27 then what? 

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With emphasis on outliers, the realisation was, another unthinking silly season was ours to endure. This meant, the modals unceremoniously banished to communities inconsequential, now face the indignity of being uninvited from the National CSEC celebrations. However, of pervasive poverty, the odds have always been stacked against them, nonetheless the expectation was, compete they’ll, in this Darwinian education, that favours outliers. But of no extra-lessons extra-monies, uncompetitive they stood, stagnated in dire existences, unseen by the celebrating many.  

Outliers  

Having said that, an uphill task it was, making sense of the CSEC confabulators’ quasi-statistics. As a result, Statistics for Dummies, was dusted to peruse, revisiting the statistical mean, with translation average. Thereafter, eyes were set on the mode, which speaks to the prevailing most. Thenceforth, were the outliers, representing those miles above or below the average. Thus, the conclusion, this refresher confirmed that known, the modals are by far the highest numbers of CSEC students, whereas the one-percenters aka outliers, are the significant least. 

However, with outsiders the obsession of many, a closer scrutiny was mandated, via this case hypothetical. Where in a 10 candidate examination, 9 registered percentages between 30-40, with one 99. However, with the 99% far exceeding 30-40%, it wouldn’t be a true picture of the students’ overall performances. Thus, in focusing on outliers, as many are doing, has whitewashed the CSEC true performance, with a PPP political underpinning, creating a misleading impression of performances commendable. 

27 then what? 

Thus, my British daughter, who from available evidence, is experiencing the education, we were denied. For 14yrs she registers, sitting in grade 10, two years from her GCSE, a CSEC equivalence. As a result, subjects were hers to select, of national guidance, a mandatory foreign language, with core subjects. However, fundamental this is, all students were restricted to a 12 subject limit. Thus, I will repeat, 12 is the dead maximum. Where this the rationale, children must be children. Children must never view examinations as a numerical game. Children must be well rounded. Thus, the piano she plays. The bass she plays. Hockey she plays. Cricket she plays. Drama she involves. The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, of energy sapping expeditions and explorations, she undertakes. A Cadet she is. And of course the mandatory volunteering. All and more, certainly achievable in our 83,000sq miles.  

Nevertheless, our 83,000sq miles celebrates an education system, where extracurricular activities are painted as unwanted extras. As a result, our children are tunnel visioned in the numbers game, most subjects, but not of a holistic education. Where there is none more so evident, than the child recently burdened with 27 subjects, at the expense of an extracurricular education. Which begs the question, how could a civilised society celebrate the destruction of our children’s childhoods?  

Celebrants  

Nonetheless, the celebratory lines were early and unending, where the University dropout, embracing deference, performed the charade of the brainless, setting the tone in celebrating outliers, comforted in the knowledge, that the modals were restrained behind10 000V electric fences.  

Then there was Square Peg, clearly in a position uncomfortable, educational portfolio, rather than behind closed doors endeavours. For blindingly clueless is she, craving the extra-lessons outliers, to whitewash her incompetence. However, with policies unseen, she gloats like a toddler after a first dry night, registering pleasures that weren’t of her making.  

Thereafter, was one self-anointed freethinker, however with our children 2yrs education denied, down to schools reopening being an afterthought, the freethinker was unthinking, thus thoughtless. However, counted safe in numbers, the antithesis of a freethinker, he rushed to express; 

“It is a great time for education in Guyana. The leadership at the Ministry of Education should be proud of themselves for having great performances at non-elite (perceived) public schools” 

Therefore, of him we query, are you serious Ronald Austin Jr, making inferences from outliers? Where is the data to support this foolish assertion- “It’s a great time for education in Guyana?” Have you heard of confounding factors e.g. extra-lessons? Are you a freethinker or freeloaders?  

For a freethinker wouldn’t have busied himself, cowardly attacking Burnham, while turning a blind eye to our children, two years education denied. Moreover, no freethinker would’ve dismissed the damning World Bank Report, which posited that our children were too long education denied, while labelling those with the courage to speak out, TRIBAL. More so, was the UNDP report, which strongly recommended that schools be first reopened, but that wasn’t to be, since first preferential reopening was to Baroombar, a locale you visit to only “drink and listen music.”

Education in crisis  

Nevertheless, of PPP;  

 1. Which Education policies are attributable to the outliers performances?  

2. What role extra-lessons played in these results?  

3. What policies are in place to improve the performance of our children at CSEC?  

 4. What technological investments have been made in our schools, eg smart boards?  

 5. What policies are in place to improve extracurricular in schools? 

 6. What policies are in place to introduce holistic education in schools? 

 Nonetheless, this interrogative pause, to remind the unthinking many, that Mia Motley having recognised the foolery of this top student obsession, rightly brought a stop to it. For celebrations should only be with all our children excelling- No Child Left Behind. For celebrations should only be with economically deprived children, having social mobility, through an education. For the solitary success, an outlier, shan’t be celebrated. For celebrations should only be with our children receiving a holistic education. For we shouldn’t nurture students to regurgitate, rather we should be fostering well rounded critical thinkers.  

 Thus my vision, of Science students informed on economic inflation. Art Students, knowledgeable on vaccines. Business Students enlightened on Oil & Gas. Technology students cognizant of financing. All students embracing the extracurricular.  

And for this reason, we shan’t celebrate, with our children being reduced to human robots, rather than critical thinkers. Thus my challenge, that all examine the education systems of progressive societies. Thereafter, examine their university applications, where essential is extra-curricular activities, earning the applicants invaluable points. Now, having done that, do you think cram to regurgitate will develop our land? Thus we query, Priya are you still celebrating? You really shouldn’t have, with most of our children failing, even as all are being left behind, for want of a holistic education. Thus, counting these reasons, this is most certainly, not the greatest time for education in Guyana!

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