GSAT outrage

Nadisha Hunter, Gleaner Writer

ANXIETY TURNED into anger for some parents and teachers yesterday as they showed disappointment at the placement of their children and students, respectively, in the Grade Six Achievement Test (GSAT).

As administrators and teachers of some Corporate Area schools combed through the results, which were released yesterday, they raised concerns about the placement of some students in comparison to the grades they received.

The level of outrage was obvious at Clan Carty Primary school, where several parents and teachers spoke openly against the placements.

"I am angry and annoyed. I don't have a life when it comes to GSAT and to see these types of placement, I am disappointed," said Winsome Reid, a grade-six teacher.

"I don't know how to explain these things to the students because they worked hard for their grades and now they are not pleased with the reward they got," she added.

She said not many students got their schools of choice even though their grades were good.

But after venting about the placements, Reid said she was pleased with the performances, as the students' averages reflected the hard work that the staff put in since the start of the academic year.

While persons at Windward Road Primary and Junior High celebrated their achievements with averages of up to 97 per cent, they too showed disappointment in some of the placements.

Brianna Morrison, a student who got 71 in mathematics, 83 in science, 77 in social studies, 77 in social studies and 10 out of 12 for communication task, was placed at Windward Road Junior High.

"My student is a hard worker and she don't deserve this. Her grades doesn't reflect a junior high school," her disappointed class teacher Olivia Brown-Palmer said.

Principal of the institution Norman Malcolm said he was impressed with the grades, which hiked compared with last year.

"The grades significantly improved, more students were selected for traditional high schools including three for Campion College," he disclosed.

He, like several other teachers, questioned the placement system, which led children to schools which were reportedly not on par with their grades.

At the Denham Town Primary School, Teachers appeared pleased with the students' performances.

"We made big improvement this year compared with previous years. We have to take into account the level of disruption due to violence; I feel good that we can have something positive now," principal Everton Jones noted.

Some students from the schools will attend Calabar, Ardenne, St Georges College and Jamaica College.

At St Richards and Alpha primary schools, persons were full of glee as they seemed thrilled by the results.

Of the 190 students who sat the exam at Alpha, 89 were placed at schools they selected as their first choice.