The Primary School Examination results are out and as we reported on
Friday, Bernice Yorke’s Shaneice Lord topped the exam with 388 out of
a possible 400 points. She also got a perfect score in math and science. Denesha
Grant from Holy Redeemer placed second with 381 points while Jacky Cheng from
Sacred Heart Primary School in Stann Creek was the nation’s third top
finisher.
And while they are at the top, overall, standard six students did better
this year than they did last year. There were significant percentage point increases
in math, science, and social studies – and a nominal increase in the score
for English. 6,366 students sat the exam and only 578 got a grade A while 1,227
students got a grade C – which is inadequate. The largest block of students
– 1,725 - received a grade C which is satisfactory and between 60% and
69%.
As we mentioned what is encouraging is the increase in performance
across the board. We discussed the statistics this afternoon with Principal
Education Officer Yvonne Davis at the testing unit this afternoon.
Yvonne Davis, Principal Education Officer - Examination Section
“Significant increase is noticed in social studies, in science, in
math as well, but not so much in English even though there is a point one or
so increase in English.
In 2007 the overall mean performance in math was 45.53% and in 2008 it 
went up to about 53.74%. We attribute this increase to quite a number of things
and I think one of the things we must make mention of is the kinds of interventions
that the schools are doing and that the Ministry as well is doing.”
Keith Swift,
What is wrong with English?
Yvonne Davis,
“For English it is mainly the mechanics section. Mechanics of English
including the grammar, the spelling, vocabulary, capitalization, those are the
things we notice are the problematic areas and it is reflected in both English
writing paper, which is the letter writing and composition paper, as well as
the multiple choice paper.”
Keith Swift,
What do you think can be done about English?
Yvonne Davis,
“Practice. I think for English it is the application of the mechanics
of the language, getting the children to write from an early age, I think from
the infant division, getting them to articulate in the English language.
Social Studies, in 2007 it was 59.9% and in 2008 it is 68.86% so it is
a significant increase indeed. Again I attribute all this to the type of intervention
that is going on in schools.”
Keith Swift,
Should we be pleased with these overall results?
Yvonne Davis,
“I don’t think you can ever be pleased because each year it
is a different group of students and I don’t think we are completely satisfied
with what we are seeing because even though there is improvement overall, there
still can be, we would want everybody to get A, on the exam but not everyone
is getting A. So I don’t think that we can relax and I don’t think
this is the time for us to be satisfied with what we are seeing. But what we
need to do now is to build on what we are doing.”
A couple of statistics not released on Friday is that the top performing
school is Bernice Yorke followed at second by Hummingbird Elementary, Belize
Elementary at third, Island Academy at fourth, and Zion Park Methodist with
its one student at fifth place. The top ten schools are rounded out with Bishop
Martin from Belmopan in 6th place, Grace Primary at 7th, Pancotto Primary at
8th, Solid Rock Christian Academy in 9th place, and Fireburn Government School
in Orange Walk at tenth.
Also notable is that when ranked by districts, Orange Walk is first,
Cayo is second, Belize is third, Corozal fourth, and for the first time Toledo
is not in last place - they are in fifth. Stann Creek is sixth.
All the students will be honuored at an awards ceremony later this
month.
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