With the SEA, if you don't get your first choice you settle for what you are given, and most times it is not your second choice nor your third.
'...If not then the least first choice is rejected and his second choice votes are reassigned to the remaining candidates."
If I did not vote for a candidate, how fair is it to ME, the voter, that my vote is reassigned to someone else who I chose not to vote for in the first place. Isn't this infringing on my right to choose? Now you have it now you don't!!!! Where does the authority reside re tampering with my vote? Shouldn't it reside with me?
There you go blaming Eve for Adam's weakness.
@Genesis
Your misogynistic comment is offensive, malicious, insensitive and dismissive of of the sterling contribution and selfless service to the nation by our teachers, the majority of whom are women. Your words perhaps speak your truth. Be assured, this observation has nothing to do with the Bible or a relationship with God.
The difference between schooling and education is more than semantic, one is quantitative, the other qualitative. We have come to equate education with passes and certificates and degrees. This has transformed "education " into a commercial enterprise, so that at the university level, $30,000.00 will buy you a master's thesis; $50,000.00 will buy you a PH.D. thesis.; and you can simply "borrow" someone's assignment and pass it off as your own. Our institutions of learning have become recycling centres, as more emphasis and importance is placed on the certificate or diploma than on the processes that should be engaged in order to obtain it. Teachers write the creative essays for their SEA students and have them commit them to memory to be regurgitated in the examination. CXC students are encouraged to borrow SBA's from their friends and copy them wholesale. This is what passes for education in this country. This is what is passed on. Very little attention is devoted to the development of the "soft skills" like politeness, courtesy, respect, fairness, charity and caring for each other and for the environment. These do not come in exams!!!. Mr. Maraj, you are absolutely correct in your observations.
The key factor in Finland's successful quality education model is the priority given to teacher quality and the attention given to teachers' continuing professional development. If the Minister is not just mouthing political platitudes, this is what he should be looking to emulate. He did not have to go as far away as Finland. One of the best models for quality education is Cuba's.... right here on our doorstep.
Our education system thrives on inequality and inequity. Unless we level the playing field and remove these by establishing standards for the various inputs such as teachers and teaching quality; school buildings, resources, funding, and administration; unless we ensure that all children are helped to benefit from schooling, we will forever be spinning top in mud.
The fact that I may never have seen a snowflake does not mean it does not exist. Ms. Beckles Robinson has been seen and heard by those who matter most in this internal election. She has been out with her team in the communities across the length and breadth of both Trinidad and Tobago meeting with members and outlining her policies and plans for the Party. She does not have the weight of incumbency to command a constituency to call out its members. So do not write her off just yet. Seven days is a long time in politics.
We now have universal secondary education and every child has a place at secondary level. Given the levels of anxiety and distress that are experienced by students, parents, and teachers associated with the SEA, this examination should be abolished. However, although Continuous assessment is the preferred alternative, there is much that has to be done to make this an effective and reliable alternative. We must ensure that what is being assessed is actually the student's work. What is required is not simply replacing the SEA with continuous assessment. We must carefully work out the logistics of transition from primary to secondary. But more than that we must take the opportunity to review the entire education system to remove all the inequities, so that all our children are given equal chance to benefit from their education.
Why the assumption that there are children who don't want to learn? Mr. Lochan is absolutely on point, We enclose our schools with 12 foot fences topped with razor wire, place guards at the gate,and call in the police as the first option in dealing with deviants,and now we're threatening to have permanent police presence in the so-called trouble schools. How do we expect our children to interpret all this? Its called the self-fulfilling prophecy. The children are merely imitating the behaviours they see manifested by the adults in their homes, and communities and those in public life. Children learn what they live, and their whole life is imitation. They are not little adults. They need to be guided and nurtured and truly educated not criminalized..
Your mypoia needs attention. It hasentirely obliterated your ability to be objective. Read my post again. No one has to pay me to use my brain. You perhaps???
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