Many issues lost in SEA melee

However there are several sub-issues that are lost in the melee.

Firstly, on the question of fairness, why is no one talking about the 20 percent allocation given to denominational schools (the ‘prestige schools’)? Isn’t this a back door for rich and influential parents to circumvent the merit-based SEA exam? In fact, how is the 20 percent list really determined? If we want to talk about fairness then the 20 percent is an aberration whose time has long passed. But do you think the denominational schools will give it up? Don’t hold your breath.

Secondly, on the question of “good” schools and “bad” schools, or is it “desirable” and “undesirable” or “high-achieving” and “under-achieving”? It seems that there is a list of secondary schools ranked from top to bottom based on CXC and GCE pass rates. One wonders how the teachers, principals, students and parents of the schools at the bottom of the list must feel to be relegated to not second rate but third and fourth rate. So the idea is keep all the underachievers in one place so they can’t “contaminate” the academically blessed in the “prestige schools”. At the end of the day don’t we all have to live in the same society?

Thirdly, what measures are being put in place to ensure quality education across the board for all of our children? Unless we address the great disparity in performance of schools (both primary and secondary) we will forever be stuck with this annual SEA problem.

K KHAN

via e-mail