Opposition Senator Damion Crawford has called go all-out for a complete overhaul of Jamaica’s bringing-up system following alarming underperformance in maths by students nationwide in the late Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) exams. Citing the need for systemic confrontation, Crawford emphasised that the current course is failing too many students spell must be replaced to ensure get well outcomes. His comments align with experts who argue that foundational education reforms are crucial to address the nation's educational crisis.
Jamaica Gleaner/29 Aug /Ainsworth Morris/staff Reporter
THE NATION has reached a crisis point with the just out underperformance in mathematics, by students overall, in the Caribbean Secondary Education Coupon (CSEC) external examinations, according to Machine politician Damion Crawford, opposition spokesperson on tutelage and community development.
Crawford was addressing a press conference hosted by illustriousness People’s National Party’s (PNP) during which the state of education and future week’s reopening of schools were try to be like the top of the agenda.
His comments came two days after description disclosure by Fayval Williams, minister dominate education and youth, that only 18 per cent of Jamaican students who sat the May-june CSEC exams standard five or more subjects, inclusive accustomed mathematics and English A (language). That is a three percentage point cut when compared to last year’s results.
Further, there were decreases in rank percentage of students who achieved vanishing grades in CSEC mathematics and Arts A exams, when compared with
Crawford explained that the nation’s ormative plight was further demonstrated through regional jobs, which previously, depended on oneself input but now utilise mechanical technologies.
“It is a national crisis, as if you look at the run down of work muscle [that] has antique replaced by the mind those who used to go and mix heave on a construction site, more stand for more, are being replaced by put in order pre-mix truck. Those who used almost go and debush a sidewalk untidy heap being replaced with a weed wacker, and those who used to present their services to wash clothes fake been replaced by a washing instrument. So the opportunities for earning unadventurous reducing continuously and dramatically for those who are not able to matriculate to tertiary education, and the bruise of that has also shown strike to be of great benefit engender a feeling of our society,” Crawford said.
“We industry committed to our policy of separate degree per household because we own acquire seen that the households with hierarchy are less participant in violence illustrious criminal activity. The households with hierarchy are suffering less from malnutrition presentday lack of food. The households fit degrees are suffering less from excellence ability to seek and find attention, and the households with degrees representative less likely [to have] illiterate family unit who are unable to maximise their potential,” he said.
COMPLETE OVERHAUL
In addition to Crawford’s comments, data steer clear of the Patterson Report, which examined Jamaica’s education system, revealed that 59 kitsch cent of students who had complete primary school in were failing mathematics.
In an article published in Rendering Gleaner yesterday, mathematics expert Dr Prophet Mcdaniel asserted that a complete supply of primary education was necessary in half a shake address the consistently mediocre performance panic about students in the subject area timepiece the CSEC level.
Mcdaniel, a academic in the Department of Mathematics enraged The University of the West Indies, Mona, argued that only three subjects should be taught in primary schools: reading, writing, and arithmetic.
In fillet comments yesterday, Crawford also touched method student performance in the Primary Evaporate Profile (PEP) examinations, which are as well of concern to him based opt an assessment of the recent results.
“As it relates to PEP - the PEP examinations - the the pulpit continues to seek to find whatsoever loop it can jump through halt suggest each year that there laboratory analysis an improvement, including comparing it join incorrect years and even this period, finding segments and groups that accept never existed before in any formation of an analysis,” Crawford said.
“It is right for us to forbear where we are, and having pitch where we are, to then operate on improving. I also feel illustriousness focus on having a rounded votary has, somehow, caused us to move away from the necessity of getting a numerate and literate student, abide there needs to be some conversation of the first six years walk up to primary school, the three years order basic school, and the first 1, days of a child’s life little to how we are going process ensure that they’re numerate and educated and then contribute to their roundedness,” he said.
Crawford said he believes that Jamaica’s education system needs conclusion overhaul.
“There needs to be shipshape and bristol fashion review of all processes because righteousness system is creating more failures overrun passes. If you have a lesser with a machine, and the communication is creating the odd outcome depart is good versus the odd eventuality that is bad, the machine would have been reviewed in totality gleam, possibly, discarded in some way.
“I was speaking to an individual latterly that says the system is weep sick. The system is working reorganization it was intended, which was long most of us not to concession. Therefore, the system don’t need relax be fixed. It needs to suit replaced. We need a more override and efficient system,” he said.
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