Second batch for Region Four ‘Great Minds’ initiative
The Department of Education, Region Four in an expression of confidence in the success of its Great Minds initiative, has taken steps to commence its second batch much earlier even though the 2019 National Grade Six Assessment (NGSA) official results are yet to be made public.
The Region in a release, stated that the initiative, which was birthed by the Ministry of Education, was geared towards the 2019 National Grade Six Assessment (NGSA) exams and was passionately supported by acting Regional Education Officer (REdO), Tiffany Harvey in 2018. The initiative is now being viewed as the perfect vehicle that will deliver success in the NGSA exams to the region and will be continued by the Department of Education, Region Four.
The programme was named Great Minds after Harvey had said that the greatest of the minds in Region Four were being further moulded so as to bring greater success to the region. She added that the programme will continue to challenge the students to increase their performance while motivating them to continue studying and or doing exceptionally well.
Harvey in an earlier interview had said that over the years the focus has been on students who are not that strong and who need remedial work. However, those students who have been known as high flyers or excelling, have been forgotten, as the perception is there that they are fine and will continue to do well. “Through the Great Minds, it [will] help in removing complacency as the students would know that while they are top of their respective class or school, that there are others who can challenge them, thus forcing them to do better. They would recognise that while they may have it easy at their respective school, when they are faced with similar students doing equally well or even better than them, they would recognise that there is no room for complacency. As such, they must ensure that their performances remain intact, while their performances must be at a certain level if they want to remain at the top,” she said.
One of the facilitators of the programme, Jennel Lewis of St Paul’s Primary said that while they had begun the classes in September, they have opted to do it much earlier this year, recognising that if significant work is to be