SBA criticalfor students

THE EDITOR: I disapprove of the call by the Trinidad and Tobago Unified Teachers Association (TTUTA) for teacher to be paid for marking School-Based Assessments. This does not happen in any other Caribbean territory. As a former teacher, I know that teachers all across the Caribbean undertake this exercise as part of their normal duties.

The Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC) is recognised as the national examination body by Caribbean governments and they have all agreed that the examinations should comprise an internal assessment component in line with the subject syllabus. These assessments are set and marked by the subject teacher as part of their regular classroom duties.

Caribbean governments already pay their teachers monthly to teach and assess their classes in line with the CXC syllabus. Whether students are doing CSEC or CAPE examinations, a marked SBA is a requirement for some of the subjects.

If teachers refuse to mark SBAs it will affect the examination results and future plans of students.

I appeal to TTUTA to refrain from bringing that burden upon our students. TTUTA must engage the CXC in collaboration with the Caribbean Union of Teachers on this matter, instead of punishing the students.

MARAJ SINGH
, Penal