Education Minister Priya Manickchand making a point during the Official release of the 2012 CSEC, CAPE examination results at the Guyana International Conference Centre (GINA photo)

Guyana’s Education Minister Priya Manickchand has called on the region to deal “frontally” with the poor grades recorded in Mathematics and English A at the 2012 CXC Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) exams.

She made the call on Thursday at CXC’s official launch of regional results which was done from Guyana for the first time.

“I am not a pessimist but I do wish to confront frontally the dismal results we have seen … Dr. (Gordon) Harewood particularly said this morning that he is not in despair, well I think we need to be somewhere close when we look at the results in some core areas,” Manickchand stated.

According to her, the region must “frontally accept” that it has been failing at Mathematics and English throughout its history. She added that governments must not shy away from the results in order to deny the various opposition parties ammunition.

“The education of our boys and girls should never be politicised, bad results must be owned by all, good results and the efforts to get there, promoted, owned and celebrated by all,” Manickchand said.

Information from CXC show that only 47 percent of the candidates who wrote English A secured grades one to three passes, down from above 60 percent in the previous years. Addressing the English scores earlier Senior Assistant Registrar at CXC Dr. Harewood said there was no cause for despair since there was “powerful technology” available to help though it would take time.

He said expression appeared to be the major problem for students this year with summary writing a “particular challenge.” The problem, he added, was also illustrated in the comprehension and composition segments of the exam and he opined that students need to read more and better literature.

“Students have to read a lot more. It is reading good writing,” he clarified noting the amount of time many spend on Facebook. “You can’t spend every evening on Facebook chatting, you’ve got to pick up a book or an e-book,” he stated.

On Mathematics Dr. Harewood stated there was much evidence of unfamiliarity with basic lower secondary level concepts.

“What was disturbing was that some of the concepts really should have been mastered at the lower secondary level … very simple algebra, too many students were at a loss on that question, questions on perimeter also.”

As if that was not bad enough the CXC official added that students also flubbed “Common Entrance” type questions on things like shapes.

Grades one to three passes for Mathematics were under 40 percent in 2012 and slightly lower than the 2011 figure.    

According to CXC, 31 percent of the candidates achieved grades one to three passes in five subjects inclusive of Maths and English A with the Guyana tally being 23 percent in that area.

Meanwhile, CXC Registrar Dr. Didacus Jules, in taking the floor said he had noted the ‘feeding frenzy” in the media over the bad results but added that the blame game will not help.

He called for an “alliance for learning” across the region which would involve universities, ministries and other professionals all adding their bit to better the sector.

“Education is under great strain and it does not need people to stand on the outside and pontificate, we need workers in the vineyard, people who are prepared to put their shoulders behind wheel,” Dr. Jules declared.

According to him, it is a time for “less lamentation and more decisive action.”

The Registrar had also outlined a number of initiatives being undertaken to boost performance and retool the region’s students including partnerships with regional and international universities, publishers, businesses and taking a more involved approach on teacher certification.