By Concerned parent
I will start by saying this, which I believe wholeheartedly: It’s not good to compare kids. It’s another story, however, when the system and school fail them. I believe that all kids should be given, for lack of a better phrase, “a fighting chance”. Give them the opportunity to go into the exam as we like to say colloquially “on a level playing field”.
I make these references to one of the PRIVATELY owned primary schools, which, in my opinion fail the kids every year, this year being no exception and thus disadvantaged my ward under their charge.
CPEA has two components: the external exam and the internal “SBA” for a combined score of 500. It’s unfair, in my opinion, to send kids in with between 96 to 150 internal marks while other schools are entering kids with between 180 and 200.
Every school has who they consider to be top of the class. It’s unfair that such a student considered “top” and the majority of the class entered with such low internal scores. They are obviously fighting to make up that additional 40–80-mark deficit that their peers entered with.
Now, don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying to cheat for the kids and assign grades that they did not work for. What I’m saying is work with them, do as other schools do, let them redo the pieces and get the best possible score.
Doing this will put their internal scores in range with the average child. A score of 150 for a known “top” performer is a slap in the face. I think it’s unfair to do extremely well in your external exam and have your overall score be so drastically affected by a low internal grade.
Give them a fighting chance. Stop putting our kids at a disadvantage before they sit the exam. A message to that PRIVATE school going forward.
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The internal marks should be disconnected the only fighting chance a child should have is putting their brains at work on the day of exams I kno some might be slow than others but in my day children who were not too of the class did better than we expected so that’s my point of view
Concerned parent, I share your concern. No school was mentioned but my nephew also had that experience 3years ago from a private school . His external marks was so much greater than the (internal). school marks which had put him in a very bad situation. . It’s either the teachers are not qualified to teach at such levels or do not know what they are about. Knew of a. child who was moved and did very well. was in the first one hundred for boys. Wondering why people wasting money still sending their children to some schools where the children are not perfoming
I was never a fan of this internal portion of the tally, with some spiteful, bias and political teachers we have today. I believe the two days of (external) exams bring out the true potential of the kids. 1986 had 3 exams in one day. Today we are politicians, lawyers, engineers etc. 500 marks ! Insanity!