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Over 100 schools fail to attain minimum academic standards

The National Education Inspectorate (NEI) has found that in a large number of  the more than 100 institutions inspected for its latest report, students have not attained the minimum academic standards.
   
The NEI also found that more primary schools were assessed as unsatisfactory than their secondary counterparts.  
   
The findings were released by the Ministry of  Education on Wednesday.
   
Fifty of  the 129 schools inspected by the National Education Inspectorate were rated as effective,while the other 79 schools were rated as ineffective.
   
The Inspectorate notes that with more than 800 schools inspected since it was established, it is clear, based on the data, that the trends are not likely to change when the entire baseline study of  954 schools is completed.
   
The Inspectorate says it has sufficient evidence to show that the level of performance system-wide is, for the most part, mediocre with primary schools lagging behind secondary institutions.
    
In the meantime, the NEI says after 803 school inspections, fifty-seven percent was assessed as satisfactory and above in leadership and management and forty-three percent as unsatisfactory and below.
    
Teaching in support of  students learning,was rated as satisfactory and above in fifty-five percent of  the schools and unsatisfactory and below in forty-five percent.
    
Overall, students' progress in English was rated as satisfactory and above in fifty-eight percent of  the schools and fifty-one percent in Mathematics.
    
Curriculum and Enhancement Programmes were satisfactory and above in sixty-three percent of  the schools assessed and unsatisfactory and below in thirty-seven percent.

Corrective measures
 
Meanwhile, the Education Ministry says it has started putting in place corrective measures in response to the NEI report. These include pooling of  resources under a school district arrangement, to lift the performances of  Robert Lightbourne High, Paul Bogle High and Seaforth High.  

The Ministry says, five schools in Region two, where weaknesses are pronounced, are receiving targeted support in leadership teaching and learning strategies, from a programme sponsored by Jamaica National.
     
Leadership training will also be provided for 128 unsatisfactorily performing principals by the National College of  Educational Leadership.     

The NEI report placed seventy-nine per cent of responsibility for the quality of education on principals, vice-principals, senior teachers and class teachers.
      
Nine per cent of the responsibility was placed on the Education Ministry, while twelve percent was for boards.



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