Improvements in national performances especially Mathematics
Georgetown, GINA, September 5, 2003
Increases in budgetary allocations in Education
are paying dividends.
In 1990, budgetary allocations were just over 5 percent of the
National Budget compared to over 17% this year. This represents
$11.5B last year compared to $17B this year.
After over a decade there have been marked increases in passes
in Mathematics and English A at the Caribbean Examination Council
(CXC). The Ministry of Education is aware, however, that there
is need to improve performances in these subject areas.
Grades 1 to 3 passes in English A moved from 22.3% in 1998 to
37.4% in 2003, which represents 1,181 in 1998 against 2,898 in
2003. In Mathematics, grades 1 to 3 passes moved from 17.9% in
1998 to 24.8% in 2003. This represents 829 in 1998 compared to
1,856 in 2003. There were over 7000 entries for Mathematics.
According to Minister of Education Henry Jeffrey at a Media Conference
today, "notwithstanding these increases, we all agree that
we need to further improve our performance in these two subjects."There
have been significant increases in the performances of Hinterland
schools in this examination. Prior to 1992, Region One had only
one Secondary School. This has changed. That Region now has two,
the North West and Santa Rosa Secondary Schools.
Further, the Ministry is now ensuring that teacher-training is
done in the Hinterland areas so that teachers are more equipped
to get the job done. There is also an increase in volunteer teachers
serving in the Hinterland Regions.
According to Mohandatt Goolsarran, Director of the National Centre
of Educational Resource Development (NCERD) good results are not
only concentrated in Georgetown. It is spreading all over the
country which is a sign that curriculum reform and teacher-training
are reaching where they are targeted.
Santa Rosa and Port Kaituma have recorded commendable performances
this year. He also stated that there were a larger number of students
from those areas taking CXC. It was anticipated last year that
increased training of Hinterland teachers would increase the performances.
Six teachers graduated in June from CPCE and 116 are now eligible
for the certificate programme at the Cyril Potter College of Education
(CPCE).
On the national scale, performances in the Sciences (except mathematics),
Arts, Home Economics, Business and Humanities were over the 80%
mark. Our level of performances may be attributed to revised curricula
and curricula resource materials, the provision of texts, upgrading
of school laboratories, training in school management, more parent/community
support for schools and volunteer teachers among others.
There was an overall drop in the 2003 performance by "0.2%
compared to last year and a 19.6% increase compared to 1997"
as reported by the Ministry. This year 42,410 persons wrote the
CXC examinations compared to 33, 387 last year. The Ministry of
Education reports that there has been a 39% increase over the
number of entries in 1997.
Over seven thousand of the 2003 entries, however, were from private
institutions. Of this amount, private schools entered over 1000
persons for the examinations. This amounts to just three percent
of the total entries.
Minister Jeffrey said that although many more persons are taking
the examinations, there have been improvements in performances
whether it is examined before or after 1997. English A, English
B, Mathematics, Social Studies, Principles of Business and Accounts,
Caribbean History, Geography, Office Procedures and Integrated
Science received more than 1000 entries.
On the other hand, Physics, Spanish, Agriculture, French, Typewriting
and Technical Drawing were among the subjects receiving less than
500 entries. This year, over 2000 students secured grades one,
while over 7000 secured grades two. The majority of passes, however,
were in grade three.
It must be noted that there have been changes in the grading scheme
at CXC. This makes provision for grades one to two to be representative
of grades one to three from 1998. This means that grades one to
three secured are equivalent to grades one to two previously.
The new scheme also allows for grade four to be considered a pass.
All persons writing the CXC examination will be awarded a Caribbean
Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) for their participation
in the examination. The Ministry of Education is making every
effort to boost the education system countrywide.
The Ministry is being ably supported by the Basic Education Access
and Management Systems (BEAMS), the Guyana Basic Education Trust
(GBET) and the Secondary Schools Reform Programme (SSRP) among
others.
The month of September has been designated 'Education Month' under
the theme "Modernising education and strengthening tolerance."
A detailed itinerary of the Ministry's activities will be given
shortly.
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Friday,
September 5, 2003