Students suffer during marking of SEA papers

The correction of papers, overseen by the Caribbean Examination Council (CXC), was done this year between 8 am and 4.30 pm at the School from May 12 to 16.

What this also meant was that the scores of secondary school teachers used to correct the papers were absent from their classrooms for the same period, ultimately denying students under their charge the opportunity of being taught.

Now, I don’t blame the teachers because they provide an invaluable service to our country and primary school students who would soon be under their wings.

My problem is with the system that has allowed such to take place without seeking meaningful ways to curb such loss of productivity.

Recently the Teaching Service Commission highlighted its concerns about teacher absenteeism and late arrivals in the classroom during a parliamentary joint select committee hearing, but the teachers are granted leave by the Education Ministry to be absent from their classrooms. This is unacceptable and must be dealt with immediately to avoid any reoccurrence.

I think the time has come for those in authority to conduct an evaluation of the processes involved and seek to implement corrective measures whereby the inconvenience to teachers and students is minimised or eliminated.

Unlike the online correction of CSE C and CXC papers by secondary school teachers, the SE A examination papers are corrected manually, thereby requiring the physical presence of selected teachers.

We already know what the problem is so here’s a simple solution: 1. The SE A exam should be pushed back and held mere days before the start of the Easter vacation.

2. The two-week Easter vacation would serve as a cool-down period for the thousands of SE A students whose anxiety levels would have been high because of their objective to strive for excellence.

Those students would be afforded the opportunity to relax at home and await the results of their exam in the new term.

3. Sufficient time would thus be given to the teachers to accurately correct the papers as opposed to rushing the process because of the four-day deadline they are required to meet.

Should the Education Ministry and the various stakeholders see merit in my simple, efficient and effective recommendation and cause it to be implemented, the time lost while teachers are busy correcting papers, when they should be teaching in their classrooms, would become something of the past, providing a win-win situation for all.

AKILE SIMON Curepe