Minister of
Education Andrew Holness has defended the method used by his Ministry to place
students who sat this year's Grade Six Achievement Test (GSAT).
The Ministry has been facing criticism in the wake of claims that the placement system is flawed especially as it relates to the awarding of scholarships.
The Ministry said it has been using the weighted average of the results to rank students.
Mr. Holness has insisted that the method gives a true reflection of the students' performance.
"The GSAT examination is compiled of five subjects that are marked on three different scales so the percentage score only tells you how well you did on a particular subject in relation to the scale that you're marked on.
For example, mathematics is marked on the scale of 1 to 80 so the scale would be from zero to 80 ... so someone who got 57% of the grading scale in mathematics would be a different 57% from someone who got 57 in science where the scale is from zero to 60," said Mr. Holness.
The Education Minister is scheduled to make a statement in Parliament on Tuesday to clear the air on the placement system.
Time for a review
Former Education Minister Maxine Henry-Wilson also joined the call for a review of the system.
"There are some issues relating to the curriculum and to the whole process that we need to consider including how students are placed.
The GSAT has run now for nearly 10 years and I think it is time for that review to be completed," said Mrs Henry Wilson.
She has expressed surprise at the Ministry's announcement that the placement of students was based on the weighted average of results.
Mrs. Henry-Wilson said during her tenure as Minister of Education she was never made aware that this was the case.
"My understanding is that there is a simple average that is taken ... as far as I know, scores are averaged for the Ministry of Education's planning purposes," she said.
The Ministry has been facing criticism in the wake of claims that the placement system is flawed especially as it relates to the awarding of scholarships.
The Ministry said it has been using the weighted average of the results to rank students.
Mr. Holness has insisted that the method gives a true reflection of the students' performance.
"The GSAT examination is compiled of five subjects that are marked on three different scales so the percentage score only tells you how well you did on a particular subject in relation to the scale that you're marked on.
For example, mathematics is marked on the scale of 1 to 80 so the scale would be from zero to 80 ... so someone who got 57% of the grading scale in mathematics would be a different 57% from someone who got 57 in science where the scale is from zero to 60," said Mr. Holness.
The Education Minister is scheduled to make a statement in Parliament on Tuesday to clear the air on the placement system.
Time for a review
Former Education Minister Maxine Henry-Wilson also joined the call for a review of the system.
"There are some issues relating to the curriculum and to the whole process that we need to consider including how students are placed.
The GSAT has run now for nearly 10 years and I think it is time for that review to be completed," said Mrs Henry Wilson.
She has expressed surprise at the Ministry's announcement that the placement of students was based on the weighted average of results.
Mrs. Henry-Wilson said during her tenure as Minister of Education she was never made aware that this was the case.
"My understanding is that there is a simple average that is taken ... as far as I know, scores are averaged for the Ministry of Education's planning purposes," she said.
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