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Region Four’s 2014 top performers in education rewarded
The continued development of literacy amongst students in schools is a major
The District’s top CSEC performers
component that will help improve the education system.
This was the assertion of Regional Education Officer of Region Four, Jennifer Bourne, on Wednesday, at the 2014 Region Four Department of Education award ceremony which celebrated achievements in academia, sports and teaching.
The Education Officer described education as a basic requirement for the advancement of human resource development not only in Region four, but in the rest of the country as well. Bourne reported that through the Ministry of Education’s projects like the ‘Uniform Voucher Initiative,’ the ‘Schools Feeding Programme’ and the ‘Because We Care Initiative’, the Department of Education recorded an increase of approximately 300 learners into the public schools.
Bourne also commended the hard work of the 1,705 teachers that educate the 32,420 learners in the public school system of Region Four. According to the official, of the workforce, 896 are trained teachers and 450 are trained graduates. She emphasised that this is “a qualified workforce that should successfully guide our learners”.
Once again, in highlighting the importance of literacy development, Bourne mentioned the Literacy Action Plan by the Education Ministry: which aims to improve literacy rates throughout the region.
“We will reinforce that every child in the region must be able to read by Grade Three,” the official stressed. She outlined that to achieve these goals, literacy training must start at the earliest stage possible so as to ensure that children master skills of language expression.
According to the education official, the region recorded an increase in performance in the National Grade Two Assessment, with 62 percent of the schools gaining 50 percent and over pass marks when compared to 2013.
Top (NGSA) performers for the Region 4 Education District
However, she lamented a decline in the National Grade Four Assessment performances as only 14 percent of schools achieved over 50 percent passes. There was also a slight decline in this year’s National Grade Six Assessment (NGSA) with 27.6 percent of students gaining entry into the region’s top schools.
Bourne affirmed that such performance records are enough cause for the department to rethink their position as it relates to teaching and supervision. The education officer explained that since teachers are the first to be blamed for poor student performances “unproductive practices” by educators must also be dealt with so as to optimize the education system.
Performances in this year’s Caribbean Examination Council (CXC) Examinations were seen as improvements, in both the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) and Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examinations (CAPE), by the department, with gratitude extended to head teachers, teachers and parents of President’s College, Annandale Secondary School, Hope Secondary School and Diamond Secondary School in particular.
Last year, 19.7 percent of the district’s students matriculated, or were eligible to pursue tertiary education, while this year those figures increased by 100 percent.
The top performer for the Region Four District of Education, Arifa Mohammed, was awarded for her outstanding achievements in this year’s CSEC Examination. Mohamed, of President’s College, wrote 13 subjects, achieving 11 Grade Ones, one Grade Two and one Grade Three.
President’s College dominated the top five positions for exceptional performers in CAPE for the region.
Some of the top performers in the National Grade Six assessment included; Zaid Bacchus and Siddi Nandkishore of Peter’s Hall Primary School, Lance Fung-A-Fat of Supply Primary School, Chandini Baljor of Lusignan Primary School, Wonetta Benjamin of Craig Primary School, and Sarsawatt Heeralall Chateau Margot of Primary School.
Other students, teachers, educational officers and school representatives were also awarded prizes for debating and spelling bee competitions, educational achievements and athletic tournaments.
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