Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) examination results are out and Education Minister, Priya Manickchand, who is in the celebratory mode, says Guyana has done well this year.
A tight-lipped Manickchand said the Ministry of Education Examination Department is still reviewing the results. And, it is difficult at this juncture to conclusively say which school topped the country. But, from all indications Region Two has done well again.
According to Manickchand, “The Government of Guyana is very pleased that the education policy of the People’s Progressive Party Civic over the last 20 years has realized equality of services.”
She related that not only students of the Senior Secondary Schools- Queen’s College, Bishop’s High, St. Stanislaus College, St. Rose’s High, and St. Joseph High School- are doing well. Schools in other areas such as Essequibo and Berbice are churning out students with exceptional grades. Nonetheless, she was unable to relate the performance of students who attended schools in the Hinterland.
Manickchand, who would be announcing the results on Tuesday in Essequibo, Region Two did not confirm or deny that this year’s top student is from Region Two. She said for inclusivity the Ministry would be going to other Regions to announce the results in coming years- this being the first.
The Minister added that when looking at top schools in its entirety, schools like Queen’s College would shine because the population is about 120 and many students usually write 12 or more subjects at one sitting.
Last year Sarah Hakh of Abrams Zuil Secondary School, Region Two, was the top student after obtaining 16 grade ones. She was followed by Jessica Anthony of Queen’s College, who gained 14 grade ones and two grade twos.
THE Progressive Youth Organisation, yesterday, issued a statement congratulating the ruling People’s Progressive Party on organising a successful congress which will pave the way for the PPP’s future development.
“We strongly endorse the call made, by the PPP’s General Secretary and President of Guyana Donald Ramotar, to ‘rise, organise and rebuild’ the party. The PYO itself will be continuing our own rebuilding, reshaping and re-energising efforts to better serve the Guyanese people. We wish to assure the President and the delegates of the 30th Congress that the PYO is ready to work with PPP activists and organisers across the country and we are willing to assist in whatever way possible,” the organisation stated.
According to Chairman of the PYO National Steering committee, Omar Sharif, the organisation will work assiduously in its effort to reorganise the PYO to respond to the challenges that confront our youth.
Following deliberations with the scores of youths that attended the Congress as delegates and observers, Sharif said there was a unanimous call for the PYO to develop closer links with the PPP and for it to develop programmes aimed at improving the organisation and coordination, improving community services and educating members on political and economic issues pertaining to Guyana’s development.
To this end, he said the PYO will be developing several projects that will culminate in the holding of its own Congress.
“We will work with the memory of Balram Khandhai, who, at just 18, was the victim of a terrorist act at the PPP’s 2002 Congress. His sacrifice cannot go in vain and we will rebuild a PYO that Balram would have been proud to serve. A PYO that is more vocal, more activist and fights for the rights of people like Balram Khandhai,” the PYO stated.
“We remain proud of the gains made under the ruling People’s Progressive Party which has seen youth becoming empowered; undergraduate, graduate and professional scholarships being offered to thousands of youths across the country; expansion of access to vocational training; job creation in traditional, and new areas; and better access to secondary and tertiary education.”
The PYO said it would also like to congratulate the ten new Central Committee Members, four of whom are members of the PYO National Steering Committee. This is recognition of the role of the PYO in nurturing and providing young leaders for the Party.
“We would also like to congratulate President Donald Ramotar who secured the highest number of votes and reinforced his mandate as the leader of the PPP,” the organisation lauded.
Although the Guyana Teachers Union (GTU) is not opposed to the removal of Corporal Punishment from the local school system, it is however insisting that a decision to ultimately halt the practice would require a “tried and proven” replacement.
This disclosure was made by President of the Union, Mr Colin Bynoe, during an interview with this publication.
According to him, “the GTU’s position is that we are not against removing it…but you’d better put in place measures to protect our teachers from the types of abuse children will want to mete out to them.”
Alluding to the situation of violence in the school system, Bynoe revealed that efforts have been made to discuss this challenge not only at the level of the Ministry of Education but even with Head of State, President Donald Ramotar.
“He (The President) had even said that he feels that the penalty for the offenders should be a bit more severe, even to the level of a jail sentence for a criminal offence,” Bynoe reflected.
This measure is crucial, the GTU President said, since it is expected that if teachers abuse children they are severely punished. Similarly, he noted, those who seek to abuse teachers should be severely punished.
“Teachers are the ones who make all other professionals possible and if you can’t respect that individual, how much more can you learn without a teacher in the future?” questioned Bynoe.
He underscored that while it is possible for persons to be exposed to information technology, without the input of qualified teachers to work with them, they will not be able to absorb the ‘nitty gritty’ of the available technology.
Turning his attention back to the issue of Corporal Punishment, Bynoe lauded the move by Minister of Education, Priya Manickchand, to engage stakeholders at a national level. And according to him, the GTU was fortunate to participate in several of these fora which revealed that more than 90 per cent of the population are convinced that Corporal Punishment should remain in the school system.
However, this does not change the fact that the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) continues to call for the abolition of Corporal Punishment on an international scale.
According to the CRC, Corporal Punishment is “any punishment in which physical force is used and intended to cause some degree of pain or discomfort, however light. Most involve hitting (“smacking”, “slapping”, “spanking”) children, with the hand or with an implement – whip, stick, belt, shoe, wooden spoon, etc. But it can also involve, for example, kicking, shaking or throwing children, scratching, pinching, biting, pulling hair or boxing ears, forcing children to stay in uncomfortable positions, burning, scalding or forced ingestion (for example, washing children’s mouths out with soap or forcing them to swallow hot spices). In the view of the Committee, corporal punishment is invariably degrading. In addition, there are other non-physical forms of punishment which are also cruel and degrading and thus incompatible with the Convention. These include, for example, punishment which belittles, humiliates, denigrates, scapegoats, threatens, scares or ridicules the child.”
Bynoe states however, “Guyana has got a particular culture, but we have got to be wary of how we adapt policies that other people are doing.” He observed though that “the Minister was smart enough to do what she did in terms of having national consultations, and she has gotten the data in order to know how to move forward and that is crucial.”
Even as the issue of Corporal Punishment remains in suspension mode in the National Assembly, the Ministry of Education has remained steadfast in embracing the practice in the school system. In fact, Minister Manickchand, at a recent press conference, said that “the Ministry’s policy on Corporal Punishment hasn’t changed…it is allowed in school.”
She asserted that the use of Corporal Punishment in the school system is governed by regulated written policies that are in place.
According to her, “we have specific cases when Corporal Punishment could be inflicted, specific instruments that can be used and who should administer those blows.”
The issue of Corporal Punishment has over the past few years spurred much discussions and emotions, which was especially emphasised in 2009 when a Berbice teacher was accused of breaching the Ministry’s rules detailed in a document entitled ‘Maintenance of Order and Discipline in Schools/Alternative Forms of Punishment.’ The document categorically states, inter alia, that only a head-teacher can administer corporal punishment to students, or identify a senior teacher to so administer same in his or her presence.
But according to the Minister, the Ministry is ready and willing to be guided by the decision of Parliament on the matter. She disclosed that although the National Assembly, at a Tripartite Level, is looking at Corporal Punishment, generally there is specific attention being paid to the issue as it relates to the school system.
“This therefore means that all of the parliamentary parties are tasked with sitting around the table deciding what is best for Guyana as we go forward,” said Manickchand.
Additionally, she said that comments and views of individual members of the public and/or organisations are encouraged to help chart the way forward.
According to Chief Education Officer (CEO), Olato Sam, the input of teachers is very important to the process.
“Teachers’ opinions, thoughts and ideas have been factored-in in many of our decisions, but specifically in this one they play a key role,” he asserted, even as he alluded to his conviction that “…the compromise position we struck a number of years ago had to do with the wide array of feelings and opinions on this (Corporal Punishment).”
“I think people need to appreciate that we can’t just look at this on one level, but my position has always been that this is a national issue, not just a school issue,” said Sam.
He explained that since such decisions will have implications for how children will be treated in the general society, it is imperative that the attitude about corporal punishment take into consideration parents’ views and emotions as well.
Sam disclosed that several consultations on the issue have in fact produced varied opinions, even as he emphasised the importance of collaboration not only with teachers and parents, but the Parliament as well as international partners.
The Learning Channel owns 20 satellite dishes, 16 dish stands, 17 antennas, 17 receivers and purchased these, along with the service to install them, at a cost of $6.987 million from TVG.
Among the interior locations where the Channel reaches are Port Kaituma and Mabaruma in Region One, Mora Point in Region Seven, Mahdia in Region Eight and Lethem, Annai and Aishalton in Region Nine, Minister of Education Priya Manickchand said in a written response yesterday in the National Assembly to questions posed.
Several of the questions asked of the minister by opposition parliamentarians were previously answered and reported on in the media. The minister provided a copy of the contract between the government and TVG for the use of TVG’s teleport/transmission facilities to broadcast the Learning Channel.
Manickchand revealed that six full-time, six part-time and two temporary persons are employed at the Learning Channel. “All others, such as studio teachers and scriptwriters are contracted as needed. The Learning Channel hires the best skill available for the best price available,” she said. The minister said that the persons employed are from Georgetown, New Amsterdam, Orealla and Kwakwani.
She also revealed that the Learning Channel utilizes the GT&T tower at Benab and the Digicel tower at Mora Point for the broadcast of its programming.
THE Status of Women Committee of the Caribbean Union of Teachers (CUT) yesterday hosted their 36th Biennial Women’s conference at the Guyana International Conference Centre, Liliendaal, Greater Georgetown.
This event is a part of the programme of activities for the 36th Biennial Caribbean Union of Teachers Conference being hosted in Guyana from August 4-9, 2013 under the theme “Improving the professional status of teachers in the Caribbean” with participants from 24 Caribbean territories.
The women’s conference was held to discuss various issues affecting women in the Caribbean and to reflect on the achievements of the Status of Women Committee while crafting new strategies and activities.
Delivering the keynote address at the opening ceremony of the conference, Human Service and Social Security Minister, Jennifer Webster pointed out that the teaching profession has become one which is dominated by women and this is an indicator that women are taking up leadership positions at all levels of society.
Driving Change
Noting that teachers are the best persons to drive change in the education system and set higher standards more than ever before, she stated that teachers are uniquely placed since in many cases they spend more hours with children than their caregivers and parents.
“It is you, our teachers who assist parents to instill values in our children and cultivate the moral fabric of our society. We must endeavour to work together to achieve gender equality in our respective societies,” she stated.
Meanwhile, Webster saluted teachers and all members of the teaching profession in Guyana and throughout the Caribbean for their commendable work and dedicated service which has had a significant impact on every profession and trade.
Making reference to the theme of the CUT conference, she pointed out that is quite a profound topic and over the next few days they will deliberate on many issues of concern to all of them.
According to her, even the best curriculum and the most perfect syllabus would remain null without suitable teaching methods and good teachers.
She also maintained that a nation cannot afford to leave its future leaders in the hands of incompetent teachers and in this regard, governments across the Caribbean have been investing heavily in teachers’ training and development.
Webster highlighted that women are the backbone of every society and persons must recognise the struggles of past leaders who had over many decades fought and struggled to end discrimination and to ensure that the rights of women are upheld.
The Human Services Minster indicated that at the level of the international bodies, women’s rights are becoming more dominant and greater emphasis is being placed to ensure that women enjoy equal rights.
Addressing members of the teaching profession, Webster said that they need to embrace rather than shun technology in moulding the minds of the younger generation, since they need to be innovative in capturing students’ attention for the curriculum to remain relevant.
Curriculum Delivery via ICT
Highlighting that many students are versed in the use of technology through various mechanisms, she remarked that teachers must, therefore, recognise the need for developing and delivering the curriculum through the use of Information and Communication Technology (ICT).
Webster stated that she is concerned about reports of teachers who abuse students and acknowledged that Education Minister, Priya Manickchand has taken a stand on this issue.
“This is a human tragedy and you are entrusted with the responsibility to protect, love and nurture our children and therefore you should ensure that our children are not abused. Similarly we must teach them not to abuse each other,” she declared.
She expressed hope that during the deliberations of the CUT conference there would be some pragmatic solutions to the problem of violence in schools, and urged them to address the role of the women since they are the ones who inculcate culture, ethics and the values in other members of the family, especially the children
Webster commended the organisers of the women’s conference, particularly the Status of Women Committee, for hosting the event and extended a warm welcome from the President, Government and people of Guyana to those visiting Guyana for the conference.
Meanwhile, also making remarks at the opening of the conference, CUT President, Mr. Marvin Andall stated that despite the tremendous challenges faced by the Status of Women Committee, they have still managed to achieve a lot.
Pointing out that they have recognised that the committee is not a grand bashing ceremony against men as they would have preconceived, but in fact the issues that the women were dealing with had to do with justice, equality and human rights.
Andall urged the committee to continue their work despite the challenges they face and he expressed the hope that they can overcome them, since no union can function effectively without the hard work of its women.
He noted, however, that real production occurs when men and women work together, and they have recognized that while they organise sporting events for males, they do not do the same for female teachers, and the time has come for this to change.
Those present at the women’s conference included Education Minister Priya Manickchand, Chairperson and members of the Status of Women Committee, Education International, representatives of the Guyana Teachers Union (GTU) and teachers unions from across the Caribbean, as well as representatives from the Police Wives Association and Women’s Affairs Bureau.
The ruling Peoples Progressive Party is heading to Berbice this weekend for one of its most crucial congress in its 50-year history.
One of the high points will be the elections of members of the Central Committee…some 35 of them, with another five as alternates.
This time Around, several longtime faces would be missing from the event, including Pandit Reepu Daman Persaud, Janet Jagan, Moses Nagamootoo and Ralph Ramkarran.
Both Jagan and Persaud have died while Nagamootoo resigned and is now the Vice Chairman of the Opposition Alliance For Change. Ramkarran resigned last year June after falling out over a critical piece on corruption that he wrote in the party’s newspaper, The Mirror.
According to party officials, also most likely not seeking re-election are stalwarts Harripersaud Nokta, Clinton Collymore, Shirley Edwards, Cyril Belgrave, Feroze Mohamed and Philomena Sahoye-Shury.
The developments would essentially leave the door open for a number of young faces to join the Central Committee, observers say.
There are no guarantees of anyone, despite receiving popular votes, finding a place in the Executive Committee, which essentially makes the major decisions.
In the 2008 congress held at Diamond, East Bank Demerara, elected to the Executive Committee were Ali Baksh, Komal Chand, Navin Chandarpal, Clinton Collymore, Janet Jagan, Bharrat Jagdeo, Dr. Roger Luncheon, Zulfikar Mustapha, Harripersaud Nokta, Reepu Daman Persaud, Robert Persaud, Ulric Ramanah, Ralph Ramkarran, Clement Rohee and Gail Teixeira.
Chandarpal is now reportedly ill.
Colin Croal, brother of Minister Robert Persaud and currently the Permanent Secretary of the Local Government Ministry, along with Nigel Dharamlall, and public relations official, Romel Roopnarine, are reportedly the new faces likely to vie for a place on the Central Committee.
Party insiders widely expect Priya Manickchand, the current Education Minister and daughter of Reepu Persaud, Dr. Vindya Persaud, to also make their bids.
It is unclear whether Bibi Shadick and Finance Minister, Dr. Ashni Singh, will be seeking places.
Insiders say that controversial Public Relations Officer, Kwame McCoy, who has been kept in the background recently at the Office of the President, is also reportedly signaling his intentions to be a part of the Central Committee.
The Congress would be an all-important one for the ruling party which wants to regain footing after losing its majority in the National Assembly following the 2011 elections.
The reasons for that loss and the plans for the next three years are all to be discussed during the Congress.
The executives are elected during the Central Committee’s first meeting after the Congress.
At the last Congress, former President Bharrat Jagdeo secured the highest number of votes with 777; followed by Janet Jagan 671; Frank Anthony 658; Ramotar 637 and Nagamootoo 595.
Dr. Roger Luncheon received 588 while Gail Teixeira was 558.
The 30th National Congress is to be held over three days, starting tomorrow, at the J.C Chandisingh Secondary School.
As an impromptu task to Grade 11 student they were asked to give a thank you on the occasion of the Minister coming to visit their school and this is one of the responses:
Thank you Minister PRIYA MANICKCHAND:
Entering the political scene in 2006 as one of the youngest Ministers anywhere in the world, Ms. Manickchand has undoubtedly made a significant impact on the lives of literally thousands of Guyanese. Priya Devi Manickchand’s term of office as Human Services and Social Security Minister came to an end and based on her outstanding performance and love for the working class people she was selected to serve as Minister of Education. We certainly had the honour of having her come to our school to congratulate our own Student Sr. Salma.
Thank you Minister Manickchand and continue the good work.
I am writing on behalf of The Benab Foundation, the budding non-profit organization recently featured in an article in SN entitled ‘Young people initiate citizen solutions.’ Objective journalism is about truth, not opinion; it seems that much of the truth about The Benab Foundation, and our message, was obscured in this article.
It is true that Guyana’s pass rates hover well below 50%, but it is also true that the Ministry of Education is working hard to improve this, and is by no means lethargic. To those who doubt this there is simple proof to quiet their concerns: Guyana’s pass rates in Mathematics and English are similar to those around the Caribbean ‒ from oil-rich Trinidad to the smaller isles.
It is easy to blame the Ministry of Education, and especially the government, for every problem we citizens encounter; The Benab Foundation has never and will never be concerned with blame because we are not interested in doing the easy thing to no avail.
What we are interested in, this day as always, is helping Guyanese who need it. There are certainly problems in Guyana’s education system and too many children who could succeed, fail, but there is nonetheless hope ‒ not in the easy glory of political opposition but the disciplined will to step back and ask ourselves what the problems are and how we can help. This is the role The Benab Foundation seeks to carry out this day and always. This is what we stand for.
Yours faithfully, Elson Browne-Low Co-Founder and Vice President
From all appearances the Ministry of Education (MOE) continues to place “new wine into an ancient wineskin”. As a consequence, intended outcomes never seem to materialize, and the unintended outcomes are seldom anticipated, or catered for. Needs at every level have changed, but MOE appears incapable of adapting.
The MOE desperately needs to enhance its overall capacity, particularly its research capacity by the establishment of a research unit, staffed by a qualified team of education researchers.
If the report: “No promotion for students who fail Maths, English”, SN July 5, 2013, is accurate, then the process by which the proposed revised policy of the automatic promotion was arrived at is flawed.
The reasons are: 1) Face-to-face consultations between authorities and small numbers of chosen stakeholders do not, for various reasons (herd instinct, feelings of intimidation, sycophancy), facilitate honest and objective feedback;
2) Many of the parents who should attend these consultations do not, either because of previous commitments, or feelings of intimidation; 3) Stakeholders who would have been affected most by the policy were not consulted;
4) Apparently, no independent observers, or representatives of the press were invited to any of the 30 consultations; and most importantly, 5) The revision appears to be based, for the most part, on the personal (subjective) opinions of the more vocal stakeholders who were present at the consultations, and not on hard objective evidence.
A more comprehensive, and accurate picture of stakeholder opinion could have been obtained from an analysis of the responses to a validated survey instrument that guaranteed anonymity. There are several aspects of the proposed revised policy that give reason for concern.
First, it would appear that all the blame for not achieving the required proficiency in English and Mathematics rests entirely with the students, and that teacher absenteeism (official or unofficial), teacher incompetence or lack of professionalism, or current educational organization, policy and practices were not factored in into the deliberations that led to the revised policy.
Second, the goal of the revised policy is narrow in scope. The emphasis is on standardized achievement and minimum competence: “it will enable students to graduate with the minimum requirement of five CSEC subjects, inclusive of Mathematics and English…,” rather than on the wider and more inclusive outcome of maximum achievement and full the full development of human potential.
Wider and more inclusive outcomes have the potential to make our youth more capable of positive contributions to the development of this nation in vastly superior numbers than is presently the case.
Third, students risk being sent out into the modern world partially blind, or with only one eye open: “Manickchand stated that if a student… fails to attain the overall passing grade he/she …will be encouraged or even required to drop the areas in which he/she underperformed”.
This kind of schooling results in the separation of cultures, and is the origin of much conflict between bureaucrats and professionals. One of the distinctive features of quality secondary education is that it is essentially general education.
In other words, the secondary phase of education is the one period in the entire formal education process in which learners are exposed to all major significant areas of human endeavour or knowledge.
Secondary school graduates must possess the “know how” by which they can distinguish, discern, and discriminate. They must possess that broad critical sense by which they recognize competence and worth in every field.
Fourth, the devaluation of Art and Physical Education by the Minister is unfortunate. It suggests a lack of cooperation and collaboration between certain Human Service ministries – “Culture and Sports”, and “Health”. Quite recently health authorities have again been drawing attention to “Non Communicable Chronic Diseases” (for example, diabetes, hypertension/high blood pressure, obesity.), and the increasing burden that these diseases are placing on our national resources.
These diseases, more often than not, are related to an inactive lifestyle. Hence the value of physical education, exposure to a variety of sports, and even art forms during the formative years.
In Guyana – “The Land of Many Waters”, every student should be afforded the opportunity to learn to swim, and to be competent at rendering First Aid. Further, evidence from education research points to the relationship between physical activity and improved classroom performance.
Notwithstanding all of above, it does appear that MOE is genuinely seeking a win-win resolution to this particular issue, but there is need to adopt an holistic, or systems approach.
This alternative that is being offered for consideration is based upon the following assumptions: 1) That MOE is genuine in its search for a win-win resolution; 2) That the required organizational changes will be executed; 3) That every teacher is a teacher of English language, and that teacher competence is directly related to classroom achievement; 4) That different stages of cognitive development and rates of learning are characteristic of any given age cohort of students; and particularly, 5) That confidence and self-esteem result when students discover what they can do well and strive to develop their unique talents and gifts
When we accept identity as the first dimension of human greatness and a primary goal of education, we unleash a force that offers the greatest potential for personal growth and development: a person’s self-image. If all students experience success, no child would be left behind.
Students must not repeat the grade or drop any subjects. Provide 90-minute after school tutoring/coaching sessions twice per week, plus six-week mandatory summer sessions at strategically located schools for at risk students.
Tutoring/teaching/coaching should be by special teams of teachers, seniors, or peers as deemed appropriate. Teams should be encouraged to innovate, for example the use of drama, word puzzles, sports/games, English as a second language, English/Maths without borders, practical/applied maths.
Each team should include at least one teacher from a subject area or field (for example: Biological Science, Geography), in which concrete phenomena can be used to simulate abstract concepts.
Finally, since the admission requirements of the University of Guyana are based on Fifth Form achievements, to help facilitate this revised “no child left behind policy”, it is recommend that the two-year Sixth Form be replaced by a two-year Fifth Form.
Freed resources should be reallocated to other secondary schools in the effort to establish a national network of quality secondary schools that would be of great benefit to many more students in the different regions.
Source: Clarence O. Perry; https://www.kaieteurnewsonline.com/2013/07/24/if-every-student-experiences-success-in-school-no-child-would-be-left-behind/
Ever since the “Common Entrance” Examination replaced the former County Scholarship Examination in the 1960s there has always been much publicity about the ‘top’ performers. This trend has continued through the years even when the examination became known as the Secondary Schools Entrance Examination (SSEE). By law all Primary Schools pupils who are over 10 years and under 12 years of age by March 31 in the year of the examination are eligible to enter for the examination (with or without their Birth Certificates). In 2013 by which time the examination became known as the National Grade Six Assessment (NGSA) the entries were in excess of 16,000. Also in this year the Ministry of Education succeeded in providing the results relatively early, at the end of the first week in June. Almost immediately we were fed with the glorious performance of the ‘top’ 1 % (about 170 candidates), but we are yet to hear how many candidates got at least half of the work correct. We would like to know more precisely how our Primary Schools as a whole are performing, as we head towards
Universal Secondary Education (USE) where every child at the end of Grade Six is offered a place in a secondary school. And the question is whether we should expect and demand more from our education system and also more from our parents.
The need to know more about the results is bound up in the fact that the scores printed on the candidates’ Result Slips are Standardised Scores. It has been stated that this year the maximum possible score was 560. The ‘top’ student scored 548, while the last child in the ‘top’ 1 % scored 524. It is useful to remind parents that the NGSA is essentially a placement examination, and that the Raw Scores are converted into Standardised Scores in order to rank the candidates. Hence, it is totally misleading to calculate a score as a percentage of the maximum 560. Therefore, it should be ascertained whether a score of, say, 420 shows satisfactory performance. Should a parent boast that his/her child made 350, while the neighbour’s child made only 320? In truth and in fact, past Conversion Tables with a possible maximum score of about 560 indicate that a 50 % performance earns a score of about 425. Hence, scores of less than 400 indicate that those students have to really do much remedial work (with emphasis on mastering reading skills) in the early years of the secondary school in order to complete a successful secondary school career. It must not be concluded that once the child has been allocated a place in a secondary school and has graduated with ‘cap and gown’ from the primary school, all is well. Far from it!
Taken as a whole, the NGSA results are a reflection of the primary schools sector. These results also show the total performance of individual primary schools, whether government-owned or privately run. It should be remembered that the examination questions are based upon the primary school curriculum from Grade One to Grade Six. Hence, parents need to pay close attention to their children’s work, including the full completion of homework, from Grade One to Grade Six. There are many parents who begin to show interest in and to give support to the child when he/she is about to enter for the examination. This is late, and often too late. When there are too many lapses and short-comings over the six-year cycle on the part of parents and on the part of the school, including teaching skills and learning resources, the end result is a low mean in each of the four subjects at the national level, at the regional level and at the school level. Let me hasten to point out that it has always been shown that with proper supervision of schools, with the commitment of teachers and the support of parents, outstanding performances can be achieved. Hence, it is heartening to hear when a previous low-performing school improves its performance, secures at least one place in the ‘top schools’ and increases its mean in each subject against the performance of past years and surpasses the regional mean. But lest we get carried away, it must be noted that the mean is always measured out of 60. When the mean is quoted, it is not a percentage. Hence, when the National Mean or the Regional Mean is in the 20s, it clearly indicates that less than half of the candidates are mastering 50 % of the work. This is cause for concern.
Even after a child is allocated to a secondary school in a geographical locale, there is also further cause for concern with regards to the quality of teaching and learning taking place in that secondary school. The variation in quality can be determined by, but not limited to the following: the competence of the headship and senior staff; the availability, competence and stability of staff; the physical facilities of the school, including functional science laboratories with Lab Assistants; the availability and distribution of textbooks, especially in the four core subjects; the support from parents; the NGSA scores of students admitted in the recent past; and the ‘hidden curriculum’ of the school. All things being equal, it does matter how a secondary school is run, because there can be a difference in the quality of teaching and learning taking place: if the school settles down in the first week of the new school year, and from Day One of the two succeeding terms; if Student Reports are completed by the last day of term; and also if the discipline of students is perceived to be acceptable. The public’s perception of a school is gleaned not only from its long history, but also from its external examination results, its co-curricular programme, and the manner in which its public functions are conducted. Hence, we can fully understand why parents want a ‘good’ school for their children, in spite of the fact that not every ugly duckling is a swan. However, schools with limited resources, but with good management, have proven to be successful schools.
During the life of the SSRP (Secondary School Reform Project) from 1996 to 2004 there were twelve Pilot Schools that were selected to implement the initiatives of the project. Ten of these schools which were Community High Schools and Primary ‘Tops” were genuinely converted to Secondary Schools. This conversion was effected through renovations and extension of buildings, provision of science equipment, supply of textbooks for core subjects in Grades Seven, Eight and Nine, and curriculum support by Supervision Team members. After SSRP a number of Community High Schools were baptized Secondary Schools. The conversion of the latter schools is akin to cases in real life where some god-parents (including this writer) never bothered with the god-children after the christening ceremony. With regards to the Pilot Schools, the SSRP under the Director (Dr. Kenneth Hunte) and Administrator (Walter Alexander) had put in place at great expense and great effort Curriculum Guides for every subject in Grades Seven to Nine for all secondary schools. Particular reference can be made to the Practical Activities Guides for Science that were supplied to all secondary schools. However, there must be limitations to what can be achieved in the absence of functioning science laboratories and qualified science teachers. It is apposite to mention that among former students of SSRP converted schools are University of Guyana students. Therefore, when NGSA Results Slips are received, parents have to wonder about the quality of education being offered by the school to which their children are allocated.
With 16,000+ candidates from coastland to the Pakaraimas across the ten Regions and Georgetown there is wide variation in performance at the NGSA. As we head towards USE (Universal Secondary Education), nearly all of the Grade Six pupils are admitted to a secondary school after graduating from their Primary School, but many of them cannot cope with High School work. How many? It should not be an exaggeration to say that half of the Primary School graduates cannot comfortably read at Grade Four level. Recent trends indicate that half of the candidates do not get half of the work right. This is obvious when your score is 400 or less. Therefore, it means that the secondary schools which admit such students must have a structured programme for remedial work in Reading, Basic English and Basic Mathematics, at least in the early forms. Furthermore, those schools must have adequate numbers of textbooks in the four core subjects together with supplementary reading material for individual students. Moreover, the parents of below-average students need to know and accept the truth about their children’s performance, and they need to support the measures being taken by the school to cater for their children’s previous under-performance.
The duty and the responsibility of parents also extend to ensuring that they send to school a disciplined child who is prepared to learn, and to obey the rules and regulations of the school. Of course, discipline includes regular attendance and punctuality. These expectations are not optional, and must not be taken lightly by teachers and students. It must be noted that an orderly school environment is conducive to learning, which in turn will boost student performance and the reputation of the school. The instances of bad behaviour must not be so over-whelming that teachers feel threatened by students. And the teachers must be supported by officers, who must not be reluctant to deal with indiscipline, since the Regional Education Officers have the necessary legal powers delegated to them by the Chief Education Officer according to Circular No. 26 of 1986. Therefore, after receiving the NGSA Results for their child and after deciding on which school the child will be attending, the parent is tacitly entering into an agreement to support the child through school for the next five or six years until that child completes the cycle of secondary education. Of course, this is the ideal situation. In the next five or six years, many of the 16,000+ will fall by the wayside, because in 2018 we will not have 16,000+ candidates writing CSEC examinations, just as how of the 17,000 candidates from 2008 NGSA, several dropped out by this year.
But what information are parents really accepting with respect to the performance of their children at the NGSA? It was stated before in this article that the scores in each of the four subjects are Standardised Scores. These are conversions from the original Raw Scores which range from zero to 60 in each of the four subjects. Further, in English and Mathematics, the performance at Grade Two and Grade Four Examinations is added to that of the Grade Six Assessment in the ratio of 5%, 10% and 85% respectively. Now 5 plus 10 plus 85 would give you 100. And 100% is a whole. But these three percentages are individually of different amounts! Therefore, what is it that we are combining? The teachers in the Primary Schools know that the Grade Two English (with Reading) and the Mathematics are marked out of a maximum of 50. Furthermore, 5% of 50 is 2.5. The range of marks would be 0, 0.5, 1, 1.5, 2, and 2.5, if we are using half-marks. This variation is almost meaningless among 16,000+ candidates. Likewise, when we include 10% of the Grade Four English (with Reading) and the Mathematics which are also both marked out of a maximum of 50, the range of marks would be 0, 0.5, 1, 1.5, 2, 2.5, 3, 3.5, 4, 4.5, and 5. Still almost meaningless in discriminating among 16,000+ candidates. Some clarification is necessary. Furthermore, is it 5% and 10% of the Raw Score or of the Standardised Score? If it is of the latter, do we then standardise the composite scores? Clear unambiguous explanations should be forthcoming, especially for those of us who really understand Mathematics.
Now the long end-of-school-year vacation has begun. Parents have enough time to get their children ready for the new school year. Some will be ready long before September, while some will be frantically securing uniform, etc. during the weekend immediately before the re-opening of school, and some even after school has re-opened. This also helps to make a difference in the achievement of students. And while not every school will be a Queen’s College, or a Bishops’ High School, or a St. Rose’s High School, or even an Anna Regina Multilateral School, each parent needs to know that there is real hope for his child’s future, after registering the child at the school indicated in the NGSA Results slip.
Source: BY Walter B Alexander; a Retired Deputy Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Education and a former Lecturer at the University of Guyana; https://www.stabroeknews.com/2013/guyana-review/07/24/what-do-the-2013-national-grade-six-common-entrance-results-really-mean/