THE EDITOR, Sir:
CONGRATULATIONS ARE in order for the Ministry of Education and the various proponents of this new thrust to provide the Grade Six Achieve-ment Test results (the final stage of the measuring instrument employed under the National Assessment Programme) electro-nically.
However recent developments involving the distribution of the results have dispelled this objective. Instead, it has left teachers, students, parents and well-wishers in a myriad of chaos and confusion.
The ministry entrusted with the authority of ensuring that the nation gets proper education needs to become more educated to properly implement systems.
It took a mighty long while to deliver (what most of us consider a relatively simple technological service if properly planned) electronically to schools - GSAT results.
In addition, schools that have received the results are experiencing difficulties accessing the software.
The ministry must have known beforehand the manner in which the results would have been disclosed to make the necessary preparation with the schools to facilitate a smoother transition, thereby preventing the emotional distress of all parties involved.
The ministry must make the necessary preparation for all schools, as much as possible, to operate on the same wavelengths, that is, all schools must be provided with electricity, computers and trained teachers to facilitate this new thrust.
Principals must now be more aware of the need to step up the gear of getting more teachers trained to handle the new technologies in the schools and, by extension, the classrooms.
Parents must see the importance of information technology, in particular its impact on the lives of the younger generation, and encourage their children to pay particular attention to this subject in the school's curriculum.
I am, etc.,
GLORIA ALLWOOD
allwood_gloria@yahoo.com
