Question & AnswerQ&A (PRC BOARD FOR FORESTERS Resolution NO. 09-94)
The primary purpose is to implement full computerization of the Forester Licensure Examination starting from June 1994 to modernize the exam process and improve its efficacy, reliability, and the timely release of results.
The Board for Foresters is empowered under Section 5 of Republic Act No. 6239, as amended, and Section 6 (a) of Presidential Decree No. 223, as amended.
The benefits include credible, qualitative, and efficacious licensure examinations that earn public trust; expeditious release of examination results; and ample time for the Board to exercise its regulatory powers and functions.
Board Members and Area Specialists must frame or adopt questions which are appraised for objectivity, validity, reliability, and efficacy, ensuring questions have one definite correct answer and are categorized by difficulty and type (subjective or objective). The ratio for subjects with both types is 55% objective and 45% subjective.
At least five hundred (500) questions per subject must initially be inputted, with at least three hundred (300) more questions added for every succeeding examination until an optimum of at least three thousand (3,000) questions is reached.
The intellectual property rights over the questions belong to the Commission, and the Board Members who formulated the questions lose their rights to withdraw them once they are no longer members.
Security measures include multiple passwords to ensure no single person has complete access or control, designation of three responsible key officials for the programs and files, and allowing no one in the confidential room to leave within one hour from the examination start, supervised by agents like the NBI and security officers.
Answers to objective-type questions (multiple choice) are corrected and rated through the Optical Mark Reader (OPM) Machine, while subjective-type answers (problem-solving, drawing, or essay) can be corrected either by the OPM Machine or manually.
Board Members must randomly extract the required number of questions from the question bank and produce at least two sets with different question arrangements for printing and distribution to examinees.
It took effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in the Official Gazette or any newspaper of general circulation, whichever came earlier, after its approval by the Commission in 1994.