As the government continues its push for educational reform, Senator Reverend Canon Dr John Rogers has urged policymakers to ensure that efforts to level the playing field do not come at the expense of high-achieving students.
Speaking during Tuesday’s Senate sitting, the senator emphasised the need for a system that uplifts struggling learners without suppressing the potential of the academically gifted.
He said: “We have been talking about educational transformation, and I know that is in the works… but whatever we do, we must make sure that when we are finished, while we are trying to level the playing field, we do not hold back the genius amongst us. I don’t want us to suppress [them] while we try to fix the other side.”
Education authorities have been re-examining the effectiveness of its common entrance examination–formally known as the Barbados Secondary School Entrance Examination (BSSEE) which has been a long-debated assessment determining students’ placement within the island’s secondary schools. The exam has drawn criticism over the years for reinforcing disparities between students from different socioeconomic backgrounds, with some students entering secondary school life significantly underprepared.
The senator and Anglican cleric, who serves on the board of a secondary school, highlighted the stark reality of some students entering with exceptionally low scores.
He said: “I happen to be on the board of one of the schools, where children come in with ten per cent or less in the common entrance exam. That tells us we have a problem in primary school, a serious problem in primary school, because if a child gets to 11 or 12 and can’t read, something is wrong—and not all of them are special needs children.”
The situation, he noted, has worsened due to the disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, which widened the educational gap for many students.
“[The issues] have been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, where we have a serious education gap among some of our children. All the laptops we provided or so on…if you live in a house where around you the block is next door and the guys blasting music every day and you have to look after the little brother or sister, there is no food in the house, [there will be] a problem,” Senator. Rogers explained.
To address these challenges, Senator Rogers suggested interventions, including remedial education and extended time for struggling students, should be implemented as a matter of urgency.
The senator said: “One of the things that we will need to do in the interim while we get education reform together, [is] don’t force our children out of school…a child with ten per cent cannot do the first form curriculum as a child with 100 per cent somewhere. They need an extra year in first form, they need some time. We need to invest in remedial teachers, teachers who are trained in English and maths, and those other things, who can communicate with those children.”
He added: “It cannot be in the interest of national development to fast-track children who need help out of school. They need some time to grasp the concepts.”
(SB)
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