GRADE six exams will now be a thing of the past as the Ministry of Education and Human Resource Development (MEHRD) has finally decided to put an end to it this year.
In a document the Sunday Star cited, it confirmed the decision has been formally made by the government to phase out Solomon Islands Secondary Entrance Examination (SISEE).
The messages intended to parents, students, head teachers &teachers stated 2018 was the final year that SISEE was administered to year 6 pupils.
It stated that MEHRD has made a decision that no SISEE will be conducted in 2019.
And as of the beginning of 2020, all year 6 students must be placed and registered in Year 7.
“From now on, focus will be on supporting teachers to implement an effective formative assessment to support student learning improvement,” the document reads.
It stated that details of the new Classroom Assessment and Reporting Framework will be made known to the schools by the NEAD/MEHRD by August/September 2019.
Adding, they must include in their teaching and learning plans, selected assessments activities they must conduct for this purpose, and choice of school where the year 6 student is expected or would like to attend year 7 classes in 2020 by the first week of October 2019.
It revealed that all classroom assessment results from primary schools must be submitted to their respective Education Authorities for their action.
Upon receiving the classroom assessment reports, the Education Authority selection/planning committee will distribute and place students according to the pupils’ choices of year 7 and space availability and to inform the primary schools and secondary schools by 31 December 2019.
It stated existing Community High Schools, Provincial Secondary Schools and National Secondary Schools should make every effort to accommodate year 7 students in 2020.
It also conveyed the key messages to parents, communities, school boards, school leaders and Education Authorities that:
- Education Authorities and school principals should lead the local planning for their schools to accommodate movement of year 6 students to year 7. The Education Authorities are requested to advise MEHRD of places they are likely to create in year 7 classes in 2020 by 30 September 2019.
- Each Education Authority is expected to establish a selection/planning committee and use the classroom assessment reports, supplied by year 6 teachers/school principals, to distribute and place students according to a set of criteria including the pupils’ choices to Community High Schools, Provincial Secondary Schools and National Secondary Schools.
- Each Education Authority must develop a set of criteria with the assistance and guidance of Schools Division/MEHRD to support them in their placement of all students into Year 7.
- Education Authorities and school principals are requested to work very closely with the SISEE Phase out Taskforce of MEHRD between July and December 2019 to implement the SISEE Phase out Implementation Strategy.
- Education Authorities and School Principals will provide advice and assistance to parents and students on enrolment for year 7 for the commencement of 2020 school year.
- Community High Schools will maximise classes (up to 40 per class) to accommodate additional year 7 classes. Where there are smaller classes (less than 10 students in a year level), composite classes will be formed.
- A reminder to school principals and school boards that schools must not charge school fees (including transfer or administration fees) to students. School principals and boards must not stop a student from attending a school for reasons of finance. Schools are allowed to organise fund-raising drives including contributions from parents for school development.
By AATAI J. LAUNGI
