Damion Mitchell, News Coordinator
MAXINE HENRY-WILSON
HUNDREDS OF students without birth certificates still do not have their Grade Six Achievement Test (GSAT) results, but the Ministry of Education and Youth says it is making every effort to have them delivered.
At the same time, some regional offices of the Education Ministry are finding it difficult to deal with the increasing number of parents visiting their premises demanding their children's GSAT scores.
The ministry has not released to schools, the results of students without birth certificates.
SHOW PROOF
They may be obtained from the Education Ministry's regional offices but, in order for the children to be admitted to high schools, parents must be able to at least show proof that they have started the process to obtain the birth certificates.
"Literally hundreds of parents have been flocking the offices almost every day," said education officer, Charles Danvers. He was speaking at yesterday's graduation ceremony at the Innswood High School in St. Catherine.
According to Mr. Danvers, the situation resulted from irresponsible parenting, where too many guardians have failed to deal with matters of priority in their children's development.
Later, director of the Education Ministry's Region Six, Dr. Fitz Russell, told The Gleaner the situation had placed a strain upon his resources.
"A lot of the officers have to be reassigned from their duties to deal with these parents," he said, adding that about 1,400 students in the region, comprising St. Catherine and Clarendon, had not produced a birth certificate before sitting the GSAT.
HANDS ARE MORE THAN FULL
Dr. Russell added that over the past three days, his officers had only managed to release the results of just over 400 children. "Our hands are more than full," he said.
The Education Ministry's Region Five, comprising Manchester and Clarendon, also reported that an overwhelming number of parents have been visiting its Mandeville offices for GSAT results.
"Monday was terrible, and Tuesday was bad," an education officer told The Gleaner/Power 106 News Centre.
The situation was not immediately clear at the four other regional offices.
Contacted yesterday, Education Minister Maxine Henry-Wilson said it was important that parents acquire proof of age for their children.
"We are not going to do anything to prejudice a child's education but we have to impress upon parents the need to get their children's papers in order," the Education Minister said. She added that the Education Ministry had been assisting parents to have the Registrar General's Department register their children.
SCHOLARS
The names of students who won scholarships, based on their performance in the GSAT, have been released by the Ministry of Education. See Scholarships in news section - www.jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20060706/news/news10.html
