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Lent term grades will be calculated from assignments to date- Dr Wheatley

- As VI schools close doors until April 3, 2020 as part of COVID-19 response measures
The Ministry of Education will engage further planning for online teaching and learning in the event that the mandatory closure of schools persists beyond the Easter break. Photo: VINO/File
 Minister for Education, Dr the Hon Natalio D. Wheatley (R7) says the final public school grades for the Lent term will be calculated from all assignment graded to date. Photo: GIS/FIle
Minister for Education, Dr the Hon Natalio D. Wheatley (R7) says the final public school grades for the Lent term will be calculated from all assignment graded to date. Photo: GIS/FIle
Hon Natalio D. Wheatley said that the Caribbean Examinations Council is working on establishing the most suitable time for CPEA, CSEC, and CAPE exams. Photo: CXC
Hon Natalio D. Wheatley said that the Caribbean Examinations Council is working on establishing the most suitable time for CPEA, CSEC, and CAPE exams. Photo: CXC
ROAD TOWN, Tortola, VI - With all private and public schools, pre-schools, daycare centres and extra-curricular programmes closing effective today March 19, 2020 until Friday, April 3, 2020, Minister for Education, Dr the Hon Natalio D. Wheatley (R7) says the final public school grades for the Lent term will be calculated from all assignment graded to date.

In a statement released yesterday, March 18, 2020, Hon Wheatley also noted that projects or other assignments due on or after today should go towards the Trinity term and said that teachers should remain at school up to tomorrow, Friday, March 20, 2020, to prepare work for students and complete the term’s work.

Teachers charged to prepare materials 

"While students are out on this mandatory break, teachers are to prepare learning resource packets containing activities for students to review and consolidate concepts taught over the term," he said. 

One issue of concern regarding the strategy is what will happen to students who were underperforming so far in the Lent term with hopes of redeeming towards the end.

Virgin Islands News Online (VINO) reached out to Dr Wheatley for an answer; however, he noted that all questions of that nature should be directed to the Acting Chief Education Officer, Ms Connie E. George. Ms George could not be reached up to publication time. 

As part of his statements, Hon Wheatley said school principals have also been asked to utilise whatever means available to ensure students receive assigned work and affirmed that constant contact will be maintained with school teachers throughout the break. 

Examination dates under review 

"With respect to upcoming examinations, the Exit Proficiency exams will be rescheduled for the Trinity term, and we anticipate that the Key Stage Assessments will remain for the scheduled date of 12th June," he said. 

The Minister said the Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC) is working on establishing the most suitable time for CPEA, CSEC, and CAPE exams, "this information is currently being finalised and will be released in a few weeks. In the meantime, I encourage students to use this time to continue preparations of SBAs and content preparation," he said.

Dr Wheatley also affirmed that his Ministry will engage further planning for online teaching and learning in the event that the mandatory closure of schools persists beyond the Easter break.

15 Responses to “Lent term grades will be calculated from assignments to date- Dr Wheatley”

  • ABC (19/03/2020, 18:24) Like (4) Dislike (0) Reply
    Good man
  • not so (19/03/2020, 19:51) Like (5) Dislike (6) Reply
    This is really unfair, so children who are not performing well will fail?
    • Ask the parent (20/03/2020, 08:07) Like (3) Dislike (0) Reply
      This isn’t something new. Failing students still fail if they are not performing during regular school hours. What’s “unfair” is the miracle parents expect from teachers... now parents can actually share some responsibility. Not speaking about those who genuinely struggle. Arrangements are being made for all students.
    • Wait (20/03/2020, 08:25) Like (8) Dislike (0) Reply
      wait, so all these weeks children not performing well and the parents have not intervened??? an end of term exam will help those children?????
      • @Wait (20/03/2020, 10:52) Like (5) Dislike (2) Reply
        The perfectionist attitude at best! Not all kids are academically inclined and just because they were failing doesn't mean that their parents failed them. There are upcoming assignments and end of term examinations and this would've given struggling students a chance to make necessary adjustments (tutoring, extra classes etc.) to perform well on their examinations, thus increasing their final grade. Some kids may have missed instructional time due to illness or other issues, there are many factors other than neglect that contribute to a student not performing academically well. Your holier than thou attitude helps nobody.
        • no no no (20/03/2020, 12:09) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
          IN 2 weeeeek????? Upcoming assignments could have helped ? If the child wasn’t doing good on a subject for 12 weeks, 1 grade will of them same material will help that child ?
          Sorry I am with WAIT on this one!
  • wow (19/03/2020, 20:36) Like (3) Dislike (3) Reply
    hmmmmmmmmmm this is not fair
  • god is good (19/03/2020, 20:36) Like (8) Dislike (4) Reply
    This is very unfair to some of the kids that was preparing to boost up their grades for the end of term Exams that was suppose to be next week
  • think (19/03/2020, 20:40) Like (27) Dislike (4) Reply
    Can some one name me 10 people under 50yrs of age that died from this fake disease ? Hunger kills way more than this so called disease and for all you Americans that’s self quarantined your a bunch of sheep’s, while your home in your house the dollar is crashing and their building more 5G towers so y’all about to stay in your homes and have your brains fried while you sleep

    Always remember “ A fearful society is far easier to control than a fearless one.”
    • @Think (20/03/2020, 10:54) Like (11) Dislike (1) Reply

      Thank you!!!! We are still in the height of flu season which kills the same vulnerable population EVERY YEAR! What a set of $%^^ idiots believing everything on CNN and other mainstream brainwashing conglomerates. Where are all the 'WOKE' people now? All buying toilet paper and locking themselves inside, woke? Please!

      • Sheeps (20/03/2020, 11:56) Like (3) Dislike (0) Reply
        All I’m hearing is death numbers but no names to go with any of them, those same ones that claim their woke will be the first in line for that vaccine when bill gates said himself that vaccines are the fastest way to reduce population growth

        Research and take off that CNN bull !
  • Oh My (19/03/2020, 23:33) Like (1) Dislike (10) Reply
    myron was better
  • trrefdrfds (20/03/2020, 01:10) Like (0) Dislike (1) Reply
    Yes. So kids do better i end of term. So them little quiz and so on if they aint do good then. They will get a low grade. Its unfair.
  • So wait (20/03/2020, 08:29) Like (9) Dislike (1) Reply
    So wait. You telling me 12 weeks in a term, children doing bad all term with only 2 weeks left of school, and an end of term exam will make a difference ?????? Y’all parents are CRAZY. Power school is live, you see your children grades and complaining that their grades will be low because of no EOT exam??? STAY UP TO THE TIME with your child. The school system is now set up in a way that they have continuous assessments all term.

    Some of y’all parents real slack!
  • mp (20/03/2020, 12:08) Like (4) Dislike (1) Reply
    I monitored powerschool everyday and is in contact with my child teachers. PowerSchool has so many missing grades and tests that were never done! I check again today, there are so many tests/assignments that was not given as stated on the schedule and now the grades are final. I have spoke with teachers and I was told tests will be on these dates, that day comes, no test! Days passed into weeks still no tests and now they are rushing to put in grades. From where? My child have a grade for over a mth for her class a WHOLE MONTH. Last grading was before midterm break and there are many assignments that were in powershool after mid term that are blank.
    Another note, grades are not being place in PowerSchool fast enough and lets not talk about seeing the physical tests/assignments returned. When the grades are finally in to basically too late and cannot be adjusted until the next term.
    So sad to say some of the kids and parents may find this decision fair or unfair. Not every child in the school system are A students. Some find their own groove a little bit later in the term or loose their steam later in the term.

    Oh well, we have 3rd term to work on getting better grades.


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