Comments on: Extra lessons in public schools to be outlawed

By: dwayne kingston

dwayne kingston — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 04:15:16 +0000

so you’re saying that if postal workers don’t get paid well they should hold onto your mail and make you come to the post office after hours and pay more for it.

By: dwayne kingston

dwayne kingston — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 04:03:47 +0000

yes extra lessons should be allowed but they should be free and there should be designated teachers and a lesson plan implemented by the school. right now the teachers are to busy doing their own classes at UG.

By: G/t for life

G/t for life — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 00:56:12 +0000

Does the minister have teaching experience? Put him on a flat that houses 20 classes, each class should have no less than 35 children and the classes must be less than a metre away from each other. Let us see how much he will accomplish in one day.

By: evileyes

evileyes — Sat, 13 Sep 2008 02:44:15 +0000

Mainstay you ought to go back to Guyana where you got your education and help the children.I bet you wont say you are overpaid for the job you are doing in the British Virgin Island.No matter how low salaries are for people in any country that does not give them the right to do wrong.These teachers are highly paid as compared to what they were paid prior to 1992.Would you not agree?

By: TEACH

TEACH — Sat, 13 Sep 2008 01:48:01 +0000

It is very disheartening that folks bash the lesson syndrome.It is a known fact that the syllabi governing teaching in many instances cannot be covered in the time alloted in school.It should be stressed that affordability is not always the cause for concern SINCE MANY PARENTS HAVE NO PROBLEM GIVING THEIR CHILDREN THINGS THEY WANT & NOT WHAT THEY NEED LIKE CELL PHONES, LATEST OF ALMOST EVERY CONCEIVABLE ITEM.Also many parents are either too busy or lazy to see their role in education.The ministry of education too needs to ensure that the system be rid of teachers who waste time in school & wait for after school lessons to teach.As a teacher of this thankless profession for 12years in the secondary area(9in Guyana) i fully endorse extra lessons as a supplement for ensuring maximum results. IT IS REMARKABLE THAT NOT ONE COMMENT IS MENTIONED ABOUT THE HARD WORKING TEACHERS IN THE SYSTEM WHO REMAIN UNDERPAID & OVERWORKED.I can say without apology that my students over these years have benefitted from extra lesson as enforcement of prior or unavoidably new work

By: michael tannassee

michael tannassee — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 22:42:14 +0000

The core reason — which should have been addressed since 1992,, never too late — for this has become evident from the teachers who ,, should be performing at their college best ,, on the job during the hours ,, they are paid to perform ,, don’t rather they “play with flossie tail” til 3pm and den get serious ,, fuh gih extra lessen ! de ress wah gan home and kyan afford extra lessen ,, dem en get home wuk !….. so there now u have it … and all de ress ah y’all can give it a ress ,,,,,,,

By: michael tannassee

michael tannassee — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 22:13:08 +0000

it’s called inherency,, like from ur DNA !…………

By: QueenBee

QueenBee — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 18:26:19 +0000

I believe the government should sponser these lessons on a as needed basis. Call it an after school program for slow lerners. For those who are much stronger and better lerners, and would like to enhance on what they know they should have their own private lessons away from scholl properity.

By: colt45

colt45 — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 17:33:35 +0000

CV just an fyi, many teachers used to get same if not better results at the exam without extra lessons. Wanna know why? They were teachers, not just mere employees waiting for the month end paycheck. Moreover many of those who charge for extra lessons, laze around during the day just marking books so the kids are forced to attend extra lessons if they want to pass the exam.

By: Steel

Steel — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 16:12:55 +0000

In response to the canadian:
If I give you a blunt answer upfront you may simply choose to not read further. I am well aware of the “underachievers” as I class myself as one. However, the term “specially gifted ” should be used.
There are special classes, and you can likened it to ’summer classes’ if you will, which the Ministry Of Education should provide free of charge to those specially gifted students. Special attention are exclusively paid to them during these times. Also, they must be given free passes at the public transportation when in school uniforms so that the burden on their poor parents are reduced. Any class that students go to where they are force returned to home in the nights should be in the “Continuing Adult Education” format.
So, no it should be outlawed.

By: Irreverend

Irreverend — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 15:45:57 +0000

Me hardly eva went to extra lesson and me pass all me exam with flyin colours.

By: MainstayBuck

MainstayBuck — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 14:11:32 +0000

yes evileyes,

the teachers are aware of the salary. But somebody has to do the job. Is that so? And that is one of the main reason why alot of the well trained and experienced teachers migrate….to get away from the peanuts. When all go….who would educate the children who cant afford to migrate into US and other internation schools???? We complain so much about the rising cost of living…when it comes to the basic necessities for our children. How many of us go out of our way to provide the unnecessary material things instead of the basic necessities????
I attended school back in the early 90’s…..i was one of those students who had extra lessons both for SSEE and CXC. Back then i was annoyed at my parents and teachers for puttin me through so much torture….but today it is paying off. All the hard work has made me who and what i am today. And if i have to i will put my kids through it.
When i moved out of Guyana to where i am….i found out that we Guyanese were and are way ahead in the education system compared to the locals here. We can fit in anywhere….the locals barely make it through school…what do they have? why??? because they dont get pushed to do school work as we used to. Even to do homework is considered too much work for kids…. So Guyana be grateful!!! No one can take your education away from you!!!!
If the govt dont want extra lesson at school….then do it home. I use to pay for extra lessons at school….and that covered the teachers transportation travellin up and down the east coast….and compensated for extra time out of her social life. Also….as another blogger said….Parents need to step in and help at home, then kids woulnt need that much extra attention!!!

By: Ulric

Ulric — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 12:46:15 +0000

Solve the problem by evaluating the students prior to placing them in a form;then place them based on this evaluation. An example would be students passing the evaluation exam with a grade of 80% and higher would be in”A section and those scoring lower would be in “B section” of the same grade. In essence you would have two classes for the same grade. When I was in primary school in the early xx’s(lol…In not going to give my appromixate age away) there were students classified “dumb”. They were not; they were only slow learners. As a matter of fact I met two of those “slowlearners” in New York eight years ago. One was the head of surgery in a leading NY hospital and the other was a CPA. What I am talking about (evaluation and placement) is currently practised in most developed countries. You may argue that Guyana does not have the capacity to implement this tatic because of a capacity problem. Then do this: have the 80% students attend a first session-say 8-11 with lots of home work. The slower students from 12-4;hence eliminating the need for extra lessons on Government property. The benifit too, would be that there would be no 90% student in the class room to laugh at the slow learners, and no teacher to classify the student a a “dullard” as is so often done in the Guyanese classroom. I say no more.

By: Ulric

Ulric — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 12:22:39 +0000

Yes, extra lessons for “slow” learners are a good thing, but not on Government property after regular school hours. What are the legal implications to the teacher/Government if a student suffers an injury on school ground during these after school lessons?

By: simon harry

simon harry — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 12:19:29 +0000

all you folks out there running teachers down and in reality you cannot compare guyana teachers and the US ones. because the system in the US take care of or at least try to take care of their teachers .i think you guys forget where you came from and the screwed up system teachers in guyana have to contend with , but still most of the time when your children enter the US and else where they usually are ahead of the game . so people tell the ministry of education to take of our teachers then you put the pressure on the teachers to perform for our kids or get out .

By: Ankoko

Ankoko — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 11:45:51 +0000

All children are not equal!! Children learn at different speeds and during the school day curriculum goals have to be met by the teachers hence only the students capable of keeping that goal oriented pace will absorb enough to succeed.
After school ‘lessons’ have been a part of Guyana’s education system for as long as I could remember and I don’t see it becoming unnecessary simply because the ‘learned’ Minister says so!!
It’s just a matter of setting up how to do it away from the school property because it seems that the gov”t does not want it done on their property (emphasis on their).
The parents and teachers need to get together and work out a way to get it done!

By: lisa

lisa — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 05:45:45 +0000

When I was in school, there was extra lesson; my parent could not afford to pay; so when student like me, that really needed the help did not get it. During class the teachers would favor the children that knew the work (these students was the ones who had extra lessons, many times with that same teacher). when I came to the U.S., I was suprise how small the classes were and there was extra help free of charge if you need it. Me that same student that was failing in school; beginning making C’s, move up to B’s and even some A’s.

The problem is there are too many students to one teacher in the caribbean countries.

By: bluejobs

bluejobs — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 02:36:27 +0000

I don’t know why you guys banging the teachers. I know most of them mean well. Look at it this way…….. If some of you parents spend quality time with your children there wouldn’t be a need for you to send them to extra lessons.

Another thing, you parents out there, have you ever tried explaining “surds” or “the symmetrical functions of the roots of an equation”? ?????????

By: evileyes

evileyes — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 02:20:15 +0000

Arnold.
I am sick and tired of hearing how all these people are working for peanuts.dont teachers know what their salaries are b4 taking the job?ever time these culprits get caught doing wrong they and their cohorts cy-low wages.then get a higher paying job and stop ripping poor people off.

By: carese

carese — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 01:39:35 +0000

yes, i agree with you 100%,

By: Arnold

Arnold — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 00:29:38 +0000

evileyes,
Please Brother!! What salary do you thinks a “poor” Teacher gets’? A miserable one………Which can’t maintain them for a month…….
So if they do a little extra work for their passage. Why they have to pay the govt.?
In developed countries, in 2 years you can own a Little Home and a Car…

In my DEAR land of GUYANA..You have to WORK your Lifetime to GAIN the SAME.
Sorry if i’m wrong…..

By: Debbie

Debbie — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 23:30:24 +0000

Steel, I agree with you. The teachers do not teach all of what they schould and save some for the “extra lessons” or they would have nothing else to teach. Homework help and extra help with school work taught but not fully understood is understandable. Most teachers do not give the slow learners any additional help unless they are being paid cash for “extra lessons.”
I have experienced this myself as a child attending school in GT.

By: truegt

truegt — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 23:14:39 +0000

extra lessons is no problem just not on school property since the schools dont profit from it.

By: truegt

truegt — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 23:06:52 +0000

no we not going to have underachievers.we are going to have teachers paying for facilities to cary on thier lessons.