Petrina Francis, Education Reporter
BARRETT
The 2006 Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) revealed that only 4,427 students sat either Spanish or French, less than one-seventh of the total number who sat the regional exams. While this represents an increase over the past two years, Wesley Barrett, pro-registrar at the Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC), says more students should be encouraged to do at least one foreign language.
Is the language pass rate good?
While the percentage of students passing French and Spanish at the CSEC level is fairly good, Mr. Barrett says the low registration is related to the limited number of teachers who are available in this area and because foreign languages are not compulsory at the CSEC level.
Why is it important to speak a second language?
Given the advent of globalisation, Mr. Barrett said it is imperative that students are fluent in other languages.
"The matter of communities and the movement of people and the area of tourism, acquiring a foreign language is now fundamental in operating in a globalised environment," he said.
What is the solution?
According to Mr. Barrett, foreign languages are not compulsory and the Government should move swiftly to make it mandatory for all students to sit at least one. He noted that the Government will have to train more teachers in this area and provide incentives for these educators.
What is being done to encourage foreign
languages in schools?
The Ministry of Education and Youth is currently conducting a pilot in more than 60 primary schools across the island. This pilot programme came out of a mandate by the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) in 2003, to ensure that citizens within the region could speak a second language.
Under this programme, some 17 Spanish teachers were also recruited from Cuba to teach in some of these schools.
Mr. Barrett said the decision to teach Spanish in primary schools would encourage more students to pursue the language at the secondary level.
What were the CSEC
grades like for 2006?
Spanish - 74 per cent of 3,600 students got grades one to three.
French - 81 per cent of 767 students got grades one to three.
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