Minister Manickchand outlines new measures to improve Math, English results
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Education Minister Priya Manickchand on Thursday outlined a series of measures to improve students’ performance in English and Mathematics at the upcoming Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) examinations in May / June.
Addressing hundreds of teachers, scores of parents and students in separate meeting convened at the National Centre for Educational Resource Development (NCERD), Leonora, Stewartville and Zeeburg secondary schools, Manickchand said every effort will be made to bolster students’ performance in the two critical subject areas, notably Mathematics.
Students’ pass rate in Mathematics at the last CSEC was 30 per cent, a stat the new minister finds worrying, and disclosed that the ministry will be working closely with 32 poor performing schools across the country to raise the pass national pass rate in this critical subject area to at least 50 per cent at the May/June 2012 examinations.
The minister underscored that for this ambitious goal to be achieved, every teacher, parent and student collectively must give their unwavering commitment to make the difference.
She pointed out that all Grade 11 student in the selected schools will be provided with examination pass papers with solutions, revision text books, scientific calculators, geometry sets, graph papers and intense extra lessons after school.
The lessons will be conducted by the students’ class teachers and will commence the coming Monday, but will roll out in full in January. During these exercises, students will be working pass papers, trained on how to respond to examination questions, and have their challenges understanding key concepts addressed.
At a meeting with senior teachers, deputy headteachers and headteachers from Georgetown, Regions Three, Four, Seven and 10, Minister Manickchand; Chief Education Officer Olato Sam and other top education officials discussed strategies to correct students’ weaknesses in the two subject areas.
Speaking with a group of Grade 11 students of Leonora Secondary at the newly commissioned school, Manickchand appealed to the learners to give their full commitment to their studies, noting that this is critical for passing both English and Mathematics.
The minister impressed upon the students that come January, all attention must be placed on their studies, particularly the two important subject areas, as their aim should be to pass the required number of subjects that will enable them to matriculate or further their education.
She urged the students to attend every extra lesson class, emphasising that the sacrifice, will pay dividends as they will be positioned on a path to live their dreams and become meaningful contributors in society.
Manickchand also urged the students to begin devising their study timetable and get into the mode of getting their English right by stop texting in shorten characters and start doing do so in Standard English.
The minister also urged teachers and headteachers to submit to her the names of students who are having an uneasy time as home, noting that her officers are prepared to conduct home visits to ensure that the circumstances of these children do not affect their performance at CSEC.
At Stewartville Secondary, teachers called for the standardisation of the teaching curriculum so that all schools will be at the same topic every term of the school years. This, they say would deter some students from going to paid extra lessons learning, and to a large extent, those who do, will be at the topic being taught in school.
They also requested that the Guyana Learning Channel harmonises with what is being taught in school, noting that this approach will maximise students’ chances of doing better at the English and Mathematics examinations.
The minister said she will look into the matter as it is in keeping with her thrust to also improve students’ performance at the national and regional examinations
Over at Zeeburg Secondary School, the minister repeated her message to students and also urged teachers and parents to give their full commitment to making the ministry’s plan to improve students’ performance overall, and the goal of a 50 per cent pass rate in Mathematics at the May/June 2012 examinations a reality.
