Bold step by Mineduc long overdue

The last few weeks have seen unprecedented developments in the education sector. I will stick to only two talking points that lend credence to the expression; ‘better late than never.’Two critical decisions stood out for me: making it compulsory to attain an ordinary level leaving certificate before sitting advanced level national examinations and invoking a 2007 policy of obtaining at least two principal passes for one to enrol in any local tertiary institution.At this point you may be thinking, “these are the basics of the game!” Hold it; you will be in for a big surprise.To start with, following a countrywide audit of secondary schools in the country, the Ministry of Education (Mineduc) brought to the fore some sobering truths. First, it was revealed that about 6,000 current Advanced Level students in different secondary schools in the country never sat their ordinary level examinations. And as such, they didn’t posses an ordinary level certificate.After completing senior three, these students joined senior four without sitting for the mandatory senior three national examinations. Many of these could have also missed other years of lower secondary education, it was revealed.Following this discovery, the affected students were turned away from sitting this year’s national advanced level examinations. They have been asked to sit for ordinary level (S3) examinations to first attain a lower level certificate as required by the ministry.As if that was not sobering enough, in a space of a week, it was revealed that at least 1,000 private students in tertiary institutions will be sent home because they were fraudulently admitted to different institutions of higher learning. These students were found not to have the required minimum qualification of at least two principal passes to enrol for higher education.The decision to expel these students is based on a 2007 policy that requires universities not to admit students with either Grade S or F – considered as the lowest scores at that level.These decisions have sent tongues wagging, setting into motion a blame game that seems to end in the abyss. For some time, the Ministry of Education has been in the firing line over the dwindling education standards at all levels. By the look of things, the ministry seems to have woken from its slumber with gusto. The question on my mind (which I believe is shared by many) is why it has taken this long for the ministry to address these ‘schoolboy’ irregularities.Surely, there are bigger issues that the ministry ought to be addressing. Talk of constructing and equipping science laboratories, reducing the student-teacher ratio, improving teacher’s welfare and the like. There are many questions than are answers. For example, why has it taken a cool six years to invoke the 2007 policy on the minimum requirements for admission to higher learning institutions?What is the role of the inspectorate department at the ministry? What has the National Council for Higher Education done to curb this open violation of the policy, especially by private institutions of higher learning?However, it is not all gloom. The ministry should be commended for taking these bold moves. My prayer is that this should be the start of a sustained cleanup exercise in the operations of the ministry and its organs.Officials responsible for looking on as the policies were violated should be penalised for ‘sleeping on the job.’ This will send a clear message to all that it is no longer ‘business as usual’ in this critical sector.What then is the plight of the students in this conundrum? Students especially those that chose to skip ordinary level examinations, have no choice but sit the ordinary level certificate examinations. Allowing them to continue their studies will be akin to condoning malpractice.Another batch is that of students who have been found not to have the required qualifications but had already been registered by different private institutions of higher learning. The Ministry has ordered that their admission be cancelled and their tuition refunded.This is the most logical thing to do.But there could be another way: A bridge course could offer a lifeline to this group of students.Under this arrangement, a short intensive course could be designed to help them meet the required knowledge level for admission to higher institutions of learning.The writer is a journalist.

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Bold step by Mineduc long overdue