge GCE A-Level H2 Chemistry Paper 3 Answer Scripts

A parcel containing 238 candidates’ answer scripts from four Singapore examination centres for the November 2017 Singapore-Cambridge GCE A-level Higher 2 (H2) Chemistry Paper 3 was stolen from a courier in the United Kingdom. The parcel was stolen from a locked van on the way from Cambridge Assessment to the Examiner. Seven other parcels, not connected to Cambridge Assessment, were also stolen during the theft.

Despite extensive efforts to trace the parcel by the courier, the police and Cambridge Assessment’s senior staff, the scripts have not been recovered.

Cambridge Assessment has a robust procedure in place for unforeseen situations where a candidate does not have a mark for one of the papers of an examined subject. This procedure is designed to provide a valid and fair assessment of the affected candidates while maintaining the integrity of the examination itself. With the concurrence of the Singapore Examinations and Assessment Board (SEAB), Cambridge Assessment has awarded each candidate a grade based on the candidate’s performance in the other Chemistry papers and their cohort’s performance in Chemistry. Cambridge Assessment was also provided with the candidates’ performance in the subject’s school-based examinations for reference.

Cambridge Assessment is also working closely with SEAB to offer affected candidates an opportunity for a re-examination in April 2018 or November 2018 using a different H2 Chemistry Paper 3. The re-examination will be based on the same curriculum that the candidates have studied for their 2017 H2 Chemistry. For candidates who wish to sit for the re-examination, Cambridge Assessment and SEAB will give the better of the two grades, i.e. the awarded grade or the re-examined grade will be recorded as the final grade in the result slip and certificate. For those who do not wish to take the re-examination, the awarded grade will be the final grade.

Cambridge Assessment has taken this unfortunate incident very seriously and has worked closely with SEAB to ensure that the candidates affected have not been disadvantaged. Cambridge Assessment will continue to review its processes to safeguard the integrity of the examinations.

Cambridge Assessment would like to offer its sincere apologies to the affected candidates, their families and their schools.

Quotations from Cambridge

Mr Roderic Gillespie, Director, Assessment, Cambridge International said:

“Cambridge Assessment takes its responsibilities very seriously for ensuring that all transport arrangements for examination scripts are secure. In an isolated incident, a parcel of Singapore-Cambridge GCE A-level Higher 2 Chemistry examination answer scripts was stolen from a courier van in the UK whilst in transit to an examiner for marking. We have been working with the courier company and UK police to locate the stolen answer scripts, but unfortunately they have not been recovered.”

“Cambridge Assessment has robust procedures in place for situations where a candidate does not have a mark for one of the papers of an examined subject to ensure that candidates are given a valid and fair assessment. We have given each affected candidate a grade based on their performance in the other Chemistry papers and their cohort’s performance in Chemistry.”

“The security of examination papers is of the utmost importance to us. Cambridge Assessment will continue to review the situation with the police and the courier company. We would like to offer our sincere apologies to the affected candidates, their families and their schools.”