Education
80% of local kids in under-performing schools
(CNS): Only one school across the Cayman Islands received an ‘excellent’ grade from school inspectors in 2020. The Office of Education Standards’ annual data analysis for last year revealed that almost three-quarters of all children are in under-performing schools and 80% of Caymanian students are attending schools not yet meeting the expected level of performance.
Poor leaders undermine school’s achievements
(CNS): What was once considered one of Cayman’s best private schools has been given just a ‘satisfactory’ grade by government inspectors. Even though student attainment and progress was either ‘good’ or ‘excellent’ in English, maths and science across the whole school, “fundamental weaknesses in leadership and governance” brought down St Ignatius Catholic School’ overall grade. […]
Kids at SJAC Primary falling well behind
(CNS): A significant number of young students attending Sir John A. Cumber Primary in West Bay are far behind where they should be, the Office of Education Standards (OES) found after a follow-up inspection of the school in November. Overall the school was graded ‘satisfactory’ but children’s attainment in English, mathematics and science was ‘weak’ […]
Ministry confirms extra school holiday is for staff
(CNS): The decision to extend the Christmas school holidays by two weeks is largely to support educators after a difficult year, officials have said. On Friday Education Minister Juliana O’Connor-Connolly confirmed the change to the start date for the New Year Term from 4 January to 18 January, following reports on CNS earlier this week. […]
School Christmas break extended two weeks
(CNS): Parents with children in government schools will have them home for the holidays for much longer than usual. Government confirmed to CNS that there are plans to extend the Christmas school holiday by two weeks. However, officials would not say whether or not this additional holiday is to allow teachers from overseas extra time […]
UCCI beefs up security after campus ruckus
(CNS): The arrival of at least two armed men at the University College of the Cayman Islands (UCCI) campus on Tuesday, which led to some sort of altercation believed to have involved at least one student, has seen the college beef up security at the site on Olympic Way. Police were apparently called to the […]
‘Modest’ improvement in school exam results
(CNS): Government officials said “modest gains” were made by Year 11 and 12 high school students in their external examination results this year. By the end of Year 12, 86% of the Class of 2020 had attained Level 2 passes (Grades I, II or III) in English, compared to just over 75% last year. Results […]
Savannah primary stays closed due to storm damage
(CNS): Savannah Primary School will not open on Tuesday due to significant damage sustained during Tropical Storm Eta on Saturday, the Ministry of Education has said. Government schools are due to reopen tomorrow, 10 November, even though some suffered damage in the form of minor leaks, broken fencing and torn vegetation. However, a release from […]
Gov’t must explain how it’s financing JGHS project
Johann Moxam writes: The legacy of mismanagement by former Minister of Education (2005-09) and now Premier Alden McLaughlin (2013-21) will feature many chapters on project mismanagement and his government’s penchant towards initiating institutional or infrastructural projects without the ability to manage them. This determination to build big shiny structures or black shiny roads regardless of […]
School project spending blurred in budget
(CNS): The total cost of the new John Gray High School development is forecast to be over CI$106 million, education ministry officials confirmed Wednesday during Finance Committee. But as the ministry sought the support of the committee for an additional $20 million to spend next year, the budgeting for the costly project became blurred when […]
Gov’t seeking new school inspector chief
(CNS): After three years as the director of the Office of Education Standards, Peter Carpenter will be leaving the job at the end of this year, triggering the hunt for a new chief school inspector. Officials have now confirmed that Carpenter is leaving for personal reasons and when he goes in late December 2020, he […]
