7,000 standard six students will sleep easier tonight because it is over. We are talking about the Primary School Examination which the students sat the second and final part of today. Today’s papers were for the math and social studies. It was expected to be challenging because students continue to struggle with math – specifically the problem solving. We sampled the opinion from students as they left testing centers.
Keith Swift Reporting,
This afternoon standard six students filed out of PSE testing centers with a load lifted off their backs -and some more optimistic than others.
Vanessa Eiley, Grace Primary School
“We were prepared for it. From September, the day we stepped in standard six our teachers at Grace Primary prepared us very well and now that we have sat the first part, we knew what to do with second part and today that it is finally here, well it was easy actually because we knew the stuff they gave us and more.”
Keith Swift,
Even the math?
Vanessa Eiley,
“Yes it was easy. I asked some of my friends and they say some of it was hard but all the rest was easy.”
Albert Lovell, Hattieville Government School
“I said of them was hard, some of them was easy but for an overall it was fairly good. I think I passed. It was alright, no noise, everything was cool, the nice sea breeze was blowing. I had a nice lunch so I think I did good.”
Robert Jeffries, Grace Primary School
“It was exactly what we studied in standard six. About two of the
problems gave me trouble.”
Kevin Popper, St Ignatius Primary School
“The math problem solving was difficult but the math one easy, the multiple choice was the easy one, and the social studies, nothing they taught me was on it – only easy things was on it. I think I did good but I didn’t like the problem solving.”
Roshane Castillo, Grace Primary School
“The math, I thought it was kind of difficult, most of it, but I think I did very well. As Vanessa said, we were prepared for it from the time we stepped in to standard six so I believe all of us did well.”
Lovell Mejia, Hattieville Government School
“The math two was the most difficult. The problem solving. You need to try and solve the problems and do it step by step and I feel like that was the thing. But all in all, it was good.”
Roneisha Gentle, St. Ignatius School
“I think the problem solving would be mind busting but was very easy. It wasn’t difficult.”
Keith Swift,
A lot of your classmates say it was hard.
Roneisha Gentle,
“Well for them it was hard but for me I think it was fairly easy.”
Shane Stezekar, Holy Redeemer Primary School
“It was good, just the maths was kind of hard, the problem solving. I felt prepared. I think I did great.”
Nisean Usher, Hattieville Government School
“It was quite difficult, especially the problem solving.”
Keith Swift,
Do you think you were adequately prepared?
Nisean Usher,
“Well I just have to left it to God and pray that I’ll get into a high school.”
And while they disagree about the difficulty of the exam – these students also unanimously agree on a choice of high school.
Keith Swift,
This is your ticket to high school. Have you already chosen a high school?
Albert Lovell, Hattieville Government School
“EP Yorke.”
Lovell Mejia,
“EP or John’s.”
Kevin Popper,
“Edward P. Yorke.”
Roneisha Gentle,
“I would like to attend Edward P. Yorke High School.”
Keith Swift,
Why EP Yorke, everybody is saying EP Yorke?
Roneisha Gentle,
“Well I think I am capable of attending that school and it is a disciplined and well educated school so I would like to go there.”
The results should be out early next month. For some perspective on math – the average score last year was 57.7% which was an impressive improvement over 2007. The overall average score last year was 61.65%.
