Expand Grade 7 Academy in phased manner

THE EDITOR, Madam:

Ministry of Education’s decision to expand the concept of the Grade 7 Academy to other underperforming schools is commendable. But there are several aspects that need to be thought through and given time if this proposed expansion is to be successful.

So far, Holy Trinity evaluation has shown significant progress for the majority of students. The experience has allowed the creation of a checklist to ensure a workable expansion to other schools. There are financial and human requirements that are a sine qua non for success.

The number one lesson from the experience at Holy Trinity and Newell high schools is that it is best to expand on a phased basis, targeting smaller number of schools to ensure that the change is manageable. No more than four or five additional schools should be considered in the first phase, so that adequate provisions can be in place.

In each selected school, the buy-in of the school leadership, the board, and the parents is critical for success. The following are similarly critical:

· A competent coordinator at each school needs to be assigned for the project.

· Each school involved needs to ensure a maximum of 20 students per class.

· Provision to ensure sufficient committed teachers are assigned.

· All teachers involved to be assigned exclusively to Grade 7 Academy teaching

· All teachers to be trained in the philosophy, the curriculum and the methodology, as well as the software use and evaluation mechanisms.

· The curriculum needs to be adjusted and, in fact, tweaked as each school requires.

· In addition to literacy and numeracy, character formation needs to be an essential part of the curriculum.

· Regular testing to measure progress must be carried out and analysed.

· Software to be provided for all targeted schools involved and Internet access strengthened.

· Students to be given computers.

· An IT technician assigned exclusively to Grade 7 Academy.

· As far as possible, the Grade 7 Academy needs to be kept separate from the rest of the school to cultivate a distinct culture.

· Minimum nutrition to be provided.

· Adequate provision for monitoring by an oversight team.

The funds to cover these needs to be assured. The experience at the two pilot schools required an additional $44 million each, most of it being raised from the private sector.

These conditions for the success of the programme have be developed and made available. Improving the performance of underperforming students is too vital a mission to be allowed to fail.

J.R. PEREIRA