Ministry appeals to parents: Be reasonable over SSEE placements
Guyana Chronicle
July 6, 2004
THE Ministry of Education will not be accommodating requests from parents of students who recently wrote the Secondary Schools Entrance Examination (SSEE) and failed to secure a place in a school of their choice by one or two marks.
Acting Assistant Chief Education Officer, Mr. Vibert Hart, told reporters last week that the Department of Education will ensure students are placed in the most suitable schools in the area according to the information given by parents.
Appealing to parents to be “reasonable” and ease the severe pressure already borne by the ministry faced with overcrowding in schools, he reiterated that students short by one mark will not receive special favours.
He said some 18,000 to 19,000 students wrote the SSEE this year and all will be accommodated in schools across the regions.
Hart also expressed concern that students have to travel long distances from other regions to the city to attend school when they have placements in their respective communities.
His advice to parents is – “Think carefully about what you are doing.”
“Our schools in Georgetown are overcrowded and a number are slated for rehabilitation works”, he noted, adding that schools in the capital city are under pressure for space and urged parents to accept the placements given.
With regards to Community High Schools, the ministry has agreed to accommodate students at schools in their respective communities, Hart said.
He added that there might be cases where, for example, a student from Queenstown, Georgetown was placed in West Ruimveldt, also in the city.
In such a case, “we are favourably disposed to place the child” in the Community High School where he or she lives, he reported.
The official pointed out that this move will ease the financial burden on the home.
Senior Placement Officer, Ms. Natalie Arthur, reporting on placements for nursery and primary students, said 95% of the letters for placement have been dispatched.
She advised parents to check with the district post office, nursery heads and supervisors of play groups.
She said that queries about placement for nursery and primary can be made between July 19 and July 30 at the Exams Division, Ministry of Education, Brickdam, Georgetown.
Parents are asked to report with the placement letter, proof of address and any additional information in their possession.
Arthur added that in anticipation of late registration, the office will be opened from September 1 and those seeking transfers are asked to report July 26-30.
Placement Officer, Ms. Dianah Rutherford, said that queries for secondary school placement are from July 6 to July 16 and parents must walk with original SSEE results slip, which must have the school’s stamp and the signature of the Head Teacher.
No photocopy slips will be accepted, she added.
Parents of students who scored less than 344 marks and are not yet placed in a school, are asked to report with the relevant information and a document to verify their address between August 9 and 11.