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Sup. Exams, CXC among topics for discussion at Education Retreat

Minister for Education and Culture Myron V. Walwyn has reportedly called for the retreat to hopefully arrive at some concrete decisions that will be carried forward for the new school year 2013 – 2014. Photo: VINO/File
The question of whether supplementary examinations should continue in schools is one of the many questions being examined at the Education Retreat today July 8, 2013. Photo: VINO
The question of whether supplementary examinations should continue in schools is one of the many questions being examined at the Education Retreat today July 8, 2013. Photo: VINO
ROAD TOWN, Tortola, VI- When should focus begin for CXC? Should supplementary exams continue? What about giving principals more authority, what does that look like? Those are some of the questions that are being examined at a retreat organised by the Ministry of Education for principals, selected teachers and education officials today, July 8, 2013 at the Eileene L. Parsons Auditorium, H. Lavity Stoutt Community College, Paraquita Bay.

The media has not been invited to any aspect of the retreat but, according to sources, it is the hope that some concrete decisions will be made and carried forward for the new school year 2013 – 2014.

Several principals and teachers have been critical of decisions being made at the level of the Education Department without the schools being properly informed. Some claimed that they learn of many impending changes to the education system via the media or “through the grapevine”.

As recently as July 3, 2013 Principal of the Althea Scatliffe Primary School (ASPS) Marieta Flax-Headley, speaking at the school’s graduation exercise at Sir Rupert Briercliffe Hall, said her wish for the Department of Education is that they collaborate with those on the ground level “or more poignant the foot soldiers in this war for education. Any change to our Education System is often heard via the news media; and even more so through the grape vine. This should not be so since protocol dictates that the persons who are expected to implement the changes that turns out to be the dictates of the Department, must and should be informed first.”

Other areas for discussion at the retreat include subjects being taught at the Primary and Secondary level and whether they should be offered all year, Primary Five and School Leaving Exams and whether they should be kept or replaced and whether there is a substitute for supplementary exams.

The retreat will also deal with the evaluation of teachers and a critical analysis of the Ministry of Education and Culture and the Department of Education and Culture among other things.

17 Responses to “Sup. Exams, CXC among topics for discussion at Education Retreat”

  • ccc (08/07/2013, 15:41) Like (6) Dislike (1) Reply
    blah blah blah blah
    • farmer brown (08/07/2013, 18:10) Like (4) Dislike (15) Reply
      same thing I said when I read it poor faller his days are numbered
  • want to understand (08/07/2013, 15:42) Like (3) Dislike (0) Reply
    I hope they discuss how grade 6 students this year were able to get grade 1 certificates and students with grade 2 certificates were named Validictorian of their class please do the Math and expain this to the general populus we do not understand. Is a grade 1 higher than a grade 2? or is 2 considered higher than 1.
    • to want to understand (10/07/2013, 14:09) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
      Validictorian is not based on Primary Five Examinations only, the are based on the grades calculated throughout the two school years. I believe it is grades 5 and 6 overall average which determines those placements, however I stand corrected if it is not.
  • dem say (08/07/2013, 15:48) Like (5) Dislike (2) Reply
    mister minister changed the government's priority list for scholarships>>>he now granting full scholarship for cosmetology>>>well sah>>>how about giving meh son one to learn to plant potatoes
    • vicky (08/07/2013, 16:14) Like (7) Dislike (106) Reply
      What is wrong with granting a scholarship for cosmetology and other industries? You rather him grant one for IT and other stupidness that people are no longer hiring for so that they can be a burden on government when they come back? They need to issue scholarships for industries in demand. That should have been done years and years ago. Where are all the accountants, auditors, carpenters, plumbers, electricians, a/c technicians etc? Schups.
      • dem say (09/07/2013, 13:15) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
        GOVERNMENT HAS A PRIORITY LIST>>>FOLLOW IT AND STOP GRANTING OTHER POLITICIAN'S CHILDREN FAVORS AND GIVE THE SCHOLARSHIPS TO FIRST COME FIRST SERVE AND WHO DESERVES THEM>>>HYPOCRITE!!!
  • Concerned (08/07/2013, 16:00) Like (3) Dislike (2) Reply
    Here we go again, more talk and less work. Always some discussion then little action. I hope this is not another meeting with no results.
    • vvv (08/07/2013, 17:48) Like (0) Dislike (1) Reply
      he cannot help it that the way he is more talk less results that is how at large gets re-elected do less talk more
  • links (08/07/2013, 18:54) Like (2) Dislike (1) Reply
    Let's hope this does not cost us $100 g
  • rat&bat (08/07/2013, 19:23) Like (5) Dislike (0) Reply
    As a BVILander lets get real, all students should be prepared for regional exams and school leaving should be a by product of that. The BVI needs to be able to compete with the rest of region and the world.
    • @Rat & Bat (09/07/2013, 09:35) Like (2) Dislike (0) Reply
      I agree with you. nobody want to hear that just want to come on here and criticize government acting like government is the problem when them is. Tortola people like to much hand out always want government spoon feed ayo. If you ask me ayo just full of.........
  • ... (08/07/2013, 22:48) Like (1) Dislike (1) Reply
    One thing that need to make the agenda is the way grade one and grade two primary five certificates are decided. The nonsense about a c mark mean automatic grade two suck. If you determine the top students on the total points awarded then the same should be to determine gr1/2.
    How can one child get 200 points and get grade 1 and another get 260 points get grade two. Time to fix that man!
  • foxy (09/07/2013, 06:35) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    all the bsest with youre retreat hope we see a change and less talk more action
  • plain talk (24/07/2013, 13:18) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    People are so bias and prejudice they cannot think out of the box. imagine so call educated people at a retreat will say CXC wants to rape money from the BVI. The number of students writing CXC from the BVI is a drop in the bucket. Compare to one school in Jamaica where they have thousands of students. These are low blow. "Educated people" must begin to think globally. The BVI will soon find themselves on a limb by themselves in education if they do not embrace CXC. They want to affiliate with US education but they are a far cry as only "pockets of students" will be able to compete in those setting and in the region School Leaving is unheard of. Educate our students to compete globally.every man feel that they know and they still dont. Give the Minister a chance to get the sysyem going.
  • strait up (08/08/2013, 22:39) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    Straight talk. A little knowledge is dangerous. Some so call teachers feel dey know but dey dam foolish. I was a student who went from the BVI to study in the US. They never heard of school leaving or HLSCC as the College is not accrediated. I had to write SAT because i did not have CXC, or GCE. ALL ah you stop fool the public. Let Myron move on wid ye job


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