What the President really said...

President George Maxwell Richards was reported in Saturday’s Newsday as suggesting the removal of exams in favour of another yardstick to measure progress, addressing the President’s Medal presentation ceremony on Friday at President’s House. In fact he suggested it was the “spectre of exams” that be removed, and moreso he acknowledged exams as being a yardstick.

The President actually stated: “Learning should be made enjoyable throughout our educational system and it may be assumed that one way in which that may be accomplished is by removing the spectre of exams which occur with uncomfortable regularity, for some, as we move from stage to stage in the educational system. However, there must be some yardstick by which to measure progress and to encourage students to extend themselves beyond the average level of achievement, as they reach for excellence.”