Latest update March 20th, 2025 5:10 AM
Latest News
- Guyana’s oil growth boosting regional economies– CDB Director of Economics
- Suspected outbreak of Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease in Region Four
- Israel launches first ground offensive since Gaza ceasefire collapse
- Sod turned for $665M expansion of St. Stanislaus College
- Pensioner jailed for raping child
Education officials clarify varying top NGSA score
While there may be some confusion among a vast faction of the population regarding the changing scores students secure at the final secondary school entrance assessment, officials attached to the Ministry of Education are adamant that there should be no associated concerns.
Speaking to the matter recently, Education Minister, Priya Manickchand, said that it has come to her attention that the issue is one that has been gaining much attention among social media.
Minister of Education, Priya Manickchand (right), and Chief Education Officer, Olato Sam.
“I see discussions on Facebook…‘oh boy when I passed common entrance I had 600 and something and I didn’t even get into QC (Queen’s College)…I got Saints (Stanislaus).”
When the results for the National Grade Six Assessment (NGSA) were unveiled earlier this year the highest possible score was 540. The country’s top student, Jorrel DeSantos, of New Guyana School secured 533 marks.
This was a noticeable difference from the previous year which saw Salma Majeed of the ISA Islamic Academy being named the national top performer with 548 marks. The highest possible score in 2013 was 560.
Looking even further back at 2012 the highest possible score was 563 with two students, Ramesh Sachin Ghir of Mae’s Under 12 and Michael Bhopaul of Graham’s Hall Primary securing 547 thus becoming the top national performers.
According to Manickchand, while this year saw the top national performer gaining 533 which represents a lower number when past assessment results are considered; there are a number of factors that must be taken into consideration.
“This year people got 530 something and they topped the country but it depends on how many children write the examination, the standardisation formula and a number of factors that have changed over time,” explained Minister Manickchand.
Supporting the Minister’s explanation was Chief Education Officer, Olato Sam, who said that when the secondary school entrance assessment was the Secondary School Entrance Examination (SSEE), the standardisation approach and the structure of the assessment and marks were factors that are different from NGSA. At the time he was seeking to clarify that an even higher possible score was seen under the SSEE offering.
NGSA, according to Sam, “Has a different structure and the raw score that one gets in every single one of those four subjects are then standardised and we start from those highest performing students and go down in sequential order.”
Candidates of the NGSA are required to undertake assessments in the subject areas of Mathematics, English Language, Social Studies and Science which together help to make up students’ score. The total NGSA score is a combination of the NGSA and the Grades Two and Four Assessments.
According to Minister Manickchand five per cent of each candidate’s Grade Two score in Mathematics and English and 10 per cent of the Grade Four Score in the same subjects were added to 85 per cent of each candidate’s score in those subjects. The combined scores in Mathematics and English were added to the scores gained in Science and Social Studies.
Moreover, the highest possible standardised scores obtainable this year were: Mathematics – 136, English – 132, Science – 135 and Social Studies – 137, thereby allowing for the highest possible attainable total score to be 540.
The 2014 NGSA was written on April 16 and 17, and saw a total of 15,227 candidates participating, according to the Education Minister. The previous year there were close to 17,000 candidates, while two years ago 17,138 participated.
Scoring of each candidate is facilitated through a computerised process undertaken by the National Data Management Authority (NDMA).
Speaking to the placement of students this year for instance, the Minister said that Queen’s College which is deemed the top national school was able to accommodate a total of 120 new students. Moreover, the top 120 students were placed at Queen’s College.
Manickchand however noted that, “in some years that top 120, depending on how the students perform, will fall within a three mark range…if the top student got 546 marks then the last student who got into QC got 543.”
She said, “This year the top student got 533 and the cut off at QC, the 120th top student in the country, got 513.”
The education officials’ disclosures were forthcoming during a discussion forum at the National Centre of Educational Resource Development last week Saturday.
Similar Articles
THE BLUNT OF THE DAY
Sports
Features/Columnists
No immigrant should feel safe in America today
Peeping Tom… Kaieteur News- There was a time when an illegal immigrant in America could live in the shadows with some... more
If Guyana’s President Ali is the “Zelensky of the Caribbean”, who is the Putin?
Antigua and Barbuda’s Ambassador to the US and the OAS, Ronald Sanders By Sir Ronald Sanders Kaieteur News- In the latest... more
Weekend Cartoon
