Headteachers told…
EDUCATION Minister, Shaik Baksh, has said the implementation of a Remedial Form One in secondary schools, which were previously Community High Schools (CHSs), is a key development in the sector.

He made the point at the recent one day workshop for headteachers of schools imparting the Secondary Competency Certificate Programme (SCCP) as well as those from secondary schools offering the remedial first form programmes in Georgetown and Regions Two, Three, Four, Five, Six, Seven and Ten.

The forum was convened at the National Centre for Educational Resource Development (NCERD), Battery Road, Kingston, Georgetown, with the aim of outlining the Ministry’s position on the SCCP and information on its implementation and delivery, utilising the competency based modularised approach.

Baksh said the corrective course was implemented to address students’ weaknesses in literacy and numeracy, especially those leaving primary schools.

He said, in the effort to ensure its success, the recently established Literacy Unit within the Ministry will be closely monitoring schools where its implementation is ongoing.

Baksh said the programme will undergo both internal and external examinations and urged teachers to put their shoulders to the wheel and transform the performance of low achievers leaving the primary cycle.

He emphasised that the objective of the efforts is to ensure the set benchmarks are achieved and failure is not on his agenda.

Baksh said the programme, in its present form, is imperative to stem the big dropout rate at the secondary level and is in keeping with the Ministry’s vision to make sure every child completes the latter stage of the education process and contributes meaningfully to society.

He said, when there is satisfactory improvement in students’ performance in both literacy and numeracy at the primary level, the form one remedial will be discontinued.

Changes
Baksh also disclosed that there will be changes at the primary school level, notably with the National Grade Four Assessment.

He said a certificate will be awarded students who successfully complete the programme and remedial classes will be arranged for those who did not do well, to take them to an acceptable standard.

Baksh said, if that is not done, there will, inevitably, be a failure at the secondary level.

He also indicated that there will be changes to the National Grade Six Assessment, but only through consultations, which have already begun in some Georgetown schools.

Baksh said the Monitoring, Evaluation Reporting and Development (MERD) Unit will be more active in schools this year, mainly to assure greater accountability for their stewardship, from headteachers.

He warned that headteachers, who have not been improving, in this regard, will be reported to the Teaching Service Commission (TSC).

Baksh told the gathering, of mostly head teachers, that some of them are known for sleeping on the job.