…no definitive word when matter will be resolved – CEO
As the class of 2016 Annandale Secondary School students continue to be disallowed from furthering their education due to a reported “technical glitch”, the matter remains under investigation.
Acting Chief Education Officer Marcel Hutson
In a recent interview with Guyana Times, acting Chief Education Officer (CEO) Marcel Hutson related that the error, which caused students of the Annandale Secondary School to be issued with incorrect grades and some with no grades following their 2016 examinations, is still under the engagement of the Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC).
“I spoke to the Superintendent of Examinations, and she has assured me that the matter is being engaged…CXC is engaging this matter right now. It was technological glitch, it’s not that the work wasn’t done by the teachers,” Hutson affirmed.
When asked by this publication on a possible date when the affected students would receive their results, the acting CEO could not at the time commit to a possible date but noted that he is employing efforts to ensure that students can move forward with their studies: “I can’t say definitively [when the students would get the results] but I told those responsible that we need those results today (Saturday) because our children are awaiting those results to know how they would have performed from a holistic perspective.”
Last week, parents of the affected students had called off a planned protest after they were told by the school’s management and the Education Ministry that the matter would have been resolved.
It was in August that Guyana Times first reported that many of the students were unable to obtain passes in certain subjects due to the school’s alleged non-submission of the SBAs but the Education Ministry later explained that the issue was a “technical glitch” and had contacted the Caribbean Examination Council. “This is not a situation that the teachers did not do what they had to do it was a technical glitch,” Hutson had indicated.
Meanwhile, parents are still frustrated over their children not being able to attend the University of Guyana or Sixth Form.
Speaking on the sidelines of Education Month on September 1, Education Ministry Dr Roopnaraine had told Guyana Times that he would investigated the matter since he was “not aware of the report” at that time.
This publication had reported that the school’s teachers had received the requisite training in sending the SBA grades via online to the CXC but nonetheless did not adhere to the deadline.
This publication had also reported that many students were disappointed since their failure grades barred them from proceeding with their studies. The exact number of students affected has not been disclosed.
Hutson, had assured that the ministry is prepared to do everything in its power to ensure the children are enrolled to tertiary institutions. He had promised that the situation would be rectified.
