Schools generally satisfied with SEA results

The Newtown Girls’ RC School has once again done exceptionally well in the Secondary Entrance Assessment (SEA), as student Kristel Yee Mon placed seventh nationally, in the SEA exam. Following the announcement, an emotional Kristel said, “I am really, really and truly surprised. I never expected this at all, as I wasn’t even sure I was going to pass for my first choice.” Yee Mon, who passed for her first choice of St Joseph’s Convent, Port-of-Spain, added that, “a lot of stress and hard-work really paid off.”

Echoing Education Minister Hazel Manning’s promise that all 20,669 students would be placed in a secondary institution, Imbert stated that approximately 12,000 of them would be placed in five and seven-year schools, a little over 7,000 in three-year schools, and under ten percent are being placed in private schools, he said. “In fact, there is an excess of school places this year,” stated Imbert, “which facilitated the reduction of placements in private schools, which has been one of government’s aims as this was originally only a temporary measure.” Noting that there has been continuous improvement at the SEA exam, he said, “Students are doing better since it was introduced,” as last year the number of students who got 30 percent or less was 16 percent. This figure is now down to ten percent, boasted Imbert, in addition to the fact that the average subject mark is now improving. “Obviously something is being done properly in the Ministry of Education,” he concluded.

Ensuring his school received its fair share of publicity, Justin Clarke, a pupil of the Newtown Boys’ RC School, was also among the first 100 students who top-scored in the SEA exam. Clarke, who placed 35th, said he felt “good that he passed for his first choice” of St Mary’s College (CIC). He will now be joining his older brother who  is a Form Two student at CIC. Checks with some schools along the East/West corridor revealed that Curepe Presbyterian Primary School received excellent results, as 105 of the 126 who wrote the exam secured places at five or seven-year schools.