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Momodou
Denmark
11763 Posts |
 Posted - 13 Sep 2010 : 12:14:04
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A Serious Blow to all Stakeholders in Education
Education indepth
with Kebba y Manneh and Janneh s Darboe
What had gone wrong and where are we heading to in this 21st century of The Gambia? This is an alarm bell rung," Education In-depth writes on the disappointing performances of Gambian candidates who sat for the May/June 2010 WASSCE with WAEC.
The West African Examination Council (WAEC) has released the results of May/June 2010 West African Senior Secondary Certificate Examination (WASSCE).
According to reliable sources, sixty-one Senior Secondary Schools across the country had registered for this examination with a total number of 7,908 (seven thousand, nine hundred and eight) candidates.
These figures show a slight drop compared to the number of candidates last year. Out of these, 54% were male while 46% were female. Our Gambian candidates are said to have registered for 32 subjects including English Language, Mathematics, Sciences, Technical, Arts and Commercials. However, it is confirmed that out of 31 subjects registered by both sexes, male candidates did better than their female counterparts in 28 subjects.
The analysis of this year’s WASSCE result indicates 45.3% fails without a single pass and the interpretation of this percentage of fails in figures is 3583.
This is a serious blow to all stakeholders in education and it seems no positive step is being taken to remedy the situation.
This is indeed an incredible and astonishingly bad performance made by our 2010 WASSCE candidates. After three or six years of learning similar things, nearly 4000 candidates cannot have a single gentleman pass in all the subjects entered. What had gone wrong and where are we heading to in this 21st century of The Gambia? This is an alarm bell rung.
To give the details of each and every subject is not feasible at this moment; however, the general summary of the whole results is given below:
The analysis of the above result indicates 6567 out of the 7908 candidates registered failed to meet the criteria for entry into the university this year which implies that their performance is below the minimum academic requirements.
According to reports from WAEC, the performance of candidates regressed in six subjects including English Language compared to last year performance and improved in some other subjects.
This year’s WASSCE results had casted doubts in the minds of many concerned people simply because when those who are suppose to become doctors, nurses, economists, teachers, journalists, etc were unable to have a single pass in all their subject in their final exams, this is a night mare of which all have to pounder over.
At this juncture, all of us should be thinking about the possible pedagogy to use come next academic year (2010/2011).
The parents have a major role to play in the performance of the children’s academic performance than teachers. They must bear in mind that teachers are guides and not enforcing agents. State or the government also has its contributions towards the crafting of the academic performance of the children.
They don’t only stop at formulating good and accessible education policies for the children, provision of teaching and learning materials but any factor that can deter their progress in learning should be restricted. We can all recalled famous film featured by GRTS called "THE SHADES OF THE SIN" which some call PRETA.
The president of the republic is spending too much on girls’ education and yet their results are discouraging. There is a proverb which says "When someone is washing your back, you should wash the front part."
Let the children and their parents help the president in his effort and know that lot of resources had been spent in their education and therefore complement his efforts by performing well in their exams. He cannot follow people in every nuke and crane for them to study their books, so make hay while the sun shines.
GRTS as a social institution should also survey the magnitude of menaces their films would inflict on the society and time them very well. They should not only focus on monetary gain but the negative ramifications on other sectors in other balance off all side and should also prepare Allah’s accountability in here after.
GRTS owes Gambians an obligation in improving the standard of education in this country through their education forum program and should also go to people and sound their opinions on this harmonious performance of our future leaders. I also assign them to this great task which will also help the teachers, parents as well as the government in their teaching and learning methodologies in schools and even at homes.
Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education (MoBSE) should pave broad ways for their government teachers to interact more with their children by encouraging extra classes for them and encourage parents to provide learning materials for their children more so in senior secondary schools. These will help greatly in minimizing such massive fails in our schools. MoBSE should borrow a leaf from certain private schools and use that as a yard stick in converting failures to successes in majority of our schools.
I have been made to understand that some schools have already met and analyzed their results and are investigating the low performance on each subject particularly English Language and Mathematics. Such schools are the ones who are very much concerned about the improvement of standard education. MoBSE should use similar method and ask all the schools to give a report on their candidates’ performance and what led to their low performance.
Such methods, we can’t say will be 100% help but will create mental alertness among teachers handling children in upper classes and to give best of their abilities. This will compel the lazy ones among us who sometimes malingers or teach as if they are doing it for others.
Source: DailyNews
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A clear conscience fears no accusation - proverb from Sierra Leone |
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kayjatta
2978 Posts |
Posted - 13 Sep 2010 : 12:57:09
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| National disaster! |
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Lily
United Kingdom
422 Posts |
Posted - 13 Sep 2010 : 16:50:44
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I feel very strongly about the situation - just like most folks here on Bantaba. Teaching (in some places) is sub standard - and here I don't really blame the teachers but the training that they are given and the teaching methods they are told to use. Learning by rote does not help students answer exam questions. Having knowledge (and many of them do) is one thing but they also need teaching in what to do with that knowledge.
In terms of girls and boys - yes boys do better. One reason for this was told to me by the elder brother in a family I know where both his younger brother and sister have just done grade 9 (similar situation). He said - my sister won't do as well and it's our fault. We haven't allowed her to concentrate on her eduction like we have my brother - he gets to sit and study - she has to fetch water, sweep and help cook and clean! I thought it was quite enlightened of him (he's the head of the family) to have worked that out and we've decided to get a maid in to help with basic things (cheap (for me) - and gives her a job) so the girl can study if/when she gets to grade 10.
So - things that will help the progress of students: different teaching methodologies; greater understanding in families - and hard work by the students! |
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turk
USA
3356 Posts |
Posted - 13 Sep 2010 : 16:57:49
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| good input lily. |
diaspora! Too many Chiefs and Very Few Indians.
Halifa Salah: PDOIS is however realistic. It is fully aware that the Gambian voters are yet to reach a level of political consciousness that they rely on to vote on the basis of Principles, policies and programmes and practices. |
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Dembish
Gambia
284 Posts |
Posted - 13 Sep 2010 : 17:04:25
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| I am not surprise at all folks are you? The government effort is centred on quantitative educational institutions (number of schools) rather than Qualitative Education, this coupled with the numerous beach parties and Kanilai festivals and uncall public holidays what do we expect.Just stroll down the beach and see how our young girls dress now a days and messed themselves with any foreign Tom, Dick and Harry jut for few Dalasis, how do we expect the same people to pass exams? |
There is no egg without a chicken, and no chicken without egg. |
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turk
USA
3356 Posts |
Posted - 13 Sep 2010 : 17:53:15
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| I think that sugar daddies Lamin, Babou, Abdullah are doing as much as damage as Tom, Dick and Harry, correct me if I am wrong. |
diaspora! Too many Chiefs and Very Few Indians.
Halifa Salah: PDOIS is however realistic. It is fully aware that the Gambian voters are yet to reach a level of political consciousness that they rely on to vote on the basis of Principles, policies and programmes and practices. |
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Dembish
Gambia
284 Posts |
Posted - 13 Sep 2010 : 18:06:12
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| You got it right turk, but they prefer foreign Tom, Dick and Harry hence their is prospect of going out of The Gambia which they re all yearning for. |
There is no egg without a chicken, and no chicken without egg. |
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Prince
507 Posts |
Posted - 13 Sep 2010 : 18:43:43
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The analysis of this year’s WASSCE result indicates 45.3% fails without a single pass and the interpretation of this percentage of fails in figures is 3583.
This is a national catastrophe... considering some of the so-called passes are practically worthless; given that, they could be ONE or TWO passes in subjects like Islamic Studies and CRS.
An urgent policy change is require to reverse the generation of educated illiterates building up within the country.
The government should revert to the elementary six exam and put a stricter vetting process at 9th grade to ensure that only those deserving (base on merit) are allowed into high school. The rest should be sent to trade school or force to repeat till they make the grade. The current basic cycle nonsense, while impressive for the world bank stats that folks like Turk wave around, is a drain on merge government resources and a disservice to the kids.
Parents are also too preoccupied with fending for the basics of their families, like food, that they do not have time to regularly and consistently check on the progress of their kids.
Sadly, no policy would be formulated anytime soon because the policy fat-cats are too preoccupied with hanging on to their musical-chair-like jobs and NONE of their children are in the dark statistics posted above.
A little education is a dangerous thing |
"When injustice becomes law, rebellion becomes duty." |
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turk
USA
3356 Posts |
Posted - 13 Sep 2010 : 19:20:40
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| that is true. |
diaspora! Too many Chiefs and Very Few Indians.
Halifa Salah: PDOIS is however realistic. It is fully aware that the Gambian voters are yet to reach a level of political consciousness that they rely on to vote on the basis of Principles, policies and programmes and practices. |
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Prince
507 Posts |
Posted - 13 Sep 2010 : 19:33:11
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quote:
Originally posted by turk
that is true.
Very insightful comment Turk... Btw, I like your new avatar. |
"When injustice becomes law, rebellion becomes duty." |
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turk
USA
3356 Posts |
Posted - 13 Sep 2010 : 19:51:23
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prince
I was responding dembish.
Currently I am reading my books from university - 40 pages already finished- to respond yours. lol. |
diaspora! Too many Chiefs and Very Few Indians.
Halifa Salah: PDOIS is however realistic. It is fully aware that the Gambian voters are yet to reach a level of political consciousness that they rely on to vote on the basis of Principles, policies and programmes and practices. |
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Karamba
United Kingdom
3820 Posts |
Posted - 17 Sep 2010 : 02:00:59
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Remember people, that this is the same Gambia where educational advancement adds spice to the menu of populist deceptive politics since July 1994.
If anyone is surprised by what just came up, that person has not been following the rate of decline facing Gambia since the invasion of these July bandits.
Now the proof of Higher Education with too many schools is this piece of cake to eat. More delicious surprise dishes await.
Other standards have dropped even lower but hard to pick from the dusty cloud of deception being blown by lame duck politics of Yaya and his gang mates.
Keep clapping and dancing, the big Kanilai Wedding is on schedule. Gambia no problem, eh! |
Karamba |
Edited by - Karamba on 17 Sep 2010 02:02:07 |
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Prince
507 Posts |
Posted - 17 Sep 2010 : 10:21:02
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Very interesting take Karamba, I was watching a 1994 video the other day and heard all the rhetoric of how they were going to revamp the educational system with catch phases like; no child left behind, the sky is the limit, every village will have a world-class school blah, blah, blah. To the cheer and shouts of the masses.
Back in the day, my grandma saw the huge military convoys with anti-aircraft artillery speeding through the dusty roads...Even though she was old and grey, she took just one look at the men and said, "God help us all. All these powers in one man's hands, its DANGEROUS." I laughed her off, but in hindsight, I guess grandma was right..
It is very obvious that most of their rhetoric was mere hot air! Hopefully, the powers in charge of the educational system will step up to their duties and realize that the stakes in the matter are very high, this is no longer a political issue.... it is a matter of national security and public interest.
The analysis of the above result indicates 6567 out of the 7908 candidates registered failed to meet the criteria for entry into the university this year which implies that their performance is below the minimum academic requirements.
These Stats mean less than 17% of the students are qualified to enter Universities. Gambia did not change that much to heap all the blame on parents... policy makers should be given a fair share of the blame too.
Sensible people wonder why they changed our educational system by adopting the current mickey mouse system, manned barely literate educators and policy makers... A wise General summed it up by saying, "if it's not broken, DON'T fix it." |
"When injustice becomes law, rebellion becomes duty." |
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turk
USA
3356 Posts |
Posted - 17 Sep 2010 : 19:22:56
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| Could Dembish point also impact on the failure of students? I have been to Gambia for last 6 years on regular base, and I see how much youth is changing every year, even in 5-6 years span, so rapidly in terms of being negatively influenced by pop-culture, commercialism, consumerism, liberalism? Even little kids were asking me to get them portable video games! Watching TV, football games, many party animals in many areas. |
diaspora! Too many Chiefs and Very Few Indians.
Halifa Salah: PDOIS is however realistic. It is fully aware that the Gambian voters are yet to reach a level of political consciousness that they rely on to vote on the basis of Principles, policies and programmes and practices. |
Edited by - turk on 17 Sep 2010 19:25:42 |
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Karamba
United Kingdom
3820 Posts |
Posted - 17 Sep 2010 : 23:10:23
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Prince,
Never doubt for one moment that your grandma saw it all. Quite clearly, it was dangerous to have all that mass of lethal weapons in the hands of bandits as Yaya and his gang turned to be.
I am ready to challenge over One Million persons supporting Yaya, that he is nothing but a con. We can go on and on and will discover nothing but nothing. Yaya Jammeh stands a real curse for Gambia in whole of history as known so far. He will never want to see good educational advancement in Gambia.
The trick is, Yaya's wife jokes about supporting incubators at RVH in Banjul yet she goes far as United States to deliver her babies. Yaya too boasts about bringging good education but still chose to deposit his children in the hands of American school teachers at Fajara.
If anyone fails to see the con of Yaya, that person needs a proper fix, don't you think?
To get the logic why Yaya Jammeh prefers to create lower educational standards in Gambia is simple. It is only with a breed of lowly educated population that con men like Yaya will rise as bandit president and yet people clap for him. His trick is to advance his children so that when they grow they take up key positions. But before that, life will change for anything beyond Yaya's false hopes.
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Karamba |
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jambo
3300 Posts |
Posted - 23 Sep 2010 : 14:09:01
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i am so disappointed, how did this happen NOT ONE SINGLE PASS, teachers know the standards for this exam. students study hard for it and parents pay for it.
i would be asking some serious questions. IT IS NATIONAL DISGRACE.
THIS IS LIKE THE UK NOT GETTING A SINGLE A LEVEL.
EDUCATION IS AN INVESTMENT, the stakeholders shuld demand answers.
so disappointed. |
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