Gov’t education investments yielding great results says Education Minister

Saint Jean spoke on Monday

Minister for Education, Petter Saint Jean, has stated that the investments that the government has made into the education system in Dominica are yielding positive results.

He said that at the Windsor Park Sports Stadium on Monday, August 21st just moments before revealing the top thirty-five performers at the 2017 CXC/CSEC Examination.

Saint Jean said that it is the responsibility of the ministry of education to empower citizens with marketable skills obtained at the high school level that can be used as a foundation for successful careers, a responsibility that the people within the ministry “take seriously.”

“The government’s investments in education are indeed yielding sure results. We celebrate our gains, which include the fact that thirty-five students of ten secondary schools have taken six or more grade ones, two schools showed significant improvement in their performances; the Isaiah Thomas Secondary School with a seventeen point two percent increase and the Wesley High School with seven point two percent increase,” he stated.

For this year, a total of 1,266 students from Dominica sat the examinations, a statistic, that according to the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Education, Chandler Hyacinth, is a “decline” when compared to 1,282 registered candidates in 2016.

In light of this, Dominica has recorded an overall performance that is twelve points above that of the regional average.

Saint Jean congratulated two schools–Wesley High School and the Isaiah Thomas Secondary School – for their significant improvement in their performances, an increase of 17.2 percent and 7.2 percent respectively.

He stressed the importance of acknowledging these gains at the various schools on the island saying that while the ministry directs and implements policies at the Ministry level, they are “heavily dependent on our partners within the schools who directly impact student achievement.”

He remarked that the Ministry is seeking to continually improve the quality of teaching and learning at schools and to develop a supportive and enabling environment for application of best practices.

The Convent High School, Saint Mary’s Academy and Portsmouth Secondary School were among the top-performing schools for this year.

See top performers below.

 

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24 Comments

  1. great
    August 22, 2017

    congrats to all the students who passed high and to the schools but I have a problem I listen to the news and swear i did not hear mention of the 2 students who did well and came up in the top 35 at dgs

  2. sylvester Cadette
    August 22, 2017

    CONGRATULATIONS to ALL the students individually who succeeded at the CSEC exams. Congrats to their parents, school and teachers.

    To those who did not do very well, all is not lost. re-focus and consolidate your efforts towards succeeding in those areas you faltered. Set your priorities to succeed – YOU CAN DO IT !!

    I note though with interest that 1266 students sat the CSEC and ONLY 35 got 6 ones or more. This is only 2.77 percent of the total who sat the exam. THIS MEANS 97.23 % got less than 6 ones. Now typically, most students would take at least 6-7 subjects at CSEC (subject to slight correction). What percentage of the 1266 got at least 5-7 subjects (whether grade I, II or III)? I hope most of the 97.23 % remaining who did not get 6 ones got at least 4-5 subjects. If not, then the entire education system needs to do some serious soul searching to come up with answers to this dilemma.

    Meanwhile, Students, bask in your success and plan for more successes.

  3. Me
    August 22, 2017

    Self-praise is always suspect. What value do our local qualifications, incl. the DSC associate degree, have outside the confines of our own little island?

  4. August 22, 2017

    Congrats to the top performers and all the students. Good to know that there was an increase once more!

  5. August 22, 2017

    Congratulations to all students who emerged successful at the CSEC examinations. It takes great focus and hard work. To those who did not perform too well, you can always redo it if you aren’t satisfied with your results. It’s a lot of studying but with proper time management, you can do better. Congratulations all.

  6. August 22, 2017

    I wholly agree. The government has put so many things in place so our kids have equal opportunity and a real shot and advancing themselves. I’m thankful for that!

    • Anonymous
      August 22, 2017

      Some people will insist on creeping even if they can stand tall.

    • awa wi
      August 23, 2017

      is this a joke? this government merely pays lip service to education. what is the last great initiative in the education sector with all the CBI monies flowing around? schools are under equiped especially in the use of technology to improve learning outcomes. teachers are unmotivated and parents have abdicated responsibility(most) we have become a culture that celebrates underachievement and mediocrity and we expect children to do better. for example students failing common entrance miserably are given a bonus to go to high schools that are not equipped to really give them the opportunity they deserve. these students pass through the system and do cxc fail miserably again and then receive money again to go to college to do maths and english in a cxc program at college before they can begin college, meanwhile they carry on with the same attitude and behaviour at the said college reducing the overall seriousness and competitiveness at the institution. Thats just the tip of the iceberg,

  7. NKRUMAH KWAME
    August 22, 2017

    “.. stated that investments that the government has made into the education system in Dominica are yielding positive results. We celebrate our gains which include the fact that 35 students of 10 secondary schools have taken 6 or more grade ones .. ” Quote from minister.
    Honourable minister, why do you all continue to tell untruths? This year, according to the article, 1266 students sat the examinations, and a WHOOPING 35 “took 6 or more grade ones”!!! What percentage is this??
    We really yielding positive results!! Let us CELEBRATE our gains :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :cry: :cry: :lol:
    HOTEP!

  8. Educationist
    August 22, 2017

    DNO we need a statistical analysis of the results. This mentioning one or two statistics from the PS of Education is unacceptable from a news entity. Get someone to delve into the results and show the areas we have done well in and those areas we are struggling in. What about our performance in Mathematics and English A?

  9. August 21, 2017

    I am very proud of the national result and I do salute the government on their policies in relation to education. I am particular proud of PSS and SJA as a former student of PSS and a former teacher at both PSS and SJA. Arise ye sons and daughters, forward on.

  10. Boisdiab Militia
    August 21, 2017

    What investments peter? Show me the evidence. The family of the children are owed the credit not you neither ur government . Stop trying to politicize everything in Dominica.

    • August 22, 2017

      It really amazes me how you people can lie to yourselves.

      No long explanation: The current government administration of Dominica has done A LOT for the education sector. This is an unrefuted fact!

      • Me
        August 22, 2017

        Shana, I have just refuted it. I guess you meant to say “irrefutable” and that confirms my point! Our education is generally inadequate.

      • Vanessa
        August 22, 2017

        What is the a lot exactly the government has done

  11. First Born male
    August 21, 2017

    Pastor St. jean I don’t believe you are in any position to talk about education and right now Dominicans don’t listen to anything any of you ministers have to say. In fact as a preacher we would prefer to hear us teach on first born males in bible days that were used for an offering.

    As for me, after carefully pondering on how PM Skerrit is busy building houses, giving toilets, pampers and financial allowances to women, whether they have a man in their life or not, as though those men are hopeless and need to be replaced, and all of a sudden our men, especially four first born sons are dying in accidents, being shot or stabbed, I am really left to wonder what is happening and would like a preacher like you to explain this to me as it pertains to the bible. I also wonder in light of all what Skerrit is doing for our women, while our men dying if he was able to visualize the fall of men and had to plan to support the women or if is something that just happened just like that.

  12. Francisco Etienne-Dods Telemaque
    August 21, 2017

    “Saint Jean that it is the responsibility of the ministry of education to empower citizens with marketable skills obtained at the high school level that can be used as a foundation for successful careers, a responsibility that the people within the ministry “take seriously.” (Petter St. Jean).

    Reading your own words Petter: may I ask you what about the people who have marketable skills in the building of Bridges?

    What about their careers in the art of civil engineering? If you took them seriously, how come you and the Skerrit administration overlooked these skill Dominicans, by awarding a Barbadian company an eighteen ($18,000,000.00) million dollar contract to build a bridge over the Roseau River while there are people in the country, well capable; who could have done the same?

    How hypocritical, you spend Taxpayers money on your supporters to study in country’s to get degrees that has no educational value, that is why when they return they get the “what nobody else want)…

    • Francisco Etienne-Dods Telemaque
      August 21, 2017

      How hypocritical, you spend Taxpayers money on your supporters to study in country’s to get degrees that has no educational value, that is why when they return they get the “what nobody else want); you know like the building of bridges worth less then two hundred thousand dollars!

      How about that?

      Your excitement about your educational progress is a joke, because no matter how educated they are there is no hope, no prospect of a job outside of the civil service, or in politics, becoming a Skerrit political stooge, or living on handouts from Skerrit.

      How many have returned and used their academic skills in creating an industry, in the field of manufacturing of some product thus creating employment for the youths in the country?

  13. Francisco Etienne-Dods Telemaque
    August 21, 2017

    Petter, you are pitiful, you are pathetic!

    It is the government duty to invest in education; the government is duty bound to ensure that anyone born in the country acquire the best education available: Hence the educational institutions must be established, and maintained at the heights level, employing the highest academically qualified teachers, and professors to teach students at a high level.

    Your boasting revolves around primary, and secondary education: Your your two year community college is limited in the sciences you offer. There is nothing to boast about Petter, until you improve, and introduce more science in the community college.

    Furthermore without a four year college on the island there is nothing to boast about! Sending hundreds of people all over the place to study, which upon completion their diploma, and degrees are worth nothing; only recognized by your government and the country from which they get their degree is nothing to be excited about!

    Sending…

    • Francisco Etienne-Dods Telemaque
      August 21, 2017

      Continue:

      Sending Dominicans to study in Cuba, China, Morocco Russia, and Venezuela is a waste of time; because it matters not what degree is bestowed on the Dominica student in those countries, they are not recognized in North America, and Europe! The money spent to send, and pay for tuition overseas should at this time be invested on a four year educational institution in the country. (a four year college or university); only then Petter should travel to St. Marten to invite people to come to Dominica to study.

      The man unknowledgeable he does not know there are more advance educational institution in St. Marten than his thing in Dominica, leave beater for worst!

      Check Barbados, Guyana, Trinidad, and Jamaica to see how many four years educational institutional they have besides the University of the West Indies (UWI).

  14. LaPlaine Observer
    August 21, 2017

    All these exaggerated statistics doesn’t mean anything if there are no jobs for them after graduating. This government’s failure to create jobs for our youths, has labelled Dominica as having the 3rd highest unemployment rate in the Caribbean, which stands at 26%. Talk is cheap.

  15. pues toutes D'cien aveg
    August 21, 2017

    If so Gov’t should invest some funds into the re-education of Petter so he won’t kidnapped villagers etc.
    Petter can do courses such as civilized living 101,anger management. Then the party can yield results in 2018

  16. Food
    August 21, 2017

    Congrats to all the students

  17. Cheryl Scotland Gordon
    August 21, 2017

    Congratulations are in order to Naomi Scotland of NECS. Keep pressing on towards your goal. Work those five talents girl! We are proud of you. Congratulations to Kimandra and all the other students who excelled at the exams.

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