“Quality over quantity” – Education Minister

… MoE to move forward with nationwide restriction on CSEC subjects

By Ashraf Dabie

Even with the recently released Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) examination results indicating that Guyanese students are comfortably excelling at 10 and more subjects, the Education Ministry has indicated that it will be moving forward with the implementation of a cap on the total number of subjects pursuable at the regional assessment.

This announcement was made by Education Minister Nicolette Henry, during a forum on Tuesday, at which the nation’s performance at CSEC 2017 was revealed to the public. Henry emphasised that her Ministry is focused on “quality over quantity.”
While acknowledging that students continue to successfully take on in excess of 10 subjects, the Minister noted that her Administration is concerned with the pass rates for crucial subject areas such as Mathematics and English Language, and more so, the overall matriculation of individual students.
As such, she reiterated the Education Ministry’s stance on quality over quantity, thereby indicated that there is still a green light on limiting the number of subjects pursuable at the regional assessment.

“From a qualitative perspective, we recognise that in order for us to really be able to get our students to matriculate, because that is what CXC focuses on, the number of subjects, though it can get you some attention, (it) is not our primary focus. Our focus is to ensure that students in the secondary school are able to matriculate and that is to pass Mathematics and English.”
She said the Education Ministry will take the responsibility of implementing systems that will better allow for students to matriculate.
“We believe that through education, we can move from poverty to prosperity and it requires us taking structural interventions,” she said, while conveying that putting a cap on the number of subjects students will be able to pursue will inherently improve performance, especially since more time will be allotted to the key subject areas.
Echoing the sentiments of the Minister was Chief Education Officer Marcel Hutson, who agreed with the need for a limitation to achieve the mission of higher matriculation.
Moreover, Hutson clarified existing misconceptions pertaining to the proposed cap on CSEC subjects.
“The circular that we sent out by no means said that our children cannot write as many subjects as they feel they could. What the memorandum has really focused on is to get out children to matriculate. We do not want to spread ourselves thin at the expense of not passing the subjects that will cause you to matriculate,” Huston stated while outlining the basis of the proposed cap.
The CEO further contended that in countries such as Antigua and Barbados, there is an already existing cap, limiting students to a maximum of eight subjects.
Nevertheless, Hutson explained that there will be provisions for student in special circumstances.
Meanwhile, the Principal of Queen’s College, Jackie Benn, in an interview with this publication is calling on the Education Ministry to make way for schools to determine the capabilities of their students rather than implementing a nationwide restriction.
Miss Benn alluded to the fact that while each student functions on a different level, there are cases, especially at Queen’s College, where students can easily take on a greater number of units at the CSEC level.
With that being said, the QC Head appealed, “Allow the national schools who would’ve had students who can perform exceptionally well in these different subject areas, give them the go ahead to do as they so desire, once they’re capable. Allow the educators on the ground, in the field, who will work with these students to make the decisions as it relates to the students performances and what they should write or not.”
Miss Benn was backed by the 2017 CSEC results which revealed that a total of 26 students secured Grade One passes in 12 subjects and more, while a great sum of 164 students from across Guyana managed eight Grade Ones and more.
In fact, a QC student, Michael Bhopaul, even copped a massive 24 Ones and One Grade Two at the regional assessment.
However, the reports did let on that four subject areas projected no improvements this year, while 11 CSEC units recorded a decline in performance among Guyanese students. Mathematics, English Language (English A) and Literature (English B) were all among the subjects recording worrisome pass rates.
Despite the outstanding performances, the Education Ministry remains committed to limiting the number of subjects pursuable at CSEC to a maximum of 10 units.