Mediocrity is Why Nothing Works in T&T

By Prior Beharry

THE attachment to mediocrity is why nothing works in Trinidad and Tobago.

This is the view of Political Leader of the Progressive Empowerment Party (PEP) Phillip Edward Alexander in the wake of poor results of the Secondary Entrance Assessment (SEA) for 2022.

He said, “That attachment to mediocrity is why nothing works in this country because we keep dropping the bar to facilitate political favouritism and as a result, ignorance and mediocrity prevails.”

Ministry of Education Nyan Gadsby-Dolly said, at a press conference on Friday when the results were announced, that there will not be the naming of the top-performing students of SEA for 2022, unlike previous years.

This year’s exam saw 9,000 students scoring less than 50% and $10 million will be spent to provide remedial mathematics and English Language for them during the vacation.

She said 19,079 students wrote the exams and 52.6% who were placed in a secondary school scored less than 50%.

Gadsby-Dolly said that 10 % will have to re-sit the examination.

In a statement on Saturday about the results, Alexander said, “In its go to move when things do not go as planned, Government plans to throw money at the failed educational system for what it blames the pandemic for, but does nothing to recognise or reward all those who endured the same difficulties and succeeded and were successful.”

He asked, “Why? What’s the message here? Why deny those who sacrificed and maintained discipline their due recognition if you are going to remain wed to this failed SEA system that causes more harm than good?”

Alexander said, “No wonder we are a failing society. There is a reason why certain people succeeded and you HAVE to have that conversation as well, if only so as to help those who didn’t do better next time around. What’s missing? What’s included? What works? What clearly doesn’t?

“Which schools are producing winners while others leave their charges behind?

“Successful countries promote their heroes and successes for that reason. To give something for those coming behind to strive for but also to identify what is not working. Here we make excuses and promote low standards.”