Petrina Francis, Staff Reporter

Lawrence

The Ministry of Education has again come under fire for the controversial placement of some students after the release of the Grade Six Achievement Test (GSAT) results last week.

But Jasper Lawrence, chief education officer in the Ministry of Education, said if the ministry were to assign most students to the premier traditional high schools in Kingston, other schools would have to be shut down.

"We are moving to a state where any high school is as good as the other," Lawrence said.

But at least one education stakeholder does not share Lawrence's optimism.

Cecile Palmer, principal of Holy Family Infant and Primary School, made reference to one of her students who was placed at Calabar Primary and Junior High School, although he had a 70 per cent average.

Palmer said this placement was demotivating for the student, who worked hard.

"I'd really love to know the rationale, because it is rather unfortunate that a child with a lower grade than yours goes to a traditional high school," he said.

Upset parents

An upset parent who recently wrote to The Gleaner said her child, who has a 73 per cent average had not been assigned to a school of her choice.

"Why is it that children with averages of 55 per cent and 45 per cent get to go to the same school?" she queried. "Who gives them the right to place a child that lives off Molynes Road to go to Papine High?"

Currently, students are placed in high schools based on scores, choice, and proximity.

The chief education officer told The Gleaner that literacy programmes and other measures have been implemented in schools where children are considered to be underperforming.

"So if there is a child who is not ready to go to a certain school that would not help the child, so these programmes would provide the kind of support that the child would need to achieve," Lawrence explained.

He added: "So wherever we place students, we are rigorously pursuing the matter to ensure that the programme is the right kind to ensure that the student achieves."

Meanwhile, Lawrence said parents who did not submit birth certificates for their children before the deadline would not have access to their children's results "right now".

He insisted that the correct documentation would have to be provided.

petrina.francis@gleanerjm.com