The SEA dilemma

DR RAMCHAND RAMPERSAD

IT WAS July 4, 2018, when Saiesh Rampersad topped the SEA examination, which created quite a stir nationally for two main reasons: he was the first boy in ten years to top the exam and he achieved 100 per cent in all subject areas, namely mathematics, grammar and creative writing. History was created. The occasion brought with it national jubilation, media frenzy and an opportunity for discussion and debates, from rumshop to university. For many upcoming SEA students and parents, he was an inspiration for success.

Fast-tracking to the present, July 1 and taking note of Minister of Education Dr Nylan Gadsby-Dolly’s announcement that SEA top-placed students will not be publicised anymore. Her justification centres around errors made by CXC in the marking of SEA papers that resulted in changes in the ranking of the top students and, subsequently, legal threats against the ministry. Is this the best decision in the interest of students, parents and nation? What are the associated problems? Let’s see.

Competition drives performance: It is widely accepted in all aspects of life that competition is a key factor in driving performance. A classic example was the ceasing of TSTT’s monopoly by opening-up the telecommunications market to other providers, resulting in significantly improved customer service in this sector. In sports, without competition there is no motivation to excel. Undoubtedly, SEA is singly the most important exam for driving competition in the education system at the primary school level. It gives schools, principals, teachers and students a benchmark to compare themselves and to strive to become the best.

In delivering his speech at the ministry’s SEA award ceremony in 2018, Rampersad said, “I feel compelled to challenge the next batch of SEA students to beat my score.” This challenge immediately invoked a sense of competition and success that manifested in many students achieving high scores in the following year’s exam.

In 2022, we have witnessed a tremendous decrease in the overall SEA scores. Can this be in part attributed to the recent controversies surrounding SEA results? Would SEA results be further diminished by the minister removing this element of competition and motivation from the education system?

CXC flaws: Gadsby-Dolly has indicated that her primary reason for implementing this change is the discrepancies caused by variations in the preliminary and final scores awarded to students by CXC, the body responsible for setting and correcting the SEA exam, since 1975. Yet after administering exams for 47 years, we are experiencing major flaws in its operations at all levels – CAPE, CSEC and SEA. Year after year there are concerns, protests and legal challenges after results are released. CXC, as an examination body has created for itself a perception of incompetence, inefficiency and a lack of trust.

It must be worrying that the Government has chosen to make adjustments to accommodate for CXC inadequacies at the detriment of discouraging high standard of students’ performance.

Perception of corruption: In her announcement, Gadsby-Dolly stated, “The ranking list will only be finalised after the review period has lapsed.” This process itself will open up a can of worms. Trinidad and Tobago having received from Transparency International (global Corruption Perception Index) a low score of 41 out of 100, compounded by citizens’ outcry that corruption is rampant in every sector, what will be Joe Public’s initial reaction to this “review period?”

Case in point: the SEA 2020 top-rated student was subsequently rescinded by the ministry, revoking her achievement. The writing is in the news: “The ministry’s decision followed legal action by the child’s parents, who labelled the ministry’s actions as ‘patently unfair’ and a breach of her constitutional right to the law and equality of treatment.” The ministry’s defence was that a senior official in the ministry exceeded their authority of remit by varying the SEA placement list.

These worrying circumstances beg the questions: will ministry officials see this review period as an opportunity to manipulate the scores and the list? What checks and balances are there to prevent such actions? In acknowledging these recent incidents, how can the ministry instil a sense of confidence and trust in this new process?

Where we are: SEA 2022 results are depressing. Sixty-three per cent of students scored less than 50 per cent, a failure rate that cannot go unnoticed. Economists must now consider what are the prospects of our nation’s human capital. Primary school education sets the foundation for students’ learning, development and careers. It impacts their performance at secondary school and university.

Further analysis of the SEA results reveals a much grimmer picture. Where are the incentives, motivation and opportunities for students with potential like Saiesh Rampersad to excel? We may next have to examine whether the Ministry of Education is the ultimate failure.