Guernsey must scrap GCSEs, but could go for own exam
Tuesday 18th September 2012, 8:30AM BST.
Denis Mulkerrin faces the cameras to talk about his review of primary education.
GCSEs are almost certain to be scrapped in Guernsey after 29 years.
The Education Department is expected to announce the move officially by the end of the week.
But Denis Mulkerrin, who was commissioned to review both secondary and primary education, said yesterday it would not be possible for Guernsey students to continue sitting GCSEs in their current form once England had replaced the exams in 2015.
‘They could not continue the way they are at moment,’ he said.
The Education Department released a short statement saying an announcement would be made by the end of the week ‘once the implications of the proposed changes in England have been considered by the relevant staff’.
Mr Mulkerrin, pictured, who has been nominated for a seat on Education’s board as a non-States member, was speaking after Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg and Education Secretary Michael Gove yesterday announced plans for GCSE exams to be replaced in core subjects by a qualification called the English Baccalaureate Certificate.
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Hay Carole Steer – this is a great plan isnt it!!! – this way we CAN’T FAIL at GCSE’s!
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After 29 years ?
These would be the GCSEs that were introduced in 1988 ?
They clearly did nothing to improve standards in mathematics …..
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Before that the exams were called O levels, and if you were not academically minded CSE’s.
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The new examination technique will be a TRUE test of academic ability. You may argue with me but a substantial amount of pupils attain high grades because they are spoon-fed. In one of my History revision sessions the teacher was giving the students the material to study, rather than having them take their own initiative.
Perhaps there will not be as many happy faces next year…
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International Baccalaureat for Guernsey maybe?
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So they choose a fancy pants poncy name for it thinking it will make it all better? how long till they ‘graduate’, from ‘High’, school ?
they need to introduce subjects that will actually benefit people in real life and teach them how to budget etc just as one example!
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I hope that Guernsey Education ask the views of educationalists, employers and pupils before they take Mr. Gove’s ideas piecemeal.On BBC tv ,he asked a class of primary pupils if they wanted to go to university…naturally they all said yes …they were on tv….The exams should be a mixture of final exams and carefully moderated coursework ..that way ability is properly tested ,not just ability to remember information for an exam.
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