By Jomo Paul
[www.inewsguyan.com] – Education Minister Dr Rupert Roopnarine is not pleased with the results of the 2015 National Grade Six Assessment (NGSA) examinations and insists that the education sector can achieve better results if more effort is put into it.
The results, according to Chief Education Officer, Olato Sam reveal an overall increase in the performance of the students but a decrease in the English Language area. It was noted too that Region 9 was the most improved region with respect to the students’ performance at the examination.
However, Dr Roopnarine when questioned by the media posited that the results could have reflected better scores.
“We can find all the oil in the world…but if we don’t educate our citizens, we won’t go anywhere…we have to ensure that teachers have the best facilities and are amply rewarded,” said Dr Roopnarine.
The Minister indicated that a thriving education system can be achieved with the support of civil society, noting that he has already straddled the task for forging such support on himself.
He said that his overarching goal would be “to make Guyana the country that everyone else admirers” in the area of education while, making the Ministry one of the more enviable ones in government.
“We are going to ensure that the Ministry of Education sets the standard in Guyana…Over the next year or two we will see changes where they are needed,” said Dr Roopnarine.
Addressing the issue of students from private schools outperforming those in public schools, the Minister related that while this is the case, the “reverse is evident” as it relates to secondary school students.
The Education Ministry plans to honour the top performers of the year’s NGSA. The results of the 2015 National Grade Six Assessment (NGSA) examinations revealed that Success Elementary School in Providence, East Bank Demerara (EBD) swiped 25 spots in the top 1% of the performers for the entire country.
It should be noted that this is a private school.
Just as CXC sets questions from the specific objectives within the various syllabuses, just the same way, NGNA questions needs to be set from the specific objectives of the various curriculum guide for these core subjects. Please use the Grade nine curriculum guide when setting the questions.
Reviewing of questions should include at least two grade nine teachers of the core subjects from each region on the panel, followed by the final selection of questions by the examining body, hence teachers will not know the exact questions which will be used for the examination.
Thank you.
Quote “We can find all the oil in the world…but if we don’t educate our citizens, we won’t go anywhere…we have to ensure that teachers have the best facilities and are amply rewarded,” said Dr Roopnarine.” This defacto Minister was obviously sleeping in Parliament yesterday. Dr Roopnarine your President said “THE CAMPAIGN IS OVER”. Tell us why you are not satisfied with results and tell us what you would “do better”. Get a hold at the statistics and make an informed comment. Numbers don’t lie, and by the way stop worrying about oil, you did not get the Natural Resources Ministry as expected. Granger put the nation’s natural wealth in the hands of the AFC’s Trotman in an effort to “oil” the coalition and get inside information from the AFC.
Quote “We are going to ensure that the Ministry of Education sets …..blah blah..” “to make Guyana the country that everyone else admirers”. All this is empty talk. Go back to your manifesto and tell us just a little what you will do differently.
Yep, I agree with the Minister we need an educated population to be able to manage our resources properly and ensure a better Guyana for all.