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by pltm
It was a grand celebration for the Territory last evening, June 22, as the first set of students to complete the new Twelfth Grade at the Elmore Stoutt High School (ESHS), graduated with almost half of the graduating class receiving honors.
159 students graduated last evening from the institution, with a total of 75 students making it onto the honor roll, including 4 students receiving high honors.
The graduation was held at the Multipurpose Sports Complex.
Filled with satisfaction and a drive to boast, Education Minister, Hon. Myron Walwyn, who had received much scrutiny from the general public about the additional school year, congratulated the students for their success and for proving the naysayers wrong.
The Minister noted that the 2017 graduating class of ESHS is the most qualified graduating class of them all.
During his congratulatory remarks, the Minister reminded the students, that with the changes that took place last school year, speaking to the inclusion of CXC, dual enrollment and graduation requirements, their class is the most qualified to ever graduate from ESHS.
“Graduands, you have indeed worked hard and persevered, and here you are today marking yet another significant milestone in your lives. You have done well and I am extremely proud of all of you,” Hon. Walwyn said.
With these adjustments and changes, along with a host of quality assurance initiatives that were implemented, the Education Minister expressed that the school leaving results have greater authenticity than ever before.
(PLTM) - He said, “The Ministry’s constant engagement, monitoring and implementation of various qualifying factors, encouraged our students to work harder and more consistently.”
The Minister spoke to the importance of enhancing the curriculum, to include more educational opportunities for the students, noting that they are not only being educated to advance the Territory, but also to compete in the global market.
“Our insistence that our students sit and pass a minimum of 5 CSEC subjects, inclusive of Math and English to receive a Government scholarship, and now the addition of CAPE is no trivial initiative. It is part and parcel of ensuring that our young people can compete in the global market.”
The Minister also disclosed that following the performance of the students and the opportunity for them to be dually enrolled, along with the introduction of CXC/CSEC and CAPE subjects in the school, there is a total of 32 students who already meet the requirements to receive a scholarship from the government.
Hon. Walwyn also took the opportunity to address the naysayers, who doubted his Ministry’s ability to deliver and make strides within the education sector.
“Many see the initiatives of the Ministry as too many, too fast, but if we take a look at the world around us and the new premium placed on competence, we will see that we have a lot to do to get on track and to ensure that our young people are in a position to compete with the best.”
He stated that his Ministry understands the importance in stretching the Territory’s young people, and helping them to develop critical thinking skills, to be creative, to be innovative and to develop the capacity to question and take risks to improve their circumstances and indeed improve the country.
