STEADY GAINS

The past year has seen a mixture of challenges and success, for those at the Daryll Jordan Secondary School.

Principal Stephen Jackman acknowledged the above, as he spoke at the school’s Awards and Prize Giving Ceremony held yesterday, at the educational institution located in Trents, St. Lucy. He first spoke of the areas of success.

“There has been improved academic performance across the school and that is evidenced by the number of awardees here today, some 140. Perhaps what is more telling, is the 53 students who made the Principal’s Honour role, during the course of the academic year. Then there are the ten students who would have passed four or more subjects at one sitting, at CSEC examinations,” Jackman pointed out.

“At the start of each academic year, the staff are asked to investigate what has happened in the previous year, the strengths, the weaknesses, what worked, what didn’t, what can be kept and what has to be changed. This type of analysis is leading to the gradual improvement in student performance,” he acknowledged.

He meanwhile noted that at the CSEC level, the school entered 104 students, an increase over the 89 from the previous year. There was a total of 328 subject entries (118 males and 210 female) and there were 172 students (69 males, 103 females) who obtained grades 1, 2 or 3, giving a 52 per cent pass rate, comprising of 58 per cent males and 49 per cent females.

Physical Education and Sport, Visual Art and Electronic Data Preparation and Management, led the way with 100 per cent passes the principal indicated, whilst Metal Work saw 12 of the 14 boys passing, for a 92 per cent pass rate. There were also gains in Food and Nutrition, Home Management and Clothing and Textiles.

“The English department took the bold step to enter all students and saw a 38 per cent pass rate. This is a success given the reading difficulties that students enter this school with. It is also a reflection of the slow but steady gains that the remedial programme has been making,” Jackman also pointed out.

He meanwhile praised the efforts of his teachers who provide “yeoman service”, to ensure that these results take place.

As for the challenges, the principal revealed that for the year, the school has grappled with absenteeism and lateness, in part, given the severe challenges experienced by the Transport Board. He also suggested that indiscipline amongst some students, is something the school is working to address.

“The school will not compromise its standards of discipline and it must be said, that you cannot castigate the young people for breaches in discipline and at the same time pull down the institution for enforcing its standards. Adolescents have linear logic and such stances confuse them,” he said. (RSM)