There has been a slight improvement in the number of students who have mastered the grade-four literacy and numeracy tests in public schools, compared with recent years.

The results, which will be released to institutions today, show a three per cent increase in students who have mastered the tests.

Of the 46,643 students who sat the examination, 32,682 achieved mastery.

67 per cent mastery

In public schools, 67 per cent of the students mastered the tests, which is up from 64 per cent in 2008.

Private schools still lead the way, with 98.5 per cent of students showing mastery.

Speaking at a press conference recently, Andrew Holness, minister of education, said he was disappointed with the vast gap between the numbers of students that master tests in the public schools when compared to private institutions.

According to Holness, more than 25 per cent of those who have not achieved mastery, only missed out by a few points.

The grade-four test was administered nationally for the first time this year in an effort to give the ministry a more accurate reading of the state of literacy in primary schools.

Test papers were marked and scored externally under the supervision of the Student Assessment Unit and the National Literacy Team.

The new policy direction of the Ministry of Education is that no child would be allowed to sit the Grade Six Achievement Test until he or she was certified as literate.

Cautious about comparisons

According to Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Education, Audrey Sewell, the ministry is cautious about making comparisons because this is the first year that the Government has undertaken the streamlining of examinations and the monitoring of performance.

Sewell also said the ministry was in the process of promoting adult literacy so parents could assist children with their schoolwork. She said some schools had been making use of the programme.