Review of how PEP is administered won't improve performance - Wright

By Kimone Witter    

 

President of the Jamaica Association of Principals of Secondary Schools, Linvern Wright, does not believe a review of how PEP exams are administered will improve the performance of students.

 

The argument was put forward by JTA President Dr. Mark Smith who said this would ensure students maintain an interest in education.

 

But, in an interview with Radio Jamaica News, Mr. Wright said, similar to his recommendation for improving secondary examination results, greater focus should be on the investment needed to attain the goal. 

 

"The view that it's the exams that we have a problem with, to me is like an obese person saying his problem is with the scale. The scale is just a measure, the exam is just a measure of where the students are. I think what we need to do is spend better time looking into the kinds of things that go into curriculum. So what is a level of preparedness? How much are we spending? What is the level of diagnostic work and targeted teaching taking place?"

 

Mr. Wright said the education system be able to account for these things so it can pinpoint the needs and how to address them. 

 

"For example, having gone through COVID and having lost teachers, I don't think we have yet found a formula to identify what it is that could cause our children not to be learning at rates before that - although the rates before that were not as impressive as we would have wanted them to be," he acknowledged.

 

The educator said there needs to be a national consensus on education, including how to handle the school curriculum. 

 

At the same time, Mr. Wright suggested that the shortage of teachers is widespread, and includes educators in the arts and music. 

 

As such, he proposed that the issue be addressed holistically, instead of placing specific emphasis on teachers for science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).