Private schools praised over home-learning
(CNS): The Office of Education Standards has found that the private school system adapted well to the environment created by the COVID-19 pandemic school shut-down. While inspectors had found much to be concerned about in their report on the government schools last month, in a report released this week leaders and teachers in private schools were commended for their “resourcefulness, adaptability and agility” in organising home-learning.
However, there were some obvious advantages for the private schools from the get-go. “The number of students requiring care support packages or assistance, as identified by school principals, was significantly lower in private schools than was the case in government schools,” the inspectors said.
In addition, almost all students in private schools had access to the internet and online learning. Even so, the private schools reported that unreliable wireless connectivity created a barrier to learning.
“It was observed that a few students and sometimes teachers experienced difficulty in maintaining contact and some delay in reception affected sound quality during the ‘live’ sessions,” the inspectors stated in the report.
Overall, the report was considerably more positive, and despite listing a number of recommendations, the inspectors said the quality of teaching was good in most observed online lesson, good arrangements were in place to track attendance and help ensure students’ well-being, lesson content was well matched to curriculum requirements in most schools and effective arrangements were in place to support students prior to examinations.
The inspectors said that most, though not all, private schools offered good value for money during the pandemic. But while some schools reduced their fees, not all schools did and parents expressed concern that some schools did not offer, in their opinion, regular or sufficient face-to-face tuition.
The COVID-19 pandemic led to significant challenges for many of the private schools in terms of funding and financial management, the inspector noted.
“Several schools reported reduced numbers on roll as family members lost employment or left the islands. This led to reductions in staffing and, for a number of professionals in the private school sector, either reduction in salary, furloughed deployment or even unemployment,” the report found.
The OES said that just before the pandemic there had been a change in how grants from government were provided to private schools. This has led to the closure of at least one well–established early years school, which could adversely affect child care and early learning provision when the new school year starts, the inspectors stated.
Despite the positive findings in the private system, the inspectors found some “notable variation in the range of home learning strategies” as the schools adapted strategies based on feedback from students, parents and teachers.
Most schools provided comprehensive guidance documents delineating their remote learning strategies to inspectors but a few schools did not provide this level of detail.
“Other schools formulated a strategy and were too inflexible in their policies and practice,” the report said. “One school, for example, which offered a PACE (Packet of Accelerated Christian Education) curriculum, provided no online sessions at all. Students from the primary years to Grade 12 in this school worked through their task booklets independently with occasional ‘WhatsApp’ messages from teachers. Feedback to those students was irregular and insufficient to help ensure good progress.”
This school was, however, already graded weak in an inspection earlier this year as a result of the use of PACE, which is, ironically, designed for home-based Christian learning.
- Fascinated
- Happy
- Sad
- Angry
- Bored
- Afraid
Category: Education, Local News, Politics, Private Sector Oversight
Maybe not such a good idea to put a religious fanatic with a wildly distorted view of reality in charge of government schools? Just sayin’
9:15am, you’re correct!
Home schooling was absolute hell. Not looking forward to the 2 more weeks of it next term. That said, I think my kids will actually be well ahead of where they otherwise would have been. Credit to Prep junior school who, IMO, struck a decent balance; sure it was too much for some and too little for others but it’s not like they wanted to do it either!
bots/teachers are here……
We really can’t compare public with private at least with regards to provisions at home that will ensure learning at home online can be possible.
I have heard many, many horror stories about the living conditions of many of our students that attend our public schools.
I am daring the Inspectorate Personnel to take two or three days out of their so call busy schedules and get to know the home environments of our less fortunate students in the public schools; when things get back to ‘normal’.
I bit they will come away with the notion that it is a miracle that we get the quality passes that these students are getting.
Many parents of private schools are very affluent and therefore do have the means to provide everything necessary to ensure quality learning at home especially in situations like those we are finding ourselves in as a result of COVID-19.
I would, therefore, be disappointed to say the least if what this report proclaims is happening with private school online learning, was not happening.
Therefore, in conclusion, there is nothing new to report. Same old, same old.
Sorry. Not all parents who attend private school are “very affluent”. Instead they perhaps (1) wait until they are married to have kids so it is a two income household and (2) wait to have kids when they can afford such kids and (3) only have 1 or 2 kids max that they can afford and (4) sacrifice other material things so they can afford the best education for their kids. At some point adults have to be held accountable for their actions. Why are soo many people having kids they cannot afford and then expect the government to give them the best life ? Especially when thy are driving the newest cars, go to the spa weekly or have the latest phones? Get you priorities correct.
Yup and people in their 20s already on their 5th child and no job.
While there may be nothing surprising in the report it is good to have it all down on paper, independently, for reference by anyone not paying as much attention to every school, and their demographics, as you are. – Say anyone looking at schools for their kids here for the first time.
My son just completed 5th grade at CIS and I was also very impressed on how quickly his teacher adapted to the online teaching. He was super responsive when I emailed him, my son was able to get almost immediate replies from him when there was a question with the assignment, and he was able to keep the kids focused with calls throughout the day with smaller groups. He unfortunately had to leave the island during the shutdown and there was no downtime that affected the teaching, even with his move.
VOTE OUT PPM! Bye Julie! You made a complete mess of the education system. I will not vote for anyone running for PPM because Julie needs to go. Then again PPM may win and Julie will give up the ministry she ruined.
I wouldn’t say she made a complete mess of the education system. The system which she just introduce is working well. It’s a very good system. I have two children in government school and I can see improvement in the children overall education. But then again I know the teachers at That school has a passion for teaching and literally care about the students learning and that attitude has push the students a far way. Overall if they stick to the new curriculum and teachers, parents and students work together all will be well.
Don’t worry, new curriculum and strategic plan rolling out in 2021.
Home-learning must be avoided at all cost. Today’s youth may very well be our most socially underdeveloped generation in centuries.
Technology and social media have replaced face-to-face conversation already. Today kids converse with text messages. Generation Z grows up online. Their world is filled with “likes,” acronyms, and emojis.
Distance learning further separates kids from each other and creates deficit in interaction with peers. Anxiety issues and depression will become rampant among kids.
The private school management simply know how to phrase things in a positive light. I was not at all impressed. There was no zoom or live classes. I was not happy. Maybe because I had to work and therefore could not become the substitute teacher. But the school positively promoted those who did have stay at home parents who finally had something to do. Because the work they were showing was not done by the kids. I myself as an adult probably couldn’t accomplish what these “kids” did.
I couldn’t agree more. It was a horrific experience for us. So much so, we will not be returning to the school for the next academic year. For us COVID exposed how little teaching was actually happening!
Please look around the other schools. Maybe consider a small school where you may get a more personalised approach, less red tape and more individual care.
not according to any parents i’ve met.,,,
they have been staggered by the laziness of the teachers and it has made them realise how little the kids are actiually thought in school.
sorry if the truth hurts/offends.
You clearly weren’t TAUGHT very much! LMAO
lmao?
All I can say is that the teachers at EMPS wasent backing down. I had to wonder to my self if they knew this was coming and was practicing because my children was like still in school with the on line class. Teachers were on time every blessed day. They would text, whats app, email what ever it was to reach the students to ensure the students were in class. There was support and full communication from the Teachers, Principal and vice Principal.
Thank you 9:29pm, at least one parent has something good to say about a PUBLIC school.
My Son finished up 6th grade at CIS this year. They were great to work with and very professional and hands on. The switch over to home school on a computer was easy and keeping up with the teachers was even easier as we did it on computer and any questions were answered quickly. CIS rocks.
Must be who you are. I am still waiting on a response to my concerns.
Maybe its who you are. I am a normal, nice and not rich person who is a good parent and husband.
Any parent deserves a response to their concerns? How is the parent at fault? How is this acceptable ?
Yeah and it only cost us about $5,000 for the 2 months.
You get what you pay for.
Still less per child than the Government schools.
Send them to public school then. I dare you.
Pesky private sector, doing things right…
Yeah, right.