In 2020, the MBO Raad established the Coöperatie Examens MBO at the request of the administrators of vocational schools. Nearly all regular vocational schools are members, and dozens of private training providers have joined. Coöperatie Examens MBO serves the schools and collaborates with them to create high-quality exams for 500,000 vocational students nationwide.
Erik Degen is the Director of Coöperatie Examens MBO. Since 2020, Erik Degen has been responsible for designing, rolling out, and implementing the now mandatory maths exams within the Coöperatie Examens MBO. Degen began his career in vocational education and has remained in the sector ever since. After eight years, he transitioned from teaching to management and policy roles, focusing on education and examination, including positions within the vocational education field.
Challenge
Four years ago, the organisation was established to tackle a critical challenge in vocational education (mbo). The Ministry of Education, Culture, and Science (OCW) was considering discontinuing maths exams for vocational students. However, the mbo sector recognised the importance of strong maths skills for students but wanted to eliminate the existing non-contributory exams.
“How can we provide relevant, measurable, and high-quality maths exams for all students across 57 vocational organisations and dozens of privately funded institutions with more than 500 exam locations? Additionally, how could we ensure the involvement of approximately 10,000 staff members in this large-scale transformation process?”
Solution
The organisation decided to take complete control of developing digital exams, working closely with the vocational education sector. Teachers were directly involved in creating new maths problems and exams. Remindo was used in the technical infrastructure of these digital exams. Skillsly was utilised to monitor student progress and generate detailed reports. This online learning environment offers flexible options to track student development and create tailored reports.
An intensive training and information programme was also set up for the 500 exam locations and more than 10,000 staff members.
“The use of Skillsly for entry-level assessments, combined with proper guidance, ensured a smooth implementation process. For entry-level programmes, initial and final assessments were also developed to monitor students’ maths development throughout the academic year, supported by Skillsly’s digital portfolio system.”
Result
“Our collaboration with Skillsly has driven significant digital innovation in vocational education. The implementation process was a major challenge, but we succeeded with the personal guidance of Skillsly’s project team.”
Erik Degen, Director
The implementation of Skillsly has significantly transformed the vocational education landscape.
“All participating students and teachers now use the platform, enabling close monitoring of student progress. Skillsly provides schools with flexible and clear reports, offering insights into students’ maths skills and development needs. This improved visibility has led to more targeted support and guidance.”
“Furthermore, the collaboration with Skillsly has led to software improvements, ensuring the platform better meets vocational education needs. Thanks to this innovation, vocational education has succeeded in organising maths exams sustainably with a system that measures performance and supports student development. The successful implementation has demonstrated that Skillsly is an invaluable platform for both schools and students in vocational education.”
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