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Barbados Education In The Deja Vu Zone

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Submitted by Raw Bake

 

Minister of Education, Ronald Jones

“Six males scored zero, but all the females scored between one and 100.”

After all the celebrations have ended, can you ask the Minister Of Education the following:

How fair is a system that forces students, who do not have the ability to get even one question right, to take an exam for entrance to a secondary school?

What is the rationale for subjecting such children and their parents to this mental trauma year after year?

Does the Minister agree with the observation that yet again, it would appear that children form the middle to upper economic classes have a higher than average chance of “succeeding” in this exam?

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123 responses to “Barbados Education In The Deja Vu Zone”

  1. Al Wright Avatar
    Al Wright

    This tendency for the economically disadvantaged student to fail seems to be the norm in many socities. There are exceptional cases where a parent takes up the advocacy of their children and make every sacrifice for their success. The success of a child is the concerted of the parents, teachers and the government. Unless everyone play their part all hope is lost.

  2. B. J. Worrell Avatar
    B. J. Worrell

    Raw Bake highlights a fascinating statistic from the results of the 2011 Common Entrance Exams: “Six males scored zero, but all the females scored between one and 100.”

    Raw Bake attributes some of this outcome to a social gap.

    Another way of looking at it, a way that is genuinely compelling, is the gender gap in educational attainment between boys and girls.

    My own figures are only anecdotal, so it would be interesting to get a true insider’s information on how many young women and young men, respectively, matriculate at and then graduate from our fine local purveyor of university education.

    Perhaps even more interesting to contemplate are the possible social/cultural consequences of what (might be) a widening gender gap. Can it be a matter of zero socioeconomic importance, in a country this small, in a country with certain widespread attitudes, if you are talking to a woman on almost every occasion when you need a doctor or a lawyer or a dentist or an architect or an accountant or a designer or an effective and competent government suit?

    If that became the case, we could debate what the possible consequences would be (and personally, I think it would be cool). But what we can’t debate is that there will be no consequences at all. There will be some.

  3. Colonel Buggy Avatar
    Colonel Buggy

    And out of the UK
    http://www.mailonsunday.co.uk/news/article-1394791/Teachers-expect-black-pupils-white-classmates.html

  4. Hants Avatar
    Hants

    How many 11 plus “failures” became successful carpenters,masons,electricians,fishermen,small farmers, truck drivers and heavy equipment operators?

    I have also wondered why a normal child would fail an 11 plus exam.
    It stands to reason that the primary school system is not working for some children and needs to be improved.

  5. William Skinner Avatar
    William Skinner

    Since the mid-seventies, progressive citizens , have called for the abolition of this gas chamber commonly referred to as the Eleven Plus. The current Minister of Education, Bobby Morris and Matthew Farley, among others in the public’s eye, are aware of the Barbados Union of Teachers , under the leadership of the late John Cumberbatch, expressing the harm this Exam visits upon our young citizens.

  6. David Avatar
    David

    Barbadians deserve to see the analysis of the common entrance exam to take the emotionalism out of the debate. What system control by human beings would submit 6 boys to do this exam armed with the ability to score zero? How many scored 8?

  7. Just Only Asking Avatar
    Just Only Asking

    It is time that zoning be introduced, but then again you will have the middle class crying fowl. A polcicy decision needs to be taken, but who will bell the cat and commit politcal suicide.

    I know people who failed the 11plus and made it to the top in the teaching profession,the public service. i failed the 11plus twice and can hold my own anywhere and anyplace.

  8. islandgal246 Avatar
    islandgal246

    “the middle class crying fowl” ” i failed the 11plus twice and can hold my own anywhere and anyplace.”

    Where? In the chicken coop? …Just asking?

  9. jack spratt Avatar
    jack spratt

    In which society do those from the “lower” classes dominate academically? I agree though that unless something went horribly wrong, a child who gets zero marks should not be allowed to sit an exam.

  10. Standpipe Graduate Avatar
    Standpipe Graduate

    This is the way I see it. If you are struggling and your parents do not have the wherewithal to get help for you outside of the school you attend, then you are at God’s mercy.
    It is all well and good for the Minister to be concerned about those children that score less than 30% on the exam, but the Ministry should be aware of those children long before they took the exam.

    If some children are struggling from Infants A to Class 4, it should not come as a surprise to the Minister or Ministry that these same children will do badly on the exam.

    What is the point of sending them on to a secondary school when, by your own criteria and admission, they have not grasped the basics of a primary education?

    The time for pretty talk has long passed.

  11. Standpipe Graduate Avatar
    Standpipe Graduate

    Barbadians deserve to see the analysis of the common entrance exam to take the emotionalism out of the debate. What system control by human beings would submit 6 boys to do this exam armed with the ability to score zero? How many scored 8?
    ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
    I second this motion.
    Saying that 19.4% scored less than 30% is not saying much. One should be able to see the scores from all the schools, 0% – 100%.
    Only then can we ascertain the magnitude of the problem.

  12. Ping Pong Avatar
    Ping Pong

    The Minister of Education also stated that 25 children scored 100% in the Mathematics exam and that half of ALL children (i.e. over 1800) sitting the exam scored over 70%! He also stated that 19% of all students scored less than 30 marks in Mathematics and 10% scored less than 30 marks in English.

    My broad (and inexpert) conclusion of these statistics is that overall the children are performing much better in the exam but there is a minority of students (around 20%) who continue to struggle. The occurrence of this 20% of low performing students may correlate with the suspected levels of educational learning disabilities (dyslexia etc) in the population. Given the existing system of allocation to secondary schools, in the future 18 of these schools will be receiving students of generally high performance and about 4 schools will receive students who not only performed poorly but will need special interventions which address their learning problems. Even if allocation to secondary schools is based on zoning these 600 to 700 students/ year will struggle in secondary school if the schools do not recognize their peculiar problems and put appropriate measures in place to assist them. The issue, in my layman opinion, is thus not the common entrance exam per se but the degree to which the teaching-learning model in both primary and secondary schools acknowledges and responds to those children who have diagnosable learning problems.

  13. David Avatar
    David

    @Ping Pong

    Your ‘layman’ comment seems to be on the money. We cannot continue to let this 20% slip through the crack there is a social cost which we have started to count the cost!

  14. Ping Pong Avatar
    Ping Pong

    To further add to the discussion: It appears to me that boys suffer significantly more from learning disabilities than girls. I cannot remember ever meeting a girl with dyslexia, ADHD etc! Even autism seems to afflict boys more than girls. This is not to say that girls do not suffer as well but it seems that boys predominate. If this crude observation is correct, my question would be why? My suspicions would cause me to look at a possible link with drug and alcohol use interacting with poor diet. The problem may be quite insidious in that the effect may be happening at the chromosomal level in the sperm of fathers or maybe at the developing neuronal level of the child while still in the womb.

  15. David Avatar
    David

    @Ping Pong

    Again your layman analysis maybe on good grazing. Head of the National Council for Drug Abuse referred to a report by a magistrate which identified children from 9 years old who are exposed to drugs. What are the impacts of early use would be fodder for research and analysis.

  16. Nia Avatar
    Nia

    Yes, drugs, alcohol and poor nutrition. How many Bajan children leave home with a proper breakfast on mornings, which is crucial to developing proper learning and concentration skills?

    Add to that the general attitude that the government still owes people something. I saw the piece on the news last night about parents clamouring to get their children transferred.

    There is still a mindset among many parents that they do not have to invest in their child’s education from early on. If the child does not learn, don’t worry – pull a few strings and hey presto, the school and the government will sort everything out.

    I know of a case where a young male pupil was not learning well at all. His mum and dad were not getting along (as usual) and the mother’s side of the family was looking after him and sending him to remedial lessons. When the child ended up doing terribly in the Common Entrance, the father “got on” – embarassed that his son had failed. He demanded to know (after the fact) why the mother didn’t tell him that the son had done so badly because he (i.e. the father) “knew someone at Combermere and could have pulled strings to get him in there.”

    Where was the father when it came to investing in the son’s education in the first place, paying for the son to go to lessons etc., especially as it was known that the child was struggling?

  17. Nia Avatar
    Nia

    Yikes, why are my comments always so long?

  18. Ping Pong Avatar
    Ping Pong

    While the use of drugs by children is cause for great concern, my previous post was raising the possibility that illegal drug/alcohol/tobacco abuse by persons may increase their risk of having children (particularly boys) with learning disabilities. Fetal alcohol syndrome and cocaine addicted babies are acknowledged conditions. I have read one research report which suggest that heavy marijuana use by fathers can increase the risk of offspring showing aggressive behaviour and inability to focus on schoolwork although the children do not use marijuana themselves. I hasten to add that I have not read any other report which supports this claim.

  19. islandgal246 Avatar
    islandgal246

    How many parents of these children can read and write? How many parents read with their children before they attend primary school? How many parents continue to monitor their children’s school work?

    Many Primary school teachers do not have the training to assist slow learners in a class of 30 pupils with many at different levels of learning. This is where a teacher’s assistant is needed or a special education class.

    In the past the school system created a society that consist of what we determine to be bright and dunce children. Today some children have been diagnosed as dyslexic and some with other learning disabilities, yet our education system seem unable to cope with these children. They know that these children exist yet these children are forced to go through the same system as their counterparts who are quicker and faster.

    Can any of you imagine what emotional trauma these children have to go through on a daily basis ? I remember when I was at school how everyone treated the not so bright, they were laughed at and made a fool in front the class by the teacher when they scored low marks.

    The education system has not changed much over the past 40 years. We still rely on regurgitating, punishment and force to educate. When will we ever learn?

  20. me Avatar
    me

    @islandgal246 | June 7, 2011 at 6:39 AM |
    “the middle class crying fowl” ” i failed the 11plus twice and can hold my own anywhere and anyplace.”
    Where? In the chicken coop? …Just asking?”

    and i bet that ‘just only asking’ is a professional in a career that you will never come close to. have u read their thought provoking commentaries? it is backward people such as you that has the system as it is. My own child would come last out of 30 children and failed the 11-plus,(ave 45%) went to a school many turned their noes down on. Today at 25 years old, he as Pilot at one of the world’s biggest airlines in europe. some of his teachers were people like you who used to write disheartening reports about him. i would take it upon myself and along with signing also write on his report encouraging words for him to read and at the same time send a message to the teachers. when i see him in his uniform, I say “look at him now, the one who was ALWAYS at the bottom” yes I am very proud of him. He intends to someday return to his schools to encourage those children who were like him.

    you Islangal246 are someone to be pitied. I can go further and say too, that I bet you nor your children have, nor ever will reach the heights that my son have after leaving school with only 4 CXCs at 17 and being a Pilot at 25. I bet too that many of you have travelled to European countries and have been flown by him. He always had dreams of being a Pilot, if i was a with no vision, i might have listened to his primary school teachers and chosen a secondary school that they recommended, i did not, I chose a school that was looked down upon but I also heard about the teachers of that school – it paid off. I am a proud parent today

  21. Raw Bake Avatar
    Raw Bake

    The thinking that all children should be able to take this exam at 11yrs, regardless of ability is flawed.

    If all schools are in fact equal and there is a place in the secondary system for every child that is in the primary, I fail to see why the present system cannot be replaced.

  22. Raw Bake Avatar
    Raw Bake

    What other test can a student take in our educational system, where a score of 30% is considered to be adequate?
    Yet we allocate children to a secondary school who score less than that and hope that in five years they would have improved enough to pass CXC exams with the others.

  23. Ryan Avatar
    Ryan

    Our flaws in the education system occurs way before the 11 plus. The interventions need to be made before this stage. We do not do enough diagnosis for leaning difficulties such as dyslexia, ADHD and other challenges. Not to mention the social challenges which the students and family may face. A 9 year old child may be known to be reading at the level of a 6 year old and yet that child is still in a class with other 9 year olds.

    You need to have an exam to gauge the performance of the students. However, after that you need to implement interventions to get students up to an acceptable level.

  24. islandgal246 Avatar
    islandgal246

    @Me……..”you Islangal246 are someone to be pitied. I can go further and say too, that I bet you nor your children have, nor ever will reach the heights that my son have after leaving school with only 4 CXCs at 17 and being a Pilot at 25.”

    Congrats to your son and I don’t need your pity. I am also the proud mother of a well accomplished daughter whom I have spent time with from the time she was born. I read to her taught her to read to me, checked her school work on a regular basis and assisted her with her projects. I met with her teachers regularly to know what her progress was at school. I encouraged her to read to broaden her horizon, encouraged her to finish her Master’s degree when she felt like giving up. I will continue to support her emotionally, physically and financially.

    Madame I do not need you pity at all nor the stupidity you have written. Please note ….with the recession on Pilots do get laid off so please be aware of that and let us hope your son has another skill in the event of this happening.

  25. Bonny Peppa Avatar
    Bonny Peppa

    To all those crying down the 11Plus; what will we replace it with? And no, all children do not sit at 11+. I had a relative who was and still is slow academically and he did the 11+ at 12+.. Needless to say, he is not ‘the brightest light in the harbour’ but he is technically inclined and we are encouraging him. He is holding his own so far.

    I have no problem per se with the 11+. In this life we are always tested in more ways than one to access our ability.

    Again to the naysayers, do you have any feasible suggestions? We would like to hear them.

    Me.
    I would like to meet dis Pilot son of yours pleeze. I am travelling on AA in July. LOLLL.

    ME

  26. Bonny Peppa Avatar
    Bonny Peppa

    David
    Look, dis new format you got confusing me. Dis ol gal in too au fait wid de tecknology. I prefer de udda whun. Um confuzin ma hed.

    I din pass de 11+ needa. LOLLL

  27. Hants Avatar
    Hants

    The Primary school system needs to be improved.
    Slow learners need well trained teachers.

    Every child will not be a Doctor or Engineer but every child in Barbados
    should be able to pass the 11 plus unless he/she has a learning disability.

    I have friends who did not go to high school but they have become successful
    Carpenters,fishermen and heavy equipment operators.

  28. Raw Bake Avatar
    Raw Bake

    Bonny P,
    What is the purpose of the 11 plus?
    Is it to establish how much a child has learnt and retained over the previous 5 or 6 years?

    Is it to evaluate how successful primary school teachers are at transferring knowledge, utilizing the skills and expertise gained from years of training at Erdiston?

    Is it to determine which secondary school the child should attend?

    If the rationale for retaining this exam is outlined, I am sure the naysayers will find a feasible alternative.

  29. Wendy Francis Avatar
    Wendy Francis

    @JUST ONLY ASKING, it is quite obvious that they are 2 people operating under this covert name, the one who presents themselves as a very intelligent and knowledgeable person in terms of the Barbados Drug Service, we learn a lot from this person and then there is you, use your own covert. name please.
    If we done away with 11+, what will we use.I do not believe in zoning, i feel every child should be placed according to their ability, in zoning mixed ability reigns here and those children who are brightest are taught and encouraged by their teachers, the others who are slow are ignored, this is Barbados, don’t say it dosen’t happen because it does. Why would a school sent a child to sit the exam when they know the child has not reached that level yet. They are some poor parents who instead of sacrificing some money and time with that child by seeing they get extra lessons, they would rather spend their money on a costume for kiddies kadooment.

  30. Raw Bake Avatar
    Raw Bake

    1. Attending school is mandatory for children 16yrs and under.
    2. Children cannot remain at primary schools until they are 16.
    3. Until there is a system in place that caters to the children with difficulties and that is easily accessible to those without money to pay for remedial help, then these children will have to take the exam, ready or not and hope for the best.

    They are some poor parents who instead of sacrificing some money and time with that child by seeing they get extra lessons,
    they would rather spend their money on a costume for kiddies kadooment.

    Even if this was so in every case, why should the children be made to pay for the sins of their parents?

  31. Raw Bake Avatar
    Raw Bake

    “i feel every child should be placed according to their ability,”

    This would be the ideal if all schools were not equal and were instead equipped to teach the students they receive every September.

  32. B. J. Worrell Avatar
    B. J. Worrell

    And Mr. Hants, that eternal fount of elder wisdom, appears among us and speaks thus: “every child in Barbados should be able to pass the 11 plus unless he/she has a learning disability.”

    Why? Why should every child in Barbados be able to pass the 11-plus? Why?

    Every child in Barbados should be able draw like Leonardo da Vinci? Every child in Barbados should be able to compose music like Schubert? Every child in Barbados should be able to write several consecutive grammatical sentences, unless he or she has a learning disability?

    Are these things different? No. They’re not. Not every child can write music like Schubert, and the most cursory glance at Barbados Underground makes it plain that very few of “de fambly” can write several consecutive grammatical sentences.

    Ya gun heah ma lawd de state o de skoolz! Lawd!!! Ya got ma bawlin!!! Heah!!!?? Gun get dah’ wid ya gine dat an dat an de udder (eddoes, de ol’ days, souse, de flyin fish lawd).

  33. Bonny Peppa Avatar
    Bonny Peppa

    Raw Bake

    What is your solution to children going on to Secondary School from Primary if you are opposed to the 11plus?

    And considering that children learn at a diffent level or pace, what would you recommend to those with a learning deficiency?

    An seeing that this exam is not the end all, why is so much emphasis placed on having it abolished?

    And are you of the opinion too that girls develop earlier than boys and so the boys are at a disadvantage? That is hogwash to me and has it reallly ever been proven?

    And what would you replace this exam with Raw Bake?

  34. smooth chocolate Avatar
    smooth chocolate

    i came to the conclusion too that they are 2 persons using the pseudonym “just only asking”. it’s quite obvious.

    @ME. congrats on the time u would have spent with ur child…i too would be proud of him whatever career he had chosen..but it seems to me that ur son developed at a later stage than his peers. that is why i don’t like about the 11+. a child’s future is determined at that tender age. what about the child who does very well during the term and on the morning of the exam, becomes ill to the point that he scores way below what he’s accustomed to.. he then ends up at one of the ‘lower’ secondary school. i’ve seen that happened but i have also seen children at those school do exceptionally well. i also know of cases where parents were urged to remove their child from Harrison College and place them in a school closer to their ability. apparently the children would have been prep for the 11+, got the marks for HC but could not perform after they got there. i know of one child who had to go to remedial lessons in English, when he was in 3rd at Harrison College. I wonder how these children were able to do the 11+ so well but drop back so horribly in secondary school. in all of this i think parents really have to be there for their children. seeing their strengths and weakness but encouraging them to be strengthen their strong points. a teacher once told me that she encourages her students to work hard for at least 4 CXCs (she teaches at a ‘lower’) that’s all that’s needed to enter BCC or polytechnic. They do not have to prove a point to anyone. no one looks at the CXCs years later, they look at the Associate Degree or Degree or the technical certificate etc. i understood fully what she meant when my young relative left her class with just 4 CXCs. they were accepted at BCC, completed an Ass. Degree programme and is now in the 2nd year of an undergraduate degree programme, studying something that they have always loved. some children can go the whole mile, others will not but we can encourage them all to do there best, a little at a time

  35. Bush Tea Avatar
    Bush Tea

    Every year we go through this same routine….. and most of us fail this test too…

    The 11 plus is the single best aspect of the local education system. It does an excellent job of separating our children in two basic classes
    1 – those talented academically
    2 – those whose talents lie in other areas

    Admittedly, some well to do parents can buy lessons, healthy food and excellent medical care to provide an edge to their children….
    That is simply a fact of life.

    What stops a poor parent from sacrificing to provide an edge to their children too? BT’s parents did….

    Overall, it is the FAIREST and most transparent system ANYWHERE.

    Where we should now move, is to introduce MORE ’11 plus’ exams in OTHER areas to find out OTHER potential talents of our children.

    Imagine an American had to come here on holiday to ‘discover’ that Rhianna had a ‘little potential….’. when she was part of a $500 M a year education system….?
    What systems do we use to check to see who are the ‘COWilliams’, the ‘James Husbands’, the ‘Ryan Brathwaites’, the ‘Gabbys’ etc?

    Time to stop criticizing the only working thing when no one can offer anything anywhere near in its place.

    BTW @ Ping Pong
    Brilliant contributions. As you know, the bushman loves to attack your positions, however you have come out swinging on this topic….LOL

    Ping, maybe you can explain the statistical concept of normal distribution (and the bell curve) to show folks that it is NATURAL that in any such exercise, scores WILL be distributed in much the same way as we see every year.

    What needs to be CHANGED IMMEDIATELY however, is the secrecy and lack of information given by the MOE on the full performance of the education systems. THAT is a scam which covers up many areas of inefficiency that CAN BE CORRECTED if brought to light.

  36. Colonel Buggy Avatar
    Colonel Buggy

    Hants | June 6, 2011 at 9:36 PM |
    How many 11 plus “failures” became successful carpenters,masons,electricians,fishermen,small farmers, truck drivers and heavy equipment operators?

    What are you trying to insinuate? Are you one of the many ,especially in the Caribbean society who think that Tradesmen are semi-illiterate beings? Very often we hear this call to send some one to Dodds or Glendairy to learn a trade. I am a tradesman and proud to be, and have excelled and have been both at home and overseas. My technical qualifications included subjects far more complex that what I had done at secondary school. And the bottom line is that I ended up with a salary way above many of the Collar and tie brigade from the exclusive schools on the island.
    In the UK based Engineering firm which I worked for many years, young men who did not have the aptitude to become tradesmen were side shifted into becoming Clerks and Pen Pushers .

  37. Just Only Asking Avatar
    Just Only Asking

    @Wendy Francis

    There is only one person using this blog name, I have not seen articles under this blog name that was not written by me. Rest assured ii am the only person using the this blog name, but shortly i will kill it off and start using another name.Yours in bloogig
    Just only asking

  38. Just Only Asking Avatar
    Just Only Asking

    Islandgal246

    if i am in the chicken coop with you i will dominate you intellectaully and otherwise. Please note that i dont want to be sarcastic with you, but I can.

    Are pilots the only persons that can be without a job, what about you daugter?

    By the way i went to private school and had no problem at uwi shining above alot of those wo went to the top grammar schools, that goes for the Community College as well. I am happy to say that this dunce has produced a medical doctor, so the brains did not come from islandgal, and there are two more doctors in the immediate family and an engineer.

    I left you to continue to ponder over my satement that I can hold my own anywhere and anyplace. I know that I canl outshine you anytime and anyplace and in the fowl coop that i invite you to enter.

    Ponder over my statement and I hope it chokes you while yiu try to disgest what i am saying to you.

    Do you want to take me on, raise any subject and we can enage one another.

    .
    ,

  39. Just Only Asking Avatar
    Just Only Asking

    @Me

    islandgal246 is not very smart, but I had to repond to her. Do you like how i extend an invitation to her to join me in the chicken coop?

  40. Raw Bake Avatar
    Raw Bake

    Bonny P,
    Seems you like answering my question by asking me one.

    Anyhow here goes.
    1. Continuous Assessment, but first you will have to acknowledge that all schools are equal but some are more equal than others. 🙂

    2. More resources need to be allocated to training teachers and outfitting school for remedial teaching.
    Where’s the money going to come from?
    The same place the Minister is going to get the money from to build two more schools to do the same old same old.

    3. I guess until it is demonstrated that it is really necessary in a progressive and modern society.

    4. I was once a boy at school and I can tell you it is a fact, girls develop earlier than boys. 🙂
    I am not so sure about being disadvantaged, distracted might be a better description. Then you have a system that does not allow a teacher to be creative in getting the best out of every student , boy are girl.

    6. This might be foolishness, but I believe Continues Assessment and Zoning is the way to go.

    You would have a system similar to this, tweak it however you like.

    Secondary schools are officially acknowledge to be not equal and are set up to cater to a particular set of students.

    Non flyers go to schools in Zone “A” Teaching difficult, lower student to teacher ratio

    Low flyers go to schools Zone “B”. Teaching hard, low student to teacher ratio.

    Medium flyers go to schools Zone “C”. Teaching fairly easy, high student to teacher ratio.

    High flyers go to Schools “D”. Teaching should be very easy, higher student to teacher ratio.

    Entrance exam available to those parents that disagree with the assessment and placement of their child.

    Nepotism and patronage? Class teacher “A” at school B sets the end of term test papers for her class, which are then corrected by teacher “C” at school D.

    Of course there is no name on the paper, only a registration number.

  41. Just Only Asking Avatar
    Just Only Asking

    @Bonny Peppa

    Good questions. Wait you like you did hiding with Rock that is why I couldnt find you. you could hide and buy ground but i am going to catch you wuking it

  42. Raw Bake Avatar
    Raw Bake

    The 11 plus is the single best aspect of the local education system. It does an excellent job of separating our children in two basic classes
    1 – those talented academically
    2 – those whose talents lie in other areas
    ————————-++++++++++++++++++++++———————————-

    Surely this would be know to all but the Minister and Ministry long before the 11 Plus?

  43. Colonel Buggy Avatar
    Colonel Buggy

    1898 Exam : And probably applicable to Barbados before the present 11Plus exam.
    http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1477530/The-exam.html

  44. Colonel Buggy Avatar
    Colonel Buggy

    http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1477532/Can-you-pass-this-1898-exam-for-11-year-olds.html

  45. David Avatar
    David

    Let us keep advocating to have some analysis about 11 plus exams made public.

    Why the secrecy?

    Do we live in a democracy or not?

    Was it not this government who promised freedom of information legislation?

    Than start practising transparency, one does not need legislation to do it.

  46. islandgal246 Avatar
    islandgal246

    @ Just Only Asking | June 7, 2011 at 10:41 PM |

    “if i am in the chicken coop with you i will dominate you intellectaully and otherwise. ”

    I am sorry I am not into this Domination thing, so leave that for Rhianna. I do not have to boast on how smart I am because I am learning every day of my life. Whoopee for you to have produced a doctor and having many more in the family including an engineer. You seem quite slow on the uptake and you still don’t get it.. Keep on FOWLING !

  47. Raw Bake Avatar
    Raw Bake

    NATIONAL REPORT ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF EDUCATION IN BARBADOS

    Pg 19

    Profiles

    Beginning September 2001, the Ministry will introduce the Basic Skills
    Assessment Battery (BSAB) to measure pupil readiness to begin the curriculum in the first grade of primary school. These assessments will be mandatory for all public school pupils on entry to Reception.

    In addition, criterion-referenced tests have been introduced at the end of Infants B and Class 2 to identify the skill areas in Language Arts and Mathematics. The profiles produced as a result of this testing will be forwarded to the secondary schools to be used by teachers in the formulation of appropriate programmes of study. In addition, secondary students will be tested within six weeks of their entry into secondary school, and the results from these tests will form the students’ Entry Profiles. Mechanisms such as these will help teachers to better track the progress of students and cater to their individual needs.

    Primary-Secondary Transfer

    The changes in assessment will also be reflected in the method of transfer from the primary to the secondary level, and in the certification offered in secondary schools.
    The traditional Barbados Secondary Schools Entrance Examination will no longer be the sole means of assessment for school placement. Instead, school based assessment including oral examinations will
    comprise 40% of the overall transfer marks. This should enhance the fairness of the transfer as students will receive credit for achievements made throughout their primary school careers (from Class 1 to Class 4) and will improve the prospects for students who do not excel in paper-based assessments.

    http://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&q=cache:VPXHekfz0pMJ:www.ibe.unesco.org/International/ICE/natrap/Barbados.pdf+common+entrance+exam+alternatives+barbados&hl=en&pid=bl&srcid=ADGEEShckmSo-Djbo0E6-GywZaK1wSZJo6yA9pQ3FBRpeIpSec6XAHXQcEaJeoIoGXLOtgAHCoVf-ayW_nOZf4Knd24j_XPDHHMZ1TUYaiVm76G-ZXOi8Cn8K8L0mrTazfRgsZasSIoe&sig=AHIEtbRJbc0VUU-e9evxL3NE8XZ7V8j8XQ

    Was this ever implemented?

  48. Raw Bake Avatar
    Raw Bake

    EDUCATION IN BARBADOS
    INFORMATION HANDBOOK

    http://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&q=cache:F-rfJwqDbGYJ:www.mes.gov.bb/UserFiles/File/Education_in_Barbados.pdf+common+entrance+exam+alternatives+barbados&hl=en&pid=bl&srcid=ADGEESjiPbTU-pC6dJdCep6RhdRBWTPAM2ZcYnc4QaV0kjIPbbTqlU2qGF0KG4v_d0aENk5UMoMuvACZBE85bompFClEaCyFOgWpXWKgn3RPwXEiVb91l3xoPgInjvCzpA5bw3_liclf&sig=AHIEtbRLeX67qGMwvxjtDH9c7FjkB2Z-bw

  49. L Avatar
    L

    I notice that every child that did well was from the upper and middle classes of society. There is no even playing field anymore, just greed and green.

    I mentioned to a friend it is the Disney Pack, meaning that the children who did well are the ones who’s parents have enough money to reward them with trips to Disney, what ever happen to a trip to Cheffette tough economic times my ass.

    Also, what is troubling is that teachers seem to be doing a lot of side trade, no longer is the relevant syllabus taught where it should be in the class room, now it is paid for and taught at “lessons” which while not compulsory seem to be the only way our children are getting what should be “free” education while these teacher supplement their income.

    Who can afford to pay can play. This crap must stop.

  50. David Avatar
    David

    @Raw Bake

    The issue raised earlier remains, how do we cater to those children who have ‘deficiencies’ which the traditional model does not accommodate? Barbados is too small to have 400 illiterate children dumped into the system annually.

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