Over 2000 take Common Entrance Examination

Over 2,000 grade six pupils from the nation’s primary schools are now anxiously awaiting the results of the 2010 Common Entrance Examination (CEE).

1,144 boys and 1,051 girls wrote the exam at various centres around the country last Friday, June 4.{{more}}

Parents, teachers and well wishers could be seen on the morning of the big day offering last minute instructions to the candidates.

And although entries were down this year, with 2,195 candidates compared to 2,327 in 2009, the expectations remained high as was evident by the comments made by some of the teachers responsible for preparing the students.

Phillip Farrell, Grade 6 teacher at the St Mary’s Roman Catholic School, told SEARCHLIGHT that the school was looking for an overall pass rate of over 70 percent.

He said that the headteacher and staff were generally expecting the 82 students from that institution to

perform well.

Sixty-nine students from the Kingstown Government School (KGS) wrote the examination this year.

“We had a task at hand, but we are expecting them (the students) to do well,” Margaret Sardine, Grade 6 teacher, explained.

“Once they read the instructions carefully, then we know that we will have a good group of students coming out; but one never knows what the final outcome will be, but we are certainly hoping for the best,” Sardine continued.

“It was a hectic year, but we made it, and we are expecting the children to do their best,” Rodger Butcher, of the Lodge Village Government School (LVGS), said.

The Grade 6 teachers of the Kingstown Preparatory School (KPS) were coy in their response as to whether or not they were looking to claim the top spot in this year’s common entrance examination, saying that the school was expecting to do exceptionally well.

They told SEARCHLIGHT that the 161 students entered were well prepared and although there was the obvious pressure, expectations ran high for a good overall pass rate.

The reaction of the students once it was all over also suggests that all went well.

“The English and General Paper (GP) were easy, but the Maths was hard – it just mean ah try,” said one KGS student.

Many differed as to which subject area was deemed challenging, some saying English, while others agreed that the General Paper was difficult.

Of the students interviewed, most were confident of their performance, with many saying that they knew they were successful and that they will be attending some of the nation’s top secondary schools.

Last Friday’s examination was the final component of the grade 6 assessment and consisted of the multiple choice component of the Language Arts, Mathematics and General Paper. The Reading Test was conducted between April 19 and May 7, and the Composition on May 28.

The pass rate in 2009 was 51.27%.