by Leela Ramdeen, Chair, CCSJ and Director, CREDI
“The Catholic school has a single Christian vision, an integrated concept of what makes a fully authentic and mature human being. The educational process is not confined to the curriculum, nor to the academic, technical, artistic and sporting achievements of the school. The Catholic school should be seen as offering the possibility not only of exploring the mystery which God is, but also of demonstrating the Gospel in action. It must be consistent throughout and in every aspect reflect the Christian faith, which is its soul, its inspiration and its justification.” (late Cardinal Basil Hume).
What are Catholic schools for? What makes Catholic schools different from e.g. Government schools?
All Catholic educators should read documents such as Gravissimum Educationis (Second Vatican Council on Education, 1965) and “The Religious Dimension of Education in aCatholicSchool” (The Sacred Congregation for Catholic Education, Rome. 1988). Paragraph 22 states: “A Catholic school is not just an environment for providing a series of lessons; it operates out of an educational philosophy, which aims to meet the needs of the young people of today in light of the Church’s faith in Jesus Christ”.
I recall leading discussions in Westminster Diocese, Londonon the Diocese’s 1988 document: Our Catholic Schools: their Identity and Purpose (revised in 1996 & 2006). This became known at the “Red Book”. It outlines the Philosophy of Catholic Education.
The fact that a school is a “community of persons” has major implications for how members of each school community treat/care for each other. All Catholic schools should be striving to realise the mission of our archdiocese to build the Civilisation of Love. When we love each other as God intends we will want the best for each other.
During this holiday period I ask all those involved in Catholic education to reflect on whether what is on offer in our Catholic schools – RC Primary Schools in particular, is the best that we can offer, and if not, what action we should take to introduce proper quality assurance systems in our schools to ensure that there is some common evaluation “yardstick” that will enable us to engage in the cyclical process of “plan, act, review”.
Each year our media focus on those SEA students who fall within the top 200 of the 20,000 or so students who sit the exam. There are about 121 RC Primary Schools in T&T. Over the past five or more years too few students in RC Primary schools fall within the top 200 at SEA. However, league tables are not much use if we do not locate them within the context of the achievement of all our students and all dimensions of our students.
In an article in the Guardian on March 30, 2011, the Minister of Education, Hon Tim Gopeesingh said: “a research analysis of the SEA results over the last five years was presented to all denominational boards indicating the performance in each school. We asked them to meet with their schools, their principals and supervisors to ensure there is a better performance this year (2012).”
Now is the time to use the SEA statistics provided to each school to assist in the evaluation of the performance of each school. How did the children in your school fare? How many re-sat the exam this year and how many will re-sit next year? What, if any, special programmes are offered to this group of students? How many students scored below 30%; between 30-40% etc.? How did these children fare in earlier tests? Are early warning systems built into the continuous assessment processes in your school to enable you to prepare and implement successful intervention programmes for those who are experiencing difficulties before they get to Standard Five? What role do parents play in the education of children in your school? How can you strengthen parental involvement?
The media tells us that this year, of the 19,835 students who sat the SEA, 860 students scored above 90%, compared to 786 in 2011; 10,195 scored above 60%, compared to 9,826 in 2011; 12,723 scored above 50%, compared to 12,216 in 2011; 1,680 students scored below 30% compared to 1,800 in 2011. About 81 schools across T&T had places in the first 200, compared to 41 schools in the first 150 in 2011. Although there has been improvement across the board, we know that we must strive harder to promote integral human development of students in our care.
If we agree with Howard Gardner’s multiple intelligences and understand how children develop, we will accept that the SEA offers limited information about what a student knows and can do. An analysis of SEA scores, therefore, must be considered within a wider context. Our schools should evaluate the value added dimension that is being added to the moral, spiritual, mental, physical, social, cultural and other development of each and every student. Catholic schools must make a difference.
