Ideas for SEA exams,reopening of schools

THE EDITOR: Open letter to Prime Minister Dr Rowley.

I listened to your address regarding the SEA exams and as a concerned teacher I have a few suggestions:

1. Resume classes for the Std 5 students and teachers in July.

2. With only Std 5 classes would in school, the environment would be conducive for teaching, learning and maintaining physical distancing.

2. Schedule the SEA exams for first Thursday in August.

3. Have the same invigilators being used for CSEC and CAPE supervise the exam. (Let this be a yearly thing; less argument with teachers and TTUTA.)

4. To be equitable, give the Std 5 teachers September off as they would have been the only teachers working in July. Additionally, during this month the Std 5 students would have written the exams and be awaiting results.

5. After exams the Std 5 teachers are always hard-pressed to get the students out so work could be done. Therefore the question of what to do with these children does not come into play. (More discussion on this needed.)

6. Correct papers in August, place students in September.

7. Students will enter school in October.

8. Because of the shortened time, secondary schools can make arrangements with seamstresses and tailors so that on the day of registration students are measured for uniforms to begin school mid-October.

9. Intake of primary school first-year students will be in October.

10. Promotion will be in September. Consider the third term a loss or in which work would be absorbed or done by the new teacher. Remember it has affected every child in every school, therefore they are on an even footing.

I speak for the many Std 5 teachers who have been working from the beginning of the lockdown to now. Also those who have found it impossible to reach and teach all their charges, and those who were unable to go online for whatever reason.

I speak also for the parents and students who are in limbo and just want the exams to be done.

At the end of the day, the online learning classroom is not a good substitute for the physical classroom and it’s high time students and teachers meet, greet, teach and learn.

KIM JORDAN

via e-mail