Minister reports improvement in English, Science, Social Studies

EDUCATION Minister Priya Manickchand disclosed yesterday that overall improvements in English, Science and Social Studies, from 2013 to 2014, were recorded at this year’s National Grade Six Assessment (NGSA).
Region Seven (Cuyuni/Mazaruni) was the most improved Region with a 15 per cent increase between 2013 and 2014, she reported.The Minister announced that improvement was evident in candidates securing 50 percent and more in English, from 28.73 percent in 2013 to 61.92 percent in 2014, a 9.6 percent increase was recorded for all Regions except Region 10 and in Georgetown where an unprecedented 25 percent better was registered.
Improved results were also noted in the number of boys securing 50 percent and more in that subject.
An overall improvement was also shown in Science grades, from 31.77 percent in 2013 to 43.75 percent in 2014 for candidates securing 50 percent or more overall.
Boys in Regions Five and 10 achieved more than 15 percent higher and girls in Regions Two, Three, Four, Five, Six, Seven, Eight, Ten and Georgetown showed an improvement of more than 14 percent.
Overall performance of candidates in Social Studies securing 50 percent and more remained on par with that of 2013. But it was highlighted that girls, this year, showed an improved performance.

Overall decline
Mathematics recorded an overall decline in the number of candidates securing 50 percent and over in the subject. In 2013, 43.94 percent of the candidates secured 50 percent or more, in comparison with 31.52 percent in 2014, an average decline of 9.6 percent was noted for boys and 11.7 percent for girls this year.
Minister Manickchand also emphasised the monumental achievement over the last 20 years, stating that, between the periods 1994 to 2014, the Ministry recorded a 31.52 percent of children who passed with 50 percent or more in Mathematics, compared to the 10.6 percent in 1994.
In 1994, 14 percent of children passed with 50 percent or more in English compared to 51.92 percent in 2014. In 1994 also, 30 percent of candidates passed Science with 50 percent or more compared to 43 percent in 2014. Forty percent of those who wrote Social Studies gained 50 percent or more in comparison to a 16 percent pass rate in 1994.
Amongst the improvements were schools that improved by 25 percent or more, the number of students who passed with 50 percent or more. These included Warapoka Primary (Region One); Bethany, Sparta, Wakapoa and Jacklow Primaries in Region Two; Vive-La-Force, Mc Gillvary, Blake and Zeelandia Primaries as well as Comprehensive College in (Region Three); Cane Grove, Enmore, Chateau Margot and Diamond Primaries, IPE Academy (Mon Repos), Phoneix Academy (Region 4) which comprised East Bank and East Coast; Ithaca, Zeeland, De Hoop Primaries in Region Five; Leeds and Johanna Primaries in Region Six; Holy Name Primary in Region Seven; Kato and Kopinang Primaries in Region Eight; Moca Moca Primary, Konashen, Parikwau Nawa Primaries in Region Nine; Kimbia Mission Academy, St. Thomas and Aroaima Primaries in Region 10 and J. E. Burhnam, Rama Krishna and St. Ann’s Primaries in Georgetown.

Other schools
Apart from schools with 25 per cent improvements over the last year, other schools within these same regions also achieved 10 percent improvements.
Senior Secondary Schools were awarded to students achieving the following marks at the exam Queen’s College 514 marks and above; Bishops’ High 510 to 513 marks; St. Stanislaus College 506 to 509 marks; St. Rose’s High 503 to 505 marks and St. Josephs High School 500 to 502 marks.
The Minister also pointed out that while President’s College still remains one of the top schools in Region Four, students from Regions One, Two, Five, Six, Seven, Eight, Nine and Ten, who have achieved a minimum of 491 marks, will be awarded residential places there.

(By Ravin Singh(