Ministry of Education: Reading and math skills still too low
Only 12% of third graders in public schools did satisfactory in the diagnostic tests carried out by the Ministry of Education that monitor reading and math levels (Evaluación Diagnóstica Nacional de Tercer Grado de Primaria). Another 38% of students tested had acceptable performance and 50% showed only basic level.
Ancell Scheker, director of quality control for the public school system, said the purpose of the evaluation was to test performance levels resulting from the new curriculum, support educational centers and use this information to develop programs to train teachers, plans and policies for improving quality. “Quality and equity are the great challenges of our educational system. The results of this evaluation indicate that there is diversity in the performance of the students and that it is necessary to continue the efforts putting all the emphasis on the improvement of learning, “said Scheker.
The president of the Dominican Public Schools Guild (ADP), Eduardo Hidalgo, said that all the blame cannot be placed on the third grade school teachers – these shortcomings must to be shared by the teachers of the early grades. He said the biggest weakness is in reading-writing skills. “The guild sees these scores as a challenge to work to change this situation,” he said. He said improvements are needed in the education teachers are receiving at the university level.
Some 180,000 students were tested. The educational centers will receive their individual report of the results and an analysis guide to bring together the management team and teacher of the first cycle of primary school and families to identify the factors that affect the results so plans for improvement can be drafted.
Diario Libre managing editor Ines Aizpun in an editorial on Monday, 16 April 2018, says the low scholastic levels contrast with doubling of funds available for the public school system. Aizpun appreciated that Education Minister Andres Navarro made the results known to the public. “It’s not poverty, nor low wages, nor lack of technology in the classrooms, nor lack of classrooms, nor masters education for the teachers, nor the conflicts over the choosing of the regional directors,” she comments. “To teach how to read and write, throughout the centuries, 4% of GDP has not been necessary.”
Source: DR1, Diariolibre
April 17, 2018
Category: DR News |