The performance of boys during the Grade Six National Assessments and CXC Exams is still a concern for the Ministry of Education.
The upcoming Grade Six National Assessment will determine if the Literacy and Numeracy Programme has improved students’ performance.
Acting Education Officer for Curriculum, Measurement and Evaluation, Candia Robinson reported, “There has been some analysis and we realise that boys are under performing. We have also realised that students are not doing well at all.”
She says those writing results have been true for both the Grade 2 and 4 assessments; writing is 40% of the Language paper.
“I think schools need to focus more on teaching writing strategies to the children.”
She does note improvements in mathematics even at the CXC level.
The Ministry of Education recognized the challenges with schools’ performance in mathematics and has been training teachers to become more competent in the subject’s delivery.
In 2011, the Government of Dominica spent over $500,000 on the Primary School Education Numeracy Pilot Project; 71 teachers were trained.
The Ministry explored four core areas: making mathematics practical and relevant by incorporating real life experiences in the classroom; emphasizing the need for continuous practice of the subject; fostering teachers’ enthusiasm, and adopting a whole-school approach to mathematics teaching and learning.
