This is the season for back-to-school preparations, not only for students and parents but also for principals and teachers.While some schools have some knowledge of their students, as they have received much more information than the grades the students received for their exam results, others have to be relying solely on the traditional recommendation and "last school report" from the school from which the students are leaving to determine their level of performance. This, even though the Ministry of Education and Youth had promised that they would provide a profile on each student with their grades.
Requesting a report
"All we get is the results," said Cynthia Peart, of the Papine High School, in St. Andrew. She said she, therefore, has to resort to requesting a report and recommendation to get an idea of the strengths and weaknesses of each child.
She said the profile would have been useful since it could help to determine whether the children need guidance, whether there is a need to put the child on any special programmes, while pointing out that "it's not that we have many".
Those who received the profiles said they were very helpful.
"Looking at it, you are able to target areas for the child and plan accordingly," said Barbara Johnson, principal of Gaynstead High School. "At least, you are able to target the weak areas and build on their strengths."
Post-analysis
She said her school planned to do a post-analysis of the students who have gone on to grade eight - that is last year's grade seven students - to determine how much success they have reaped based on the fact that they had previous knowledge about the incoming students.
Another principal at a secondary school in Kingston said the mini profiles are important because "the numbers alone don't tell the whole story".
She, however, pointed out that the profiles were good, but the lack of monetary resources and personnel needed to be addressed in order that the preparation for her students for the upcoming school year could be as effective as possible.
