THE EDITOR, Sir:
I AM very disappointed with Stephen Vasciannie's "The GSAT: An examiner's report?" as he takes a very limited approach to determine if the GSAT is too difficult for 11-year-olds. Instead of looking at the content of the curriculum, he is using the exam itself to decide if the exam is too difficult and what the students are required to know.
Mr. Vasciannie has determined that the Mathematics and Language Arts exams are not too difficult for 11-year-olds based on this year's exams. My son was told that he needed to know 85 topics for Mathematics. Among those required topics is geometry, algebra, statistics, percentages, lowest common multiple, highest common factor, areas and perimeters - all topics which are mostly taught in high school.
Why do 11-year-olds have to master all of this before they have even entered high school? The whole preparation for an exam also needs to be looked at in order to determine if it is too difficult. Mathematics, Social Studies and Science all have way too vast curriculums. The children have to study and retain two and a half years worth of work to take one shot at this exam. There is not enough time for the volume of work to fully master everything for the exam and as a result children are sent to extra lessons from as early as 4th grade. Life becomes preparation for GSAT. Childhood is put on hold.
In analysing the actual exam paper, I am glad that Prof. Vasciannie does agree that there are trick questions included and others that are just not suitable for the exam. However, when he has finished looking at this year's set of exam papers, I would suggest that he then thoroughly analyse the curriculum and investigate what it takes for an 11-year-old to master what is required for the GSAT (and attaining a place in a coveted school) and then answer the question - is the GSAT too difficult for 11-year-olds?
I am, etc.,
CATHERINE PEARSON
cpearson@mail.infochan.com
Kingston 10
Via Go-Jamaica
