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nice shining light, lets keep this out of the hands of the Don1's of the world.
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Educators encouraged by Grade 4 literacy test results
BY LUKE DOUGLAS, Observer writer editorial@jamaicaobserver.com
Saturday, September 12, 2009
EDUCATION stakeholders say the results of the Grade Four Literacy Test (GFTL) are an encouraging sign that the sector is moving in the right direction.
Michael Ottey (centre), teacher of Lyssons Primary School in St Thomas and final-year student of the University of the West Indies, with his Desmond 'DC' Gascoigne Award for Excellence from the Jamaica Teachers' Association Cooperative Credit Union Ltd (JTACCUL) at the Courtleigh Hotel in New Kingston Wednesday. Sharing in the occasion are (from left) Dorothy Raymond, president of the JTACCUL; children of Desmond Gascoigne, Ray Gascoigne and Gail Gascoigne; and Jamaica Teachers' Association president, Michael Stewart. (Photo: Garfield Robinson)
Representatives from the Ministry of Education and the Jamaica Teachers Association (JTA) point to greater interest from parents and improved teaching methods as responsible for the improved showing in the key examination.
This is despite the fact that 53 per cent of the country's 788 public schools fell below the national average for public schools of 67 per cent achieving mastery in the test.
In results published in local newspapers Wednesday, 70 per cent of 46,663 children in public and private schools achieved mastery in three areas - word recognition, reading comprehension and writing.
Among public schools, 23 per cent of students mastered one or two of the three areas, while 10 per cent failed to master any area.
However, Laurel Brent-Harris, National Literacy Coordinator in the Ministry of Education described the results as "rather encouraging, especially since it was the first time the test was administered under external exam conditions".
She commended the nation's teachers, including literacy specialists, education officers and parents for the improved results.
"Parents are showing more interest in their children's school work. More parents are attending PTAs or just visit the school to find what is happening. There is a wind of change that is blowing over (the country)," said Brent-Harris.
JTA president Michael Stewart said the results were encouraging, given the difficult working conditions in many schools.
"I have spoken with a number of principals and most school seem satisfied with the results. They just need to urge their teachers to raise the bar a little higher and I know there will be more improvement as we move towards to the target of 100 per cent literacy by 2015," he said.
Meanwhile, Jennifer Lee, principal of Melrose Primary and Junior High in lower St Andrew, was happy with her school's which showed 64 per cent achieving mastery and 30 per cent almost mastery.
She said the publishing of the results in the newspapers would serve to motivate teachers, parents and students to work harder.
"I agree with the results being published because now everyone will know what we are doing. When it was not publicised many parents did not see the Grade Four test as important as the GSAT (Grade Six Achievement Test). Now parents will come on board from early and provide more books for their children", she said.
"The children are also more motivated because when I went to the classes they said 'Miss, next year we are going to score full hundred, no one is going to be left behind'," Lee said.
Rev Miranda Sutherland, president of the National Parent-Teacher Association of Jamaica, said the publication of the results should assist persons who wish to contribute to education in Jamaica.
"This data serves is a clear invitation to all those partners locally, including parish homecoming groups and in the Diaspora as to specific areas that they could focus their funding," she said.
Of concern is the fact that females continue to outperform males. The results showed that 57 per cent of the students achieving mastery were girls, compared to 43 per cent boys.
However, Brent-Harris said the boys are actually improving.
"It was much worse than that. I don't have the figures but I know the gap is narrowing. Our project has employed strategies to address the learning needs of boys," she said.
Lee said the problems of under-performing students at Melrose, who are mostly boys, was being addressed through a Digicel-sponsored Resource and Enrichment Room.
"We know the learning style of the boys is different to that of the girls so we are the computer and other tactile methods to create a stimulating environment," she said.
.................................................. .................................................. ..................
Educators encouraged by Grade 4 literacy test results
BY LUKE DOUGLAS, Observer writer editorial@jamaicaobserver.com
Saturday, September 12, 2009
EDUCATION stakeholders say the results of the Grade Four Literacy Test (GFTL) are an encouraging sign that the sector is moving in the right direction.
Michael Ottey (centre), teacher of Lyssons Primary School in St Thomas and final-year student of the University of the West Indies, with his Desmond 'DC' Gascoigne Award for Excellence from the Jamaica Teachers' Association Cooperative Credit Union Ltd (JTACCUL) at the Courtleigh Hotel in New Kingston Wednesday. Sharing in the occasion are (from left) Dorothy Raymond, president of the JTACCUL; children of Desmond Gascoigne, Ray Gascoigne and Gail Gascoigne; and Jamaica Teachers' Association president, Michael Stewart. (Photo: Garfield Robinson)
Representatives from the Ministry of Education and the Jamaica Teachers Association (JTA) point to greater interest from parents and improved teaching methods as responsible for the improved showing in the key examination.
This is despite the fact that 53 per cent of the country's 788 public schools fell below the national average for public schools of 67 per cent achieving mastery in the test.
In results published in local newspapers Wednesday, 70 per cent of 46,663 children in public and private schools achieved mastery in three areas - word recognition, reading comprehension and writing.
Among public schools, 23 per cent of students mastered one or two of the three areas, while 10 per cent failed to master any area.
However, Laurel Brent-Harris, National Literacy Coordinator in the Ministry of Education described the results as "rather encouraging, especially since it was the first time the test was administered under external exam conditions".
She commended the nation's teachers, including literacy specialists, education officers and parents for the improved results.
"Parents are showing more interest in their children's school work. More parents are attending PTAs or just visit the school to find what is happening. There is a wind of change that is blowing over (the country)," said Brent-Harris.
JTA president Michael Stewart said the results were encouraging, given the difficult working conditions in many schools.
"I have spoken with a number of principals and most school seem satisfied with the results. They just need to urge their teachers to raise the bar a little higher and I know there will be more improvement as we move towards to the target of 100 per cent literacy by 2015," he said.
Meanwhile, Jennifer Lee, principal of Melrose Primary and Junior High in lower St Andrew, was happy with her school's which showed 64 per cent achieving mastery and 30 per cent almost mastery.
She said the publishing of the results in the newspapers would serve to motivate teachers, parents and students to work harder.
"I agree with the results being published because now everyone will know what we are doing. When it was not publicised many parents did not see the Grade Four test as important as the GSAT (Grade Six Achievement Test). Now parents will come on board from early and provide more books for their children", she said.
"The children are also more motivated because when I went to the classes they said 'Miss, next year we are going to score full hundred, no one is going to be left behind'," Lee said.
Rev Miranda Sutherland, president of the National Parent-Teacher Association of Jamaica, said the publication of the results should assist persons who wish to contribute to education in Jamaica.
"This data serves is a clear invitation to all those partners locally, including parish homecoming groups and in the Diaspora as to specific areas that they could focus their funding," she said.
Of concern is the fact that females continue to outperform males. The results showed that 57 per cent of the students achieving mastery were girls, compared to 43 per cent boys.
However, Brent-Harris said the boys are actually improving.
"It was much worse than that. I don't have the figures but I know the gap is narrowing. Our project has employed strategies to address the learning needs of boys," she said.
Lee said the problems of under-performing students at Melrose, who are mostly boys, was being addressed through a Digicel-sponsored Resource and Enrichment Room.
"We know the learning style of the boys is different to that of the girls so we are the computer and other tactile methods to create a stimulating environment," she said.