Ministry seeks subject leaders input on secondary education review |24 April 2013

Yesterday’s working session for S5 teachers forms part of a series of holiday in-service sessions with particular focus on the various new restructuring and curriculum reviews under way aimed at improving learning and enhancing support for teachers and schools.

The workshop, which took place at the Maritime Training Centre at Providence, was organised by the Centre for Curriculum Assessment and Teacher Support (CCATS) within the Ministry of Education.

Giving a short overview of the reason behind the review, Kevin Thelemaque, a senior assessment development officer explained that the decision to have a national examination after S5 was taken in the context of education reform initiatives of 2009.

The decision stems from a number of issues namely the need to put together an examination for S5 leavers as it has been confirmed that around 15% of students are not completing S5, a limitation in the range of traditional academic subjects which is not attractive to many students and a lack of certification at S5 level for students who do not qualify to sit IGCSE and DELF.
“All these form the basis for the reform measures,” said Mr Thelemaque.

He explained that the reform set off by a cabinet memorandum which called for a complete review of the secondary curriculum to better address the different needs of students is therefore concentrating on restructuring secondary education. And this is both in terms of curriculum and assessment requirements.

It will also review the system of assessments to cater for the diverse needs of learners and to provide a form of certification at the end of secondary education.

Following all the consultation process the CCATS will work on and finalise a national examination for S5 leavers expected to start at the end of this year.