Nine hundred and one pupils were elated on Wednesday when they received their National Grade Six Assessment (NGSA) results. They gained spots at the five top schools, Queen’s College, the Bishops’ High, St Stanislaus, St Rose’s High and St Joseph High. Out of that number 179 were over the moon, because they will be attending QC.
But that is just 901 out of a total of 15,784 pupils who wrote the exams earlier this year. It means that 14,993 are less happy with their results. Not only the pupils, but their immediate family members. Children, who according to how the examination results are calculated, scored around 90%, will still be made to feel less than their peers because they did not gain a spot at one of the schools mentioned above.
This column has previously referred to how unfair this examination is. Many have called for it to be abolished because of the obvious disparity it foretells in the secondary school journey of children, already a challenging period in their lives. There is no debate that these elite schools are better equipped to provide the best secondary school experience, and this is obvious in the CXC results.
Yes, it might be argued that schools like Anna Regina have been doing better in recent years. But if one were to examine the results holistically it would be obvious that after the top tier is peeled off the elite schools continue to outshine the others by miles. So when pupils and their parents weep over the results it is because they know that these children will not be exposed to the best secondary school education that is available.
The mere environs of some of the secondary schools are not conducive to learning and could actually add to the mental and emotional stress of the teachers and children. And while those schools should also have the best teachers, the fact of the matter is that the best, in teachers and equipment, go to the top schools.
Some years ago a UNICEF study had found that 40% of the pupils who wrote the examinations would likely not graduate secondary school. That was in 2018. And while the picture might not be as dismal now, it is still a troubling fact that many of our children who commence secondary school are not completing their education. And some are completing without fully matriculating.
COVID-19 may have resulted in that figure rising briefly because of the difficulties many had with online and hybrid learning.
Education Specialist Audrey Rodrigues and Monitoring and Evaluation Specialist Michael Gillis at UNICEF in the 2018 presentation of that study said that only 55% of Guyanese students graduate secondary school. In fact, based on the data presented by the two UNICEF employees, only 47% of Guyanese boys and 57% of girls matriculate.
They had explained at the time that many students were finding the transition from primary to secondary education daunting and therefore both boys and girls were dropping out at a much higher rate in the lower secondary than in primary.
Specifically, according to the study, 5.2% of boys leave school between Grade Seven (Form One) and Grade Nine (Form Three), while 2.7% of girls leave during that period with several communities recording multiple teenage pregnancies among Grade Seven girls.
And there is the longstanding issue of the huge disparity between the quality of coastland and hinterland education and facilities. More is being done for those learners but it is a herculean task to even the scales.
Education Minister Manickchand earlier this year told the National Toshaos Council conference of the 124 schools that had been built, extended or rehabilitated in the hinterland. She cited the construction, extension, or rehabilitation of schools in regions One, Seven, Eight, and Nine. This included a $1.7 billion allocation for a new school in Karasabai. In Region One, five schools are currently being attended to, with Waramuri receiving new furniture and significant work underway in Hosororo, Matthews Ridge, and Kwebana, in addition to the North West Secondary.
The Minister had also emphasized a 318% increase in trained teachers nationally. Specific figures for hinterland regions show substantial growth: Region One saw 328 teachers trained under the current PPP/C administration compared to 68 under the previous APNU+AFC government; Region Seven, 177 versus 50; Region Eight, 68 versus 23; and Region Nine, 263 versus 59. In total, the current administration has trained 836 teachers compared to approximately 200 by APNU+AFC.
Be that as it may, the fact remains that hinterland students are at a disadvantage when it comes to their education journey. Likewise, children who do not win places at the top schools also face a setback in this journey.
This column has argued in the past that the weakness of the NGSA is the fact that for all intents and purposes it is an exam, which has become an end in itself. It means that teachers are tempted to teach in order to pass the exam, rather than the exam functioning as an assessment of the pupil. It has been pointed out as well, that if it can be used as an instrument to raise literacy and numeracy levels then it will have served a purpose.
So yes, let us celebrate our children who did well but let’s spare a thought for those who now think they are not ‘good enough’ and may have wept on Wednesday. More needs to be done for them to ensure that they leave secondary school well rounded and smiling.
Congratulations to Tanasha Destiny Hope Myers who attained perfect scores in all the subject areas.
