Dem boys hear suh!

Oct 29, 2019 Features / Columnists, Peeping Tom

A few weeks ago, a short biographic sketch of a professional was published in the newspapers upon that person being inducted into her new profession. It mentioned the schools which she had attended, one of which was a junior secondary school.
Amazingly, the story went on to state that following the first year at that school, the child did so well that she gained admission to a senior secondary school. Now this is not hearsay; it is part of the biography of the person concerned and therefore can be treated as being accurate.
I had heard similar stories in the past but never took them seriously. I had heard of students writing the National Grade Six Assessment (NGSA) and not obtaining their desired school but were later allowed to write some “examination” after Form 1 and based on those results to gain entry into one of the better schools. I had always presumed that these stories were tall tales until that article recently appeared in the newspaper.
And so I am asking the Ministry of Education to confirm whether in fact there is a system which allows someone who after spending one year in a junior secondary school, to gain entry into a senior secondary school despite that person not obtaining the required marks at the NGSA for that particular school.
Such a system would make a mockery of the school placement system arising out of the NGSA. If indeed there is such a system, then it should be open to all students who did not obtain the schools of their choice. But then this would create chaos because it could result in thousands of students doing well in Form 1 and based on those performances requesting to be transferred to a better school. And these schools would not be able to accommodate them.
It is therefore for our investigative journalists to find out whether such a system exists. And why it is not widely known if it does exist. If it does not exist then there is a need for someone to explain how someone assigned a junior secondary school, can after the first year attending that junior secondary school be transferred to a senior secondary school, as reported recently in the media.
The second story which I heard, recently, but which may or may not be true is that there is a system in which students can appeal their NGSA scores. Many years ago, under the People’s Progressive Party Civic government this issue arose, and it was made clear by one former Minister of Education that there could be no appeals.
It is understandable why such a position had to be taken. There are thousands of students whose parents vouch each year that their children were cheated in the marking of their examination scripts. These parents are disappointed and want to find an excuse for the less than anticipated performance of their children. Therefore allowing for a review of the marking would open the floodgates to thousands of appeals. This would throw the system in chaos.
Yet, there are stories around that as recent as this year, there were students who were able to appeal their marks. The Ministry of Education may wish to confirm whether this, in fact, was the case and just how many persons were allowed to do so.
Again, if there is such a system in place it should have been advertised and open to all persons. Some students may have lost attending the school of their choice by one mark and they would have loved to appeal their marks to see if they could gain that additional mark. But if there is such a system of appeals or reviews and it is not publicly known then it is discriminatory to these and other children who were not aware of it.
The third set of stories about education admissions is an old grouse. It concerns some parents, who do not live in the catchment area of certain ‘preferred schools’, being able to have their children gain admission to those schools while students who live in the catchment are denied entry.
There have also been unconfirmed reports, in the past, that some primary schools heads would admit students without the knowledge of the Ministry of Education. And since there is no audit by the Ministry of the students actually attending primary schools, these “backdoor” entrants escape scrutiny.

Latest News

Dem boys hear suh!

Related

Similar Articles

The Glenn Lall Show | December, 2nd, 2024

Follow on Tik Tok @Glennlall

THE BLUNT OF THE DAY

Sports

Seven Regional Champions to vie for direct promotion single spot in...

Kennard Memorial Turf Club expresses sincere...

Canada-based Guyanese Umpire Suresh Budhoo...

Anil Beharry Real Estate and Related Services...

Alarm in West Indies over radical two-division...

After 18 years hiatus, West Indies arrive in...

Features/Columnists

Jagdeo’s policies were a disaster

Forget Begging Rich Nations: Caribbean Countries Should Act to Save Themselves

John Hess speaks, Guyanese should listen

Publisher’s Note

Weekend Cartoon

Bridge Watch

Demerara Harbour Bridge

> Berbice Bridge […]

Dem boys hear suh!

Share this:

Related

Similar Articles

The Glenn Lall Show | December, 2nd, 2024

Follow on Tik Tok @Glennlall

THE BLUNT OF THE DAY

Sports

Features/Columnists

Publisher’s Note

Weekend Cartoon

Bridge Watch

Demerara Harbour Bridge

> Berbice Bridge […]