GSAT questions for Minister Whiteman

THE EDITOR, Sir:

KINDLY ALLOW me space in your newspaper to address an open letter to the Minister Of Education, the Hon. Burchell Whiteman:

Dear Minister Whiteman,

I am totally perplexed as to how children who sat the GSAT are placed in high schools and the newly upgraded high schools. Please answer the following questions for me. What is the pass mark or grade a child has to attain to get his or her first choice to attend the top traditional high schools?

Is there a bias towards children who attend primary schools to get first choice in being placed in the top high schools over the prep schools? Because this is usually manifested in the scholarships that are given each year.

I am a parent who struggled to send my child to a preparatory school not because I am well off, quite the opposite, and am quite disenchanted with the placement of my child who had in her subject areas of 90% and over but was rewarded for her efforts by being placed arbitrarily in a mediocre high school and not getting even one of her three choices.

After doing my investigations, I was surprised to learn that comparatively, children in the primary schools were for the most part given one of their three choices with in many instances lesser averages.

Minister, each child who takes this test is supposed to be on a level playing field. Please go back to the drawing board and get it right as I have another child who in a few years time will be sitting this exam.

I am etc,

MICHAEL JOHNSON

E-mail:

cityhound@yahoo.com

Via Go-Jamaica

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