NGSA 2015 results…Region Nine is most improved district

Jun 12, 2015 News

By Desilon Daniels

As the results of the National Grade Six Assessment (NGSA) were disclosed yesterday, data has shown that Region Nine is the most improved district out of the 11 areas under review. The region was also the only Hinterland one to appear in the top 1% of the country’s students.
During a brief press conference held yesterday, Chief Education Officer (CEO) Olato Sam explained that after analyses were conducted, Region nine was revealed to be the most improved amongst the ten administrative regions and Georgetown.
“Region 9 is the most improved region in the country with a 6% increase, which was noted in the performance of candidates acquiring 50% and more in all subject areas,” Sam said.

Chief Education Officer Olato Sam

The improvement pushed the region into the top 1% of the country’s best performers.
However, the other Hinterland regions of 1, 7 and 8 did not fare as well; these regions were the only ones to not be represented in the top 1%.
According to data provided, while region nine was the only Hinterland region to appear on the top 1% list, only one of its students managed this feat. This student was the region’s best performer with 516 marks and was the awarded The Bishops’ High School.
For region 1, the top student received 512 marks and was awarded St. Stanislaus College; the tenth best performing student earned 478 marks and was awarded North West Secondary.
For region 7, the top student received 505 marks and was awarded St. Rose’s High, while the tenth best performing student earned 474 marks and was awarded Three Miles Secondary.
Further, for region 8 the top student received 478 marks and was awarded Mahdia Secondary while the tenth best performing student earned 439 marks and was awarded Paramakatoi Secondary.
Interestingly, in regions 2, 3, 4, 10 and 11 (Georgetown) the tenth best performing students all earned higher marks than the top students from regions 1, 7 and 8.
According to Sam, 166 students made up the top 1%. Out of this number, 72 were males while 94 were females. Though the CEO was unable to provide a gender breakdown, he said that the trend for the top 1% would indicate that the females are continuing to outperform the males in all subject areas.
Last year, a similar trend was noted in the top 1%. Then, 168 students made up the top 1% and, out of this figure, 89 were females while 79 were males.
Additionally, the highest mark attained for the top 166 students was 530 marks, while the lowest was 515 marks. The highest attainable mark for this year’s NGSA was 535 marks (Mathematics – 138, English – 132, Social Studies – 132, and Science – 133).
With regards to overall subject performances, there was an increase noted in Mathematics, Science, and Social Studies, Sam said. He added that a slight decrease was noted in English Language.
The CEO was unable to provide a breakdown on how students performed overall.
When questioned on the overall performance in each subject area, Sam indicated that the exam was not a “pass or fail one”. Instead, he said, it was a placement exam.
In previous years, the Ministry of Education would reveal the percentage of students who achieved more than 50% and more before calculating the overall “pass” rate in each subject. Nonetheless, all students are awarded a secondary institute, regardless of their achieved marks.
In 2014, the country had recorded pass rates of 31.52% in Mathematics, 51.92% in English Language, 43.75% in Science, while the results for Social Studies had remained on par with 2013.
This year’s results are a composition of the National Grade Two Assessment in 2011 and the National Grade Four Assessment in 2013 along with this year’s National Grade Six Assessment written on April 1 and 2.
The 2015 NGSA saw 15,225 candidates writing the exam. Last year, the Education Ministry had recorded 15,227 candidates.

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