Education Revolution beginning to bloom?

29.AUG.08

After expressing concern about the performance of our students in last year’s Caribbean Secondary Education Council’s (CSEC) and A’level examinations, we must in turn be generous in our praise of their 2008 results which from all indications demonstrate a marked improvement on those of 2007. Our heartiest congratulations, therefore, go out to the successful students, hard-working teachers and devoted and supportive parents who have made us all this proud.{{more}} Nor can we ignore the part played by the Government and the Ministry of Education in this achievement.

We are told that the Education Ministry ensured that more resources were deployed to the metaphorical fault-lines, especially in the areas of Math and Science where the results were far from satisfactory in 2007. It has apparently paid dividends. Senior Education Officer, Mr. Marcus Caine, at a news conference this week, spoke glowingly of significant improvement in these troublesome areas. He pointed to Physics as a concrete example with pass levels skyrocketing from 48% last year to 84% in 2008.

The heartening improvement in the performance of our students sometimes presents digestive difficulties to those whose mindset about young people seems to be one of permanent negativism. It is not unique to St. Vincent and the Grenadines either. Even in Britain spectacular results at comparative exams this year had some commentators and politicians dismissing the exams as being “too easy”. No credit to the diligence and intelligence of the youth.

Here as well, there is general denigration of our young people. We tend to highlight the negative tendencies, especially in the media, and to create the impression that “this generation” is “not serious”. Results like these and the many positive initiatives undertaken by so many of our young fly in the face of this fallacy. The 2008 results are even more pleasing in that they have created perhaps one of the Government’s more welcome headaches – that of having an abundance, nay a surfeit, of suitable candidates for the award of National Scholarships. According to Mr. Caine, he will present a list of no fewer than a record 27 to the Prime Minister for consideration.

Is this a temporary aberration, a mere flash in the pan? Or is the “Education Revolution” really beginning to bloom?