Prep schools dominate GSAT scholarships

Luke Douglas

Saturday, July 16, 2011

THE gap in performance between the country’s independent and public schools was highlighted with the release of this year’s Grade Six Achievement Test (GSAT) scholarship winners on Thursday.

Students from preparatory schools gained all but one of the 28 Government scholarships up for grabs, and won 44 out of the 65 scholarships awarded in all, even though some scholarships are reserved for students from public schools only.

Sts Peter and Paul Preparatory was the most successful school, with seven students from the St Andrewbased institution gaining awards on the list released by the Ministry of Education.

But despite the dominance by the prep schools, St Richard's Primary in St Andrew had the top boy for the second consecutive year, with Janvier Marshall winning the coveted spot. He will attend Campion College in September where he will join last year’s top boy and former schoolmate Daniel Lawla.

Meanwhile, Janeil Green in Vaz Prep in Kingston achieved an almost perfect score in becoming the top girl in GSAT this year.

Green, who will also attend Campion scored 100 per cent in all her subjects (language arts, science, social studies, and communication task) except mathematics in which she scored 99 per cent.

Karlene Bisnott, principal of Vaz Prep, expressed satisfaction with the performance of Green and her fellow students at Vaz.

“The children did really well and it’s the kind of encouragement to keep us working towards next year,” she said.

Of the 65 government and private scholarship winners announced, 33 will attend Campion.

Two other prep schools in St Andrew, namely Mona and Hopefield gained five and four scholarships each respectively.

Other schools with more than one scholarship winner included Vaz Prep, St Andrew Prep, Montego Bay Christian Academy, Glenmuir Kinder and Prep, Hosanna Kinder and Prep, Greenwich All Age and Ewarton Primary, all with two each.

For Sts Peter and Paul, it was a repeat of their performance in 2009 when the school also gained seven scholarships. Interestingly there were no scholarship winners last year.

The only government scholarship won by a primary school student out of 14 boys and 14 girls went to Kerry-Ann Bennett of Lacovia Primary in St Elizabeth. She will attend Hampton School in the same parish.

Karen Siyanbola, principal of Sts Peter and Paul, said the school’s success was a team effort.

“We are eternally grateful to God for his graces. We feel absolutely on top of the world. We are very proud of the students, teachers and parents for all their hard work,” told the Observer.

“We are unique in that we have five grade six classes and we are currently the largest prep school in Jamaica and the Caribbean, so we operate almost like a high school. It takes a lot to work together and facilitate excellence in all our children,” she said

Out of the 110 students who did GSAT at the school, 102 were placed in traditional high schools. Twenty-four will attend Campion, 13 will go to Ardenne, and nine to Wolmer’s Boys.

The number of GSAT scholarships announced by the Ministry fell from 82 last year to 65. Efforts to get a comment from the Ministry were unsuccessful.

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COMMENTS (11)

Esmore Gillings
7/17/2011

Thank you Robbie Gore. I have two children ages 20 and 10, both attended prep schools not because I am rich but because I want to give them a solid educational foundation. While some primary schools are doing great, the student to teach ratio is ridiculous. So for those who can send their children to a prep school, do so and if these schools need help the Govt. should assist in whichever way they can. WE ALL PAY TAXES......SELAH

bobby blake
7/17/2011

Ever Wondered what would have to the educational systems if prep schools were outlawed, yet we all pay education tax, I think Prep School Parents should receive some of their tax benefits through grants to private institution, since we have removed a tremendous burden from the state

Izett Gordon
7/16/2011

Whenever politicians set school policy the end result is guaranteed. Just like in other things they control, it is popularity rather than quality that is paramount. Parents and the communities in general, ought to be in the forefront helping teachers and administrators accomplish sensible goals. We should not take a pass because our children might not be in school or have already gone through the system. Everybody should be involved. If we support academics the way we do sports, then ...

Sylvester Lewis
7/16/2011

this is foolishness, scholarships should be awarded to who cannot afford it, these parents have the financial security to pay, and buy whatever is necessary for their children to achieve. if you can pay your way, see your way. it is when you cant pay you need all the help you can get. scholarships would and can be the way to level the playing field. if these children had the financial help then you would see more success in the public school gsat level

Aeis Green
7/16/2011

"102 were placed in traditional high schools". Here we go again marginalizing the schools. So it is safe to say the other 8 will be going to inferior school. Have no fear though, parents will pay to have them move.

simply smart
7/16/2011

This just proves that having 60 students to one teacher in a primary school class doesn't work !!! Prep Schools have at most 30 and they have a Teacher's Assistant. AGAIN the poor get shafted by our "wise and loving" Government !

Geraldine Ramsay
7/16/2011

This latest report clearly shows the disparity in the quality of education in the public and private schools. While there is no denying that myriads of other factors contribute to the poor performances in the public schools other than the quality of education, the responsibility of getting these schools on par must be a collective and collaborative effort between the home and the government.

kay kay wits
7/16/2011

i agree with u Geo.....surprise,surprise...when u have a ratio in primary school of 50: 1, while in prep 20: 1 why is there any surprise that this happens...children in primary schools are not given a fair chance...coz i have no doubt primary school kids are equally as bright just not given the same opportunities to excel. The divide between the rich and the poor will never decrease if the Gov. does not figure a way to offer equal educational standards

Robbie Gore
7/16/2011

Jay B , the children that attend prep schools are jamaicans. The parents are most times PAYE's which means that taxes are deducted from their salaries at source. Point ..they are tax payers and so they must benefit from the taxes they pay. My children attend prep school but I decided long ago that I will forgo the bling and invest in education. Money may be an issue but parenting is even a bigger issue.Get of the BB's & FB and help your children with their home work. Attend PTA meetings

Geo Salmon
7/16/2011

This is an indictment on the Ministry of Education. This is the worse showing by government schools in terms of scholarships in recent time.
This is calling for a serious review of the teaching progamme in our school system and the elimentary school in particular.

Jay Brown
7/16/2011

This is the reason I am concerned that the government plans to use money from the public purse to assist prep school, I think it is wrong.
Instead the funds should be pumped into the public primary school and use it to reduce the student to teacher ratio to 20 or less.
This will allow the public school to deliver better performance in the coming years

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Prep schools dominate GSAT scholarships