The wrongs of GSAT

[MdmeX]

From a child's perspective.
http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/lette...-GSAT_11030036

[Rudi]

MdmeX that child's mother hails from Chudleigh. I know the family well. Brilliant little girl.

[MdmeX]

Thanks Rudi. Nice to know.

[HL]

Her 6 yo counterpart in Singapore, China, Japan....do not see studying as a chore. They are trained to relish the joys (and benefits) of studying--and it shows during exams. These kids are treated as celebrities....

Saw a documentary on study habits in these countries, and I was smacked with gob...(gobsmacked) at the highlevels of discipline--and other desirable traits.


Their countries reflect the result.

[Mosiah]

Hmmm, I wonder...how does child suicide rates in those countries compare with the rest of the world?!!?

[Bricktop]

A wha di? Why did the paper even give space to this insolent little brat?

[HL]

Different topic? ...yes?

[HL]

I think the piece was written to give that impression.

I would be hard pressed to think that that age group could have written it.

[Rudi]

A wha di? Why did the paper even give space to this insolent little brat?

OK It's now time for a time out in the cockpit country. Obviosly them let you out too soon.

[Bricktop]

but on the real...children should be seen and not heard...if she doh waan study for the exam then don't...when she end up driving robot taxi from papine to HWT she will know

[Assasin]

Based on this letter you wouldn't think her fellow students have time to be in the dancehall, be on streets and hang out a bus stations.

I am not concerned about her really, she is actually making an investment in her future. I am concerned about the ones who can't make these choices and sacrifice, the ones who would love to go to extra lessons and the ones who don't have parents to encourage them.

Little girl some application and your future looks bright. Don1 would say stop the complaining .

[MdmeX]

Don1 would say stop the complaining .

...and hit the books

[Rudi]

but on the real...children should be seen and not heard...if she doh waan study for the exam then don't...when she end up driving robot taxi from papine to HWT she will know

Actually, she is more concerned for her friends than herself. If it was solely up to her she would spend 24/7s reading and learning. The question is does the GSAT as presently constituted contribute to actual learning. That I think is the question to be debated. Those on the rock can better answer that than I.

[Exile]

Relevant too....is there no link?

[Exile]

Poor kids really. This "common entrance" is an outdated, outmoded ridiculous exam used to screen deserving students out of our elitist education system. Its a total con game of collusion with the teachers, Min of Education and all the private parties literally brainwashing and robbing parents of their money, kids of their childhood, leisure time and youth...frustrating some, disappointing and destroying those who never had the ways or means to actively compete since day one.

Unless we genuinely try to overall our educational systems, we will continue to have these futile discussions. Our plantocracy revels in this disguised streaming, biased testing and evaluation and inflates results and acheivements. End result is that we celebrate those who can regurgitate, those who can remember and recall and have not an ounce of creativity or original idea in their collective heads. They go on to be so-called 'good schools' and become Politicians, Lawyers, Doctors, Businessfolk etc. and continue the cycle of poverty of ideas and real achievement. Of course there are some genuine ones strewn in but we cannot continue like this.

We have to seriously try to to create better opportunities for learning and contribute to true productivity...nothing has really changed since back in the day when I did it. Only thing back then we only remembered we were doing CE when the teacher told us the day before, and for once I went to school with 6 pencils, 2 erasers AND a fountain pen (we had to write 'composition') - an alien concept these days.

Now, when I look back at the hostile methods used, I cringe....classes were streamed, classes divided into two - dunce side and bright side, students were selected against because of social background, how well they could read etc., PLUS the teacher used to beat.and I am not talking a little spanking -it was sometimes real child abuse. And yet, the teachers were doing their best - 80 to class - with an Assistant teacher (dunce side)......unnu gwaan talk....