Schools to face catch-up challenge
(CNS): With children and teenagers across Cayman losing more than a third of their academic year to the COVID-19 lockdown, playing catch-up when the new 2020/21 school year starts will be a significant challenge for most schools. While kids were engaged in some online and home learning over the last three months, a report released last week showed how uneven that learning has been, which is likely to fuel the catch-up difficulties.
The review of the home learning provision by government schools examined the two-month period between the start of the closure in March and the end May. School inspectors from the Office of Education Standards found wide disparity in the quality of learning being delivered and accessed by students, which they believe will cause serious problems for teachers when the new school year starts.
The inequities in provision resulted from a catalog of problems, including a lack of access to technology, poor WiFi provision, absent students, teacher limitations and many other problems. But the outcome means that many children spent the last part of this school year learning very little.
The inspectors have therefore recommended that the Ministry of Education should provide a clear lead and direction to schools for a coherent ‘catch-up’ plan for 2020/21 and 2021/22.
“Strategies to address gaps in learning may include… lengthening the school day for certain ages of students, providing catch-up sessions, additional examination classes or summer school,” the inspector have said. “Lengthening the next two academic years, if possible, may be a necessary consideration.”
At the start of the next academic year, assessment arrangements need to be in place to ensure that teachers and school leaders have accurate and comprehensive information about students’ skills, knowledge and gaps in learning.
“This information should be used to deliver appropriate school-level ‘catch up’ provision,” the report stated.
“The quality of students’ learning and their academic progress is of concern and there will be a need for curriculum content to be revisited and retaught in the next academic sessions,” said the inspectors, as they called for an agreement on a “common national strategy, as well as localised, school-level solutions” to be planned and financed.
Government has not yet released a response to the report, and neither the Ministry of Education nor the Department of Education Services have said how they will address the expected serious problems when schools reopen.
Asked on Friday at the COVID-19 briefing, a few days after the report was published, about government’s plans to deal with these challenges, Premier Alden McLaughlin said that the government and caucus had not yet had a chance to digest the report.
He said there had not yet been an opportunity for the government to discuss how it would go about addressing what everyone recognised would be the problems going forward with education.
“It is going to be a challenging next school year, without question,” McLaughlin said, adding that the government would address the issues and recommendations raised in the report shortly.
School is still expected to return at the end of August, but given that the coronavirus is still likely to be in the community at that point, schools will have to address the problem of catch-up while also trying to implement health and safety measures that may also call for staggered timetables, compounding the problem of learning gaps and limiting time in school.
Inspectors said that the plans for returning to school will need to include suitable adaptations that will also cost money.
“Arrangements should be informed by best practice noted in an international context in those countries where students have already returned to schools after lockdown,” the report warns. “Appropriate modifications to existing school premises are required in advance of the students’ return to school, to ensure the health and safety of students, staff and parents.
“Considerations such as the provision of multiple hand-sanitising stations and signage to reinforce adequate social distancing protocols need to be agreed across all government schools. A heightened regard for supervision at break and lunchtimes when young children would naturally congregate will be needed.
“Additionally, as planned by the Department of Education Services and certain schools, innovative timetabling solutions may be necessary at an individual school level to minimise social interactions that could put students and staff at risk,” the report states.
All of this means that the education budget will need to be increased at a time when government revenue will be on the decline and when competition for public cash among government departments will be greater than ever.
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Category: Education, Government oversight, Local News, Politics
When they spend more per child than just about anyplace on the planet and forever come up short you have to realize it was never about education of children at all. It’s about spending a huge amount of money period. They know they are doing a great job earning their salaries. Why change anything?
“All of this means that the education budget will need to be increased at a time when government revenue will be on the decline and when competition for public cash among government departments will be greater than ever.”
Hasn’t it been observed that Cayman already has one of the highest levels of funding per student in the world, while providing some of the worst outcomes for students outside of sub-Saharan Africa?
The answer is not more money. The answer is to make schools about educating kids, not about fat contracts for friendly business people and a welfare scheme for a lot of lazy educators and administrators.
The schools here at the key to solving 99% of Cayman’s problems. Unfortunately many of leaders like those problems just the way they are.
Well said. I hope that those in power realize that they are supporting a failing system.
They are responsible for the failing system. They are obviously OK wid it..
“Well said!!” Really???
Its obvious the system failed you. Consider re-registering and starting school all over! It may help with your understanding.
I am sorry, but your contract will not be renewed.
They’re still trying to catch up from the invention of the written word.
Not to worry. As all the expats and their businesses leave there will be more jobs for the ignorant and underedumacated. And many more will qualify to be the next Premeir.
Caymanian education is in free fall while everyone else is keeping up. My son just finished up his last days as a 6th grader on line and not behind. Because CIG could not figure out how to open schools and keep them close at the same time my son will continue his education back in the States this year and most likely the next. Caymanian government sponsered kids will never catch up but that is not that big of a change. As Cayman Islands regresses back to a more comfortable third world standing the rest of the world will move on. I am sure the old timers here are finally getting their world back and will be happy to vote next time. Maybe getting a free appliance will be a thing again.
Will they be washing the feet of every student each day once school reopens?
Creating longer days, keeping students in the classroom for lunch…so we’re all ok for teachers to go without lunch times?
Longer days (some students arrive 6:30 am and leave 5pm or later), LESStLESS in the day to plan or get a moment to drink water, clean shared resources, address the many behaviors incidents.
Are teachers ok with this?
An anonymous survey needs to be done for teachers.
How many will remain in the field?
How many are actually coping with the non stop demands and work hours?
Teachers were already working 80+ hrs a week…are they ok?
Also, while we’re asking the question, are they going to be inspected AGAIN?
Will educators be ok? There needs to be a union or organization that will speak on behalf of teachers without fear of stigma or job loss.
My educator friends are not ok, they’re anxious and on edge. Yet, the MOE has said teachers are receiving support for their well being. That is absolute rubbish. In order to teach and comfort, one must be at peace within ones own self. How many educators can honestly say they are ok and at peace?
The Premier was a little hot under the collar today at the press briefing when one of the reporters asked why the Minister of Education is not presenting at the briefing. He was quick to say she was on twice before! Can you believe this? After so many months she showed up twice to answered questions. As I remember one time ( I guess I missed the other) they were on there answering their own questions. How dare they think for us? We are quite capable of formulating and asking our own questions and they should make themselves available to answer. I guess they were afraid we would ask the hard questions.
Apparently Lucifer is still conniving. Not long now…not long.
I have watched or listened to every one since they started and I only recall her being at one of the press briefings. No one I spoke to can recall two appearances. Why was the Premier so defensive though? And while we’re at it, what about the Deputy Premier, aka, the Minister for Tourism?
They don’t care what you think. Why should they. Unless your civil service. But civil service knows not to rock the boat. They are not worried at all. Or planning to change anything.
When will you realize his answers are not answers at all. How could they be when its apparent to all that he does not know the answers? Maybe ask the MOV. He knows nothing but he will ask God for you..
I see this as a perfect opportunity, the same as we had during Ivan to add a school year to each child. The additional year will allow them to catch up and grow up as they are being pushed out at 15 and 16, far too young to do anything sensible. Keep them in school until 18 when they should bebold enough to make sensible choices.
And do you know that was a recommendation to the ministry when they were inspected by 2 years ago I believe. That and to made changes to the primary level curriculum.
Just keep them in school until they can read and write and carry on a conversation and keep a job. Plus CIG can spend more and earn more of it back for more time in school. Make everyone happy!
I really believe that the teachers will be willing to do what it takes to close the gaps. But I hope that the sole responsibility for such will not be placed at the teachers feet and left unattended then 6 months down the line an inspection happens. Teachers will need resources for each child, sharing cannot happen any more and that would include pens, books, pencils, geometry sets and so much more. Currently a subject department has a minimum of 12 text books per teacher and students would have to pair up and use the book, some times 3 students to a book. And despite the plea for more books it falls on deaf ears. At one school teachers had to be photocopying pages like crazy so that the students can have the information and one school leader who no longer works in the school hid boxes of papers from the teachers and claimed that DES did not send any paper.
The approach we need now to both close gaps and ensure health and safety of all students and stakeholders is going to be a huge bill if done right because a lot of the previous issues, like lack of sufficient materials, will have to be rectified now.
Class numbers will also need to be cut into smaller groups, maybe a shift system (morning and evening shift) and teachers can work rotating shifts and some at 1.5 shift each. They would also have to employ more teachers for all the new classes that will be formed as a result of the small group and shift system. It’s a lot of work but it takes a village and I dont believe that we can’t do it. Ppls business and information fly around so quickly on this island so the same interest needs to be applied to educating the future generation.
This will be a moot point when Wave 2 breaks out in the Fall. Fortunately, we are now accustomed to the drill.
Game is up Alden
Impossible. We now have an armed regiment.
I don’t know what all the complaining is about. Our Premier built two amazing schools a decade ago that took care of all educational issues. Because of his schools we have a world class educational system.
CNS – please write a story on why the Ed Department did not give notice that they would be on Radio Cayman Talk Today! It is so unfair when we are desperate for news every week and we hear nothing. Then, it is hiding in plain sight on this preview show!
You didn’t miss too much today… they basically just went over last week’s report. They are hoping to come back on Radio Cayman sometime next week to address other topics and answer questions. In the meantime they suggested for people to check out the Q&A on the Ministry of Ed. website.
Making poor excuses was what they were doing.
THe Minister of Education is a poor excuse of a human being. It was noted when all this first came about how the principal was concerned that so many children didn’t even have food to eat, let alone wifi/laptop. Was anything done about this? I don’t think so, now its lets catch up. She is being paid a hefty salary Alden, what has she been doing these past 3 months???????
And they blatantly lied on that radio interview saying that laptops have been provided to EVERY primary school student. This is simply not true!!
@3:43 pm
Follow MEYSAL’s FB page. They will be back on Radio Cayman next week at 12:30 pm and plenty information to be published this week or early next week.
Maybe suggest they do it via Zoom, some of us pay attention to body language.
They posted at 12 that they would be on at 1230. They did not want anyone to know and they certainly were not willing to risk taking calls.
Please note it was the Honourable Minister and Chief Officer on the show.
Honourable my ass
Thanks China
I have found that in our public school system students are pushed on from year to year without having mastered the basics of the curriculum for each particular year. One teacher told me that there is no time for learning as there are always new topics to be taught – so mistakes and misunderstandings get buried in the rush to move on. I suspect that leadership are more interested in statistics than in ‘teaching and learning’…. and so the children continue to suffer and fall further and further behind.
But wait a minute,……there is a solution…… at the end of an incomplete school year you have a school prize giving and give every child an award. That way both child and parent leave feeling that they have achieved something worthwhile.
Set up to fail?
The teaching crisis was already HORRIFIC before covid. The government needs to put in more to support the teachers and I’m predicting a MASS exodus. Absolute disaster.
Teachers won’t survive this. When will they eat, go home, go to the bathroom, make the million resources that cannot be shared between students?
This is an organization thst does not value the wellbeing of it’s employees. I would not blame teachers for leaving. Parents could and should have done more to support student learning. Employers need to support parents as they support their children.
It takes a village, yet it’s the teachers who will be inspected, stressed out and blamed.
Even when we did have bathrooms available, there were no keys!
Very true. This just adds to the long list of health issues that plague teachers due to stress.
You’re right 2:18 pm. A group of public school parents publicly declared they won’t come online. Then have the nerve to ask about summer school!!
Parents didn’t do enough. Assigned tasks and the kids didn’t attempt unless the teacher nagged and nagged sending pictures, emails, calling, texting, etc.
Summer school should only be for those who were actually keeping up with the sessions! If a child didn’t come online by CHOICE, those parents need to find tutors on their own! Data doesn’t lie. We know who logged in and who didn’t.
P.s. teachers know your child’s handwriting.
Wow, I thought you were going to say that you recognized their typing.
Crappy, globalist, fake teachers absolutely suck.
If I was young enough to sit under your pathetic tutelage, you would know all about it.
Get out of the way!
Maybe the posters received written work from his or her students? Some kids are getting printed work as they do not have a reliable device to join in online. The completed work is then submitted via whatsapp or email by taking a picture on their phones, maybe that’s where the hand writing comment is coming from. Stretch your mind a little. I know of instances where parent flat out declare that their child will not be joining online for some made up reason so It’s really wrong of you to class the poster as a “fake teacher” when the things they had mentioned are truly happening.
There is an administrator at our kids school who is supposed to check into classes, show she cares, just keep on top of things…she signs in, mic and video off, then leaves. Like is seen out and about,,,
Would you prefer if she came on noisy and interrupted the lesson to make her presence known?
They’d have to catch up on the last 20 years first
Ever since they replaced internationally respected Gcse’s with CXC’s and British (and Caymanian) teachers with those almost exclusively from elsewhere in the Caribbean. Well done guys. You really screwed up, and it will take generations to recover.
Exactly, the kids here cannot manage CSEC at all. The watered down GSEC was sufficient and the poor british teachers who keep leaving after a few short month when they realize the stress and complexity of the CSEC curriculum….how sad.
Racist xenophobic horrible. These teachers you have profiled based on origin from the Caribbean, islands that have been forever exploited by tiny minorities of the favored color and accent have always done a great job teaching in Cayman and would be here giving their best when you have gone on your never ending money chase.
Let me guess, you were on the Windrush?
You prove the point. They brought their racist xenophobia with them and then we wonder why their students fail in in a European/North American facing economy.