Dear Editor,
I write to extend my congratulations and my commiseration in respect of the information about the CSEC results as published in Stabroek News.
As I recall, the material forwarded to schools by CXC long ago used to indicate the reasonable number of hours that needed to be devoted to the study of each subject if there was to be a realistic expectation of success. Do you know whether this is still being done?
At the risk of causing a certain amount of outrage, may I ask three (3) further questions:
1. What is anybody going to do with sixteen (16) Grade One passes?
2. What amount of time was afforded such a student to be a child and to enjoy the things of childhood – including play, socialization, and religious activities?
3. Would the education practitioners in Guyana wish to engage in public, informed debate over the desirability of both ensuring that some agreed minimum number of study hours be devoted to each of the various subjects, and also of restricting candidates at this age-level to a certain maximum number of subjects for public examination purposes?
Yours faithfully,
George N. Cave