The initial meeting of the Regional Working Group for the formulation and monitoring of a strategy to improve candidate performance in Mathematics was held at the CXC Headquarters in Barbados on Tuesday 23 August 2016.
The establishment of the working group was one strategy adopted by CXC to respond to the declining performance in Mathematics started in 2012. The mandate of the working group include: (a)research, analyse and determine the extent of the problem; (b) advise on a recovery strategy; (c) complete the initial assignment on or before 31 October 2016; (d) submit a comprehensive report, with recommendations for a coherent regional plan that could be used to address the performance issues in Mathematics, to the Registrar of CXC through its Chairman on or before 21 November 2017; (e) oversee and monitor the implemented recovery strategy by providing semi-annual progress reports to the Registrar of CXC, through its Chairman, during the period January 2017 to December 2019.
The members of the working group are drawn from across the Caribbean and represent various institutions. Dr CJ Leacock of the School of Education at UWI Cave Hill Campus chairs the group. The other members are Dr Karim Juan of Sacred Heart College, Belize; Dr Sukrishnalla Pasha, University of Guyana; Mr John Estephane from St Lucia; Ms Anjani Garibsingh, Curriculum Officer, Ministry of Education, Trinidad and Tobago; Mr Marcus Caine, Director of Pre-Medical Studies, Trinity School of Medicine, St Vincent and the Grenadines; Mr Radley Reid, former Education Advisor to the Minister of Education, Jamaica, and Dr Desmond Broomes, CXC Consultant as Advisor.
To address the problem of students performing poorly in mathematics, attention has to be paid to what holds in classrooms(at all levels) throughout the region. The level of supervision must improve drastically, with supervisors themselves being clear and knowledgeable about the documents which should inform instruction at the different levels. Fallaciously many are of the view that preparation for the CSEC examination begins in Form 4 and as such very little is put into monitoring of students’ performance during their first three years at high school. At the primary level there are bench marking exams at key grades; In Grenada for instance Minimum Competency Testing (MCT) for Mathematics was institutionalised from 2002, and to date exists for Grades 2, 4,5. Up to 2006, MCT existed for Form 3 students in Secondary schools, but with the advent of CCSLC it was terminated on the grounds that CCSLC was to take its place.
Unfortunately the stated intent is yet to materialise, as CCSLC with its many fine virtues is yet to be embraced for its merit. To date, nine years after its introduction, the interaction of schools with the CCSLC programme is optional in many countries, and in many instances it is delivered in a very ad hoc manner. If the region is hoping to turn the tides of poor performance in mathematics and other core areas, how could this be permitted? Many continue to lament the poor quality of high school graduates in relation to soft skills. Why then aren’t more persons championing the cause for CCSLC to live?
If mathematical competencies are to improve, students must be afforded the opportunity to learn mathematics through problem solving. Authentic problems should be the basis for the teaching of concepts. Rather than flog a concept when students are challenged to learn it, teachers should be encouraged to embrace the spiraling approach; to teach across units within their grade level. Spiraling means less stress for teachers and students. Students must be afforded ‘relevant’ fun as they learn. There is no time for ‘fun for the sake of fun’. Teachers must appeal to multiple intelligences and they must be encouraged to reference reflective practice day by day. Both CPEA and CCSLC stipulates theses ideals. Dear Committee, please do all you can that Maths may live for many more of our region’s children.
Amen! You are one of few sensible educators in this region!
Does Ms Finlay realise that the CCSLC is for students of low cognitive ability? It is an incontrovertible fact that all those students who were being prepared for the CSEC Maths have achieved Mastery in the CCSLC with no special or additional preparation for the CCSLC.