Controversial Grade 12: Some students were ‘held back’- Dr Wheatley
This was announced by Minister for Education, Culture, Youth Affairs, Fisheries and Agriculture, Dr The Honourable Natalio D. Wheatley (R7) at the Fifth Sitting of the Second Session of the Fourth House of Assembly on Thursday, October 20, 2020.
Students were held back
When the Virgin Islands Party (VIP) Government took office in February 2019, it proceeded to hold public meetings, led by Dr Wheatley, to examine the additional year of instruction with the intention of deciding whether it should continue.
“Mr Speaker, I held public meetings, which yielded useful feedback on the topic. I was able to confirm that, indeed, there were students in the system who benefitted from the additional year as well as students who were being held back by the additional year.”
Dr Wheatley added that following those public meetings, it was recommended that he supplement the qualitative data derived from those public meetings with quantitative data derived from a scientific study.
The H. Lavity Stoutt’s Planning department was then commissioned to compare the performance of HLSCC students from the public secondary schools with the additional year with HLSCC students from private schools without the additional year. They also were to compare the performance of students before and after the introduction of the additional year.
Students who had an additional year first attended HLSCC in 2017.
Students were no better prepared for college level, study finds
Describing the results enlightening, Dr Wheatley said firstly, St Georges Secondary School had a higher success rate, which is the percentage of students with a C or better, than Elmore Stoutt and Bregado Flax in 2017, and BVI Seventh-day Adventist School had a higher success rate than Elmore Stoutt and Bregado Flax in 2018.
Both Bregado Flax and Elmore Stoutt had higher success rates in 2013 than in 2017 and 2018.
“In examining the distribution of grades between 2013 and 2018, there is no statistical data that supports any conclusion that the additional year of school improved performance at HLSCC. In fact, in some instances, the private schools, which did not implement an additional year, had a greater percentage of A’s and B’s on the college level or had results which were similar to that of their peers from public secondary schools.
“This is also reflected in the CSEC results. Therefore, I must conclude that research does not support the assertion that the additional year was a major factor in the preparation of these students for tertiary study.”
Quality teaching & other factors can make the difference
Dr Wheatley continued that what he can say with more certainty is that the performance of students is more closely aligned with the quality of their teaching, how well their style of learning is accommodated in the school system, the quality of their academic support at home, their socio-economic status, their discipline and willingness to learn, their foundation in early childhood education, the existence of a learning disability, among other factors.
“Mr Speaker, we would be much better served in putting resources towards the areas that research has confirmed has an impact on students’ academic outcomes.”
Grade 12 no longer mandatory
Dr Wheatley; however, noted it is also important that no student feels rushed or pressured into finishing school before the appropriate time and that students who need additional time to prepare for exams and complete course work should not be robbed of this additional year.
“Therefore, a solution that benefits the individualised needs of the student population is necessary.”
According to Dr Wheatley, beginning in September 2020, “I am mandating that grade 10 students, who have qualified based on their strong academic performance, be given the opportunity to graduate in 2 years instead of 3.”
The Education Minister said once obtaining a grade of B+ and above, students can choose an accelerated track, which would still require them to complete the same graduation requirements, including credit requirements, examination passes, and community service hours in 2 years instead of 3.
“In exceptional circumstances, students can qualify based on the recommendation of the principal of the institution. Those who fall below the required GPA will finish in the 3 years that is presently required based on the present graduation requirements. This initiative will be reviewed in July 2021.”
Criticisms of Grade 12
The introduction of Grade 12 by the then National Democratic Party (NDP) administration had received much criticism from various stakeholders, including parents and teachers.
Former Principal of ESHS Mrs Sandy M. Underhill had even admitted that students felt they were being targeted as guinea pigs. “It has been a long six years and what a year it was. A year of immense change that made you feel like you were being targeted as guinea pigs to be taken to the slaughter….Mrs Underhill had stated on June 22, 2017, during the graduation ceremony for the first batch of grade 12 students.
Mr Walwyn was criticised for making what persons considered an unnecessary change and that it was done hastily, including that there were not enough teachers for the extra year and lack of facility to house the students, who had to temporarily occupy a space at H. Lavity Stoutt Community College (HLSCC) before the September 2017 hurricanes.
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20 Responses to “Controversial Grade 12: Some students were ‘held back’- Dr Wheatley”
Middles Schools are design prepare children for the next level of their life.
2. Does the Premier need to publicly weigh in on this extra school year?
3. Is the current practice in the Caribbean and else where that any thing that the incumbent government does is good and anything that the former government or opposition does is bad even if it is good a good governing practice?
4. Does the VI need a referendum for voter approval on national planning, including education?
5. Is 16 too young to be graduating from high school or secondary school?
6. Will the extra year better prepare students for further study or the world of work?
7. Has enough time elapsed and enough data available to make an informed decision on the extra year?
8. What was the level of confidence in the data, ie, 80%, 90%, 95%?
9. How long (minimum) do students in top education performing countries, ie, Canada, Singapore, Japan, Finland, Hong Kong, South Korea, Taiwan……etc spend in high school?
10. Are there more urgent and important education issues than this extra year decision/focus?
11. Was this decision/non-decision rushed?
12. Was this decision political and a resume builder?
13. Would it serve the territory well if fifth form was split into A. and B? A for the gifted and B for others.
14. Is the MEC, Youth Affairs, Sports, Agriculture and Fisheries setting the Territory on fire?
15. Is this ministry too big to be effective? Does not a business that offer a myriad of services typically does non well? Does a jack of all trades does anything well?
16. Should not Agriculture, Fisheries, Environment and Natural Resources be lumped together?
17. Should an independent third party entity be hired to evaluate and determine if the extra year is a waste of time or it adds value to national education security?
(1) Another high school be built to take the burden off the current one. I hear someone saying Middle school and High school but that does not address the issue of overpopulation. Why some private schools do better than public is because their classes are smaller leading to more focus on individual students.
2 Build a new trade school as the campus in Baughers bay may be too small if we are really serious about teaching trades. Finance it properly with more options and more resources for training. De-stigmatize trade jobs with proper education at the numerous possibilities that lie once you acquire a trade. We have so much land giving away to plant Marijuana how about building more schools?
Dr. Wheatley's revised policy is a bit confusing as he did not remove the mandatory extra year together only for students who pass with a B+ or higher but those who fail that grade have to do an extra year? Is that not called repeating? So why the need for an extra year just for non passers? Just do away with it altogether and let them repeat the grade.