Jamaica All Island Secondary School Rankings

[Karl]

Karl did you look at the list? If not please do, then return to discuss with me how the proportion of girls doing well against that of the boys. Thanks.

Jawge, I read the report.
I know what you wish me to conclude - 1. Girls are doing better than boys in the exams; 2. Girls do not attempt 'sports' in %age levels boys do?

The problems the report presents is, it wishes that conclusions be drawn on the above without providing necessary detailed facts.

A few:
- Total numbers of student intake.
- Relative quality of preparedness for secondary high schools entering each school -- girls schools v boys schools.
- %age students that progress class through to succeeding class...total numbers on entry in schools through to sitting exam.
- breakdown in student population.

- Learning/teaching environment: weight on variables e.g. better teachers or administrators at the girls schools or no? ...access of students and teachers to course material?

- Time management away from school

Jawge: Our schools are performing poorly....and those who supply or present the 'facts' on performance results do so from vantage points that are slanted towards the desired outcome.

Just think on it a bit:
- What if more boy schools allow students to progress from class through to succeeding class with less competency in English and Maths than do girl schools? ...in other words how rigorous is "the weeding out process" school v school?

- ...and even if there is the same %age pass number used in all the schools, what of the comparison on standard of test exams?

- How does the school at the top of the list - 100% passes in English and Mathematics select - entry through succeeding class to external examination - those who sit the exam?

- How are the teaching resources nurtured and deployed in girls schools and boys schools? Similar? ...better organized and/or delivered in on or the other or...?

- What do the numbers say of boy student-athlete v girl student-athlete?
...girl student-athletes perform at higher levels (or otherwise) than the boys student-athlete? How would that impact conclusion on participation in sports as impediment to academic achievement?

It is one thing to put out ' raw facts'. Quite another thing when those 'raw facts' have presented context within which gathered or accompanied with necessary supporting explanations on variables. Why is information necessary to allow for reasoned conclusions omitted?

Are we comparing 'like' with 'like'?

NB: Please remember the leading thread...and your reference to sports.

[Don1]

Karl there is clear data that shows girls outperforming boys in standardized testing from primary thru high schools... given similar backgrounds and school type. To the extent that ~70+% of the tertiary school cohort is female

This has nothing to do with sports... that argument is a complete sideshow

Girls just tend to be more focused and mature in their approach to education earlier than boys.

It's all about socialization i.e. how the environment at home and out of home influences kids

[Karl]

Karl there is clear data that shows girls outperforming boys in standardized testing from primary thru high schools... given similar backgrounds and school type. To the extent that ~70+% of the tertiary school cohort is female

The stats please?
btw - What is the ratio boys:girls at each level of schooling?
Hope it is not 30:70 or even further leaning to more girls being students?

This has nothing to do with sports... that argument is a complete sideshow

Thank you.

Girls just tend to be more focused and mature in their approach to education earlier than boys.

Agreed!

It's all about socialization i.e. how the environment at home and out of home influences kids

Agreed! ...that the above *on the how of the socialization makes 'all the difference'.

*How the process impacts motivation to achieve.

[Karl]

Dated Observer article. A deepening crisis for the Jamaican

A deepening crisis for the Jamaican male
BY VIVIENNE GREEN-EVANS Education editor

Sunday, July 14, 2002

WE have known it for a long time.

New data, therefore, serves to reconfirm it: Jamaican women are likely to have attended schools more regularly, do better in their exams and are, generally, better educated than their men.

But dominate in a few areas-- in the work-force, in crime and in the prisons.

"Males are in serious trouble," says Claire Bernard, who heads social security and welfare research at the Planning Institute of Jamaica (PIOJ), whose latest data have served to further underline a problem over which Jamaica has agonised for years -- the status of men in the society and their likely contribution to Jamaica's development.

http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/news/...-Jamaican-male

[Don1]

A deepening crisis for the Jamaican male
BY VIVIENNE GREEN-EVANS Education editor

Sunday, July 14, 2002

WE have known it for a long time.

New data, therefore, serves to reconfirm it: Jamaican women are likely to have attended schools more regularly, do better in their exams and are, generally, better educated than their men.

But dominate in a few areas-- in the work-force, in crime and in the prisons.

"Males are in serious trouble," says Claire Bernard, who heads social security and welfare research at the Planning Institute of Jamaica (PIOJ), whose latest data have served to further underline a problem over which Jamaica has agonised for years -- the status of men in the society and their likely contribution to Jamaica's development.

http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/news/...-Jamaican-male

The article says it all. It was written 12 years ago and things have only gotten WORSE for males. The trend of superior female achievement is clear

It's sad that so many are out of touch with Jamaican reality. They base their misguided opinions not on data...but on dated anecdotes of 30+ years ago

After all... this subject is not as difficult as locating the Pegasus from a distance

[Time]

St Georges is way more that that. Watch out, our scores are climbing each year recently, especially in the Sciences, and its no coincidence.

The middle class don't want to send their children to school below Cross Roads. Therefore Wolmer's, St. Georges and KC have to maintain a high level of academics in order to attract the best children of the middle class.