I would like to call on the authorities to evaluate the current education system and the negative impacts it has on the students.
As a teacher, my job is to help my students reach their full potential, which can be challenging, given the pressure to also incorporate diagnostic assessments into our learning plans, on top of mid-year, qualifying and final-year examinations.
In my opinion, the constant testing to obtain data has resulted in the annihilation of all hopes to establish a strong foundation on which to help the students obtain knowledge and skills.
But what use is the data if the teachers are not privy to the results of these analyses?
Despite the lack of feedback, teachers are asked to come up with all kinds of tests to evaluate student learning while being pressured to cover the entire syllabus and detail our learning plans. As a result, teachers often rush through their lessons with little time to ascertain that all students have a firm grasp on the study materials.
Then there is the implementation of a “no fail” policy, which allows students who have clearly been struggling with school to move on to the next level, so long as they have good attendance. The result is the continuous struggle in class as the gap between them and their peers widens. The same goes for the streaming of students, which often leads to those already proficient in the English language to share a classroom with those still developing the skills.
As much as teachers are dedicated to helping students prepare for the future, it can at times be taxing as there are too many hurdles to jump through to reach the objective. I often wonder if the education system would be better off without the help of “experts” who base their recommendations on data capturing and analysis.
Frustrated Teacher