Members of feasibility study committee for education re-structuring meet |18 April 2017

A new committee has been formed to undertake a feasibility study on the further re-structuring of secondary education through the establishment of centres of excellence at middle secondary.

Education and Human Resource Development Minister Joel Morgan met members last Thursday to establish the committee composition and responsibilities, address the background and duration of the study and other relating issues.

This study is expected to view  the various parameters likely to have an impact on the implementation of the three credible learning pathways at the level of middle secondary (S4-S5) in the spirit of a revised model for the education structure and curriculum for secondary schools which has been endorsed by Cabinet when approving the Memorandum on  January 26, 2017.

The first pathway is an academic pathway or centre of excellence for students with a strong academic base who will most likely continue their academic education at the School of Advanced Level Studies (Sals) on successful completion of the programme.

Secondly, there will be a technical vocational education and training pathway or centre of excellence for students with a strong academic base and interest in the technical and vocational fields of study, who will most likely continue their education and training at the level of the professional centres. The students will have the opportunity to follow relevant selected international technically oriented programmes and sit international examinations in these subjects.

Then a general secondary education pathway for students who do not meet the entry requirements for the academic pathway and the technical and vocational education and training pathway mentioned above. 

The members of the committee appointed by the minister are the chairperson Patrick Berlouis, vice- chairperson Selby Dora while the other members are Lucianna Lagrenade, Jean Alcindor, Fiona Ernesta, Anne Gabriel, Jones Belmont, Astride Tamatave, Helene Maïche, Michael Antoine, Marie-Claude Morel, Marc Arissol and Justin Valentin.

The members are from the Ministry of Education, other relevant ministries, their constituents and their agencies, as well as the private sector and individual experts in education matters who are conversant with the past and present education and training system.

Minister Morgan said they saw a need for this study as it has been a challenge to address student indiscipline and witnessed the declining number of students qualified to sit IGCSE (International General Certificate of Secondary Education) examinations, and there has been an increase in the number of students discontinuing their studies at the level of Professional Centres as well as an increase in the number of students not meeting the entry requirements for courses in professional centres.

“The main task of the committee will be to review existing validated sources and/or generate new validated sources and establish the enabling factors that will likely impact on the successful implementation of key parameters of the Memorandum that sets out the three pathways that we have spoken about,” he said.

He said they will also undertake a related situational analysis and produce a plan of activities inclusive of costs, time-frames, targets, potential risks and interventions, to successfully address the enabling factors.

“Produce and present an end of assignment report to me by the end August with relevant recommendations and potential risks to the successful implementation of what we want to try and do so that we get it right the first time,” the minister said.

The minister said he is aware that the time frame for the committee to hand in the report is short but they must do their best not to lose another generation.

“It is important that we are able to produce results so that our young students leaving S5 have a good future, one that provides them with the tools, probabilities and skills at a vocational or academic level to continue progressing and become valued citizens,” he said.

Minister Morgan also highlighted the two key issues that need to be addressed  ̶  the teacher quality and the level of attainment of students. 

Before the members continued the discussion, Minister Morgan told them he really values their acceptance of this task.

“We need you to be able to address the many issues that we face and we need you to be honest, critical and open to find remedies for what need to be remedied,” he said.

Minister Morgan was accompanied to the meeting by his two principal secretaries, Dr Odile Decomarmond and Dr Linda Barallon.