Students' performance and religion
published: Friday | August 8, 2003

THE EDITOR, Sir:

IT IS rather interesting the inference drawn from the analysis of "A ranking of Schools" by Prof. Stephen Vascianne's Gleaner article of August 4, 2003. I am at a loss as to what bearing religious background has on students' performance level in the June 2002 English Language, CXC. How does he explain the "non-starter" performance of the "other" North Street school or can this be explained away as caused by the teachers' exodus of recent years.

It's imperative that parents know the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth because we are dealing with our children's future here. Before I could accept Dr. Vascianne's conclusion, I would like to see further correlations going back five years. What primary or prep school educational background had these students? What was their score in the 11+ Common Entrance Examinations in English? Has any pattern emerged that correlated performance to religion or rather to the ease with which "patois" was accepted as a teaching/learning medium? I am also curious as to the performance of the so-called top 20 schools in CXC ­ Chemistry, Physics, Biology, Principles of Business and Technical Drawing. Prof. Vascianne, please give us the full low-down so that future GSAT students can make better decision as to which school they would want to end up at.

Finally, Prof. Vascianne in one of his earlier articles suggested that GSAT student practise with past question papers to ensure success. Why is it that GSAT past papers aren't available anywhere for sale, but parents must go invest in extra lessons and a vast array of books, which sometimes do not have answer key.

I am, etc.,

CATHY TUCKER

cathytucker28@hotmail.com

Via-Go Jamaica

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