The Ministry of Education’s Secondary Sector is moving to intensify oversight of the Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination (CAPE) curriculum. This would includes the meticulous monitoring of Sixth Form Secondary Schools to stimulate academic advancement and refine teaching methodologies, the ministry said in a release.
The ministry hosted a comprehensive CAPE Workshop on July 9th to 11th, 2024, at Queen’s College. The participants were educators and administrators specialising in five key subjects: Caribbean Studies, Communication Studies, Integrated Mathematics, Physics, and Pure Mathematics.
The workshop focused on the following areas of discussion:
– Curriculum Insights: Deep dives into syllabus content and its practical implementation.
– Challenges and Solutions: Identifying obstacles faced by educators and students alike, accompanied by effective resolutions.
– Best Practices: Showcasing successful strategies employed in teaching and learning.
– Internal Assessment Standards: Detailed guidelines on selecting topics, marking criteria, and the seamless integration of assessments within the curriculum.
– Feedback and Moderation: Techniques for providing constructive feedback to students, alongside ensuring accurate submission and moderation processes.
The ministry said the objectives achieved the refining of teaching methods and optimising student performance across CAPE examinations. “By leveraging the expertise of seasoned educators and the Ministry’s strategic guidance, participants gained invaluable insights into improving instructional quality and fostering an enriched learning environment.”
Furthermore, the workshop facilitated a comprehensive assessment of school readiness for both internal assessments and external moderation procedures. This evaluation ensures adherence to rigorous academic standards set by the Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC), enhancing overall educational integrity.
Locking at impact and future prospects the ministry said its anticipated outcomes encompass elevated academic achievements among students, enhanced teaching methodologies, and streamlined administrative processes within participating schools.
The Ministry said it remains steadfast in its commitment to nurturing a generation of well-prepared and academically proficient individuals through continuous professional development and strategic educational initiatives.
Guyana’s education system is not equipping students with the requisite access and training and lags behind its Latin America and Caribbean counterpart.
A 2022 World Bank Fact Sheet stated that:
“A child born in Guyana today will only be 50 percent as productive when she grows up as she could be if she enjoyed complete education and full health. This is lower than the average for the Latin America and Caribbean (LAC) region and upper middle-income countries. The low human capital score is in part driven by low educational and health outcomes. Although the average Guyanese student is expected to complete 12.2 years of schooling, this is equivalent to only 6.8 years of learning when expressed in terms of Learning-Adjusted Years of Schooling (LAYS).”
The Ministry of Education said it will continue to refine its approach towards educational excellence, and workshops serve as pivotal platforms for ongoing collaboration and knowledge exchange among educators. This the ministry hope will ultimately help in shaping a brighter future for Guyana’s secondary education landscape.