Rank, Tertiary Entrance Rank and PNG Tertiary Selections

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The Papua New Guinea Education Department through the Measurement Services Division (MSD) has released the Grade 10 and Grade 12 Examinations Results online and now many are viewing their results. What a great achievement for the Education Department to publish exam results online and made readily available to students who are now making  decisions on their career in life.  The computer programmers have done a marvelous job designing such web based platform/database. Well done! 

Some of the features implemented on the application lack precise explanation. These features are : RANK, TERTIARY ENTRANCE RANK and Tertiary Selections.  We here at Pacific Tech did our research since the results were announced and came up with the following findings and these were also authenticated by the Education Department and MSD. 

What are Rank , Tertiary Entrance Rank and Population? 

Lets study the screenshot below that was taken from one of the Grade 12 student (with permission). 


We explain by the Population.

The student population who sat for 2022 Grade 12 National examination was 29,636.  So the population given on the bottom of the screen shot above is the Grade 12 student population of the country (Note: We are using 2022 as an example) 

RANK

The Rank is the placing  of the student from the population of 29 636 students based on the total score of the internal Assessments and the Examination Results put together.  The student shown on the screenshot above got a rank of 5875 out of 29 633 students. 
  • Smaller the rank (number), the student performed well in all subjects studied.
  • Bigger the rank (number), the student performed poorly. 

TERTIARY ENTRANCE RANK (TER)

This is in other words is the total ranking in Percentile (out of 100).  The total population of 29 636 students are now 'rescaled' to 100  or measured/put in percentage. 

Lets say, the student shown in the diagram above got a percentile of 79. This means, there were about 21 percentage of the student population got good  marks (better grades, high GPA) and are above him. While 78 percentage of student populations performed below him. 

So 
  • higher the  Tertiary Entrance Rank, better results/performance from that student
  • Lower the Tertiary Entrance Rank, poor results or  performances from that student.
Most Tertiary institutions now select students based on higher TER  not GPA .  

For example. Student X  and Student Y got the following grades and the total scores are given.

                           LL               MA         Biology         Chemistry              Physics  

Student  X  :      A(95)          A(96)          A(95)                A (94)               A (93) 

Student Y  :       A (94)          A(95)          A (94)               A(93)               A(92)


Both Students have the same GPA of   4  but  TER plays a role in selecting Student X and student Y is left out of selections.

Let say Student X and Student Y applied to study Law at UPNG and by looking at the information above, both students scored As across and that is  a GPA of 4 for both students but why not both students selected for Law?  

Well, look carefully, Student X is ranked better with TER Score higher than Student Y.  If UPNG requires only 30 students for first year Law, only students that have highest TER score will be selected. If there are many student X and the quota is reached, student Y will miss out on selections to UPNG Law studies.  


Tertiary Selections 2024

According to the Education Department through the  Measurement Services Division, students who have Tertiary Entrance Rank of 60 and above are likely to be selected for tertiary institutions for 2024.  

However, MSD confirmed that  though the Tertiary Entrance Rank can be 55 and above, it depends on the Choices students make on their online School Leaver Form and the requirements put in place by tertiary institutions. 

 On Positive note, we conclude that those students who  got Tertiary Entrance Rank of 60 and above, you have done well. We wish the tertiary institutions select you.

Next :

PNG entrepreneurs launch mobile Android applications

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