Editorial

Streaming in Education

Streaming in Education

The Ministry of Education in Seychelles is responsible for the development of syllabuses, external examinations such as the General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE), and ensuring that all schools follow approved syllabuses.  Criticism has, rightly or wrongly, been levelled at the ministry on the practice of streaming. 

Streaming is the placement of students in specific programmes within the education system. Total responsibility is placed on the teacher to cater for students of all ability and talent, given the limited resources and support available. This is at the expense of not being able to differentiate between students of superior intellect and its associate high academic ability, with those of lesser ability.  The practice is to the detriment of the better performing students.  This means that students of better ability are not given priority within the current education framework.

Within such a scenario, it is the gifted students that are placed at a disadvantage.  The main reason for this is that such students do not receive sufficient motivation to achieve their full potential.  The current education framework, where students are based upon social grouping and the lock-step method of promotion, may constitute barriers to the development of outstanding talent.  One solution to ensure that each child has a right to realise his or her potential, is through the introduction of vertical streaming.  The aim of vertical streaming is to provide all students with a broad, balanced, quality, up to date set of courses (curriculum).  The courses take into account the needs of students of differing abilities and backgrounds, whilst seeking to provide for all students an enriching school experience.

The course requirements need re-definition. These have to be in terms of objectives, content and expected outcomes for students of various ages and levels of ability. Also needed is the defining of outcomes such as the specific, observable indications of learning to be expected of students at the end of a particular stage of a course. Student progression through curriculum structures could then be based upon successful achievement of syllabus objectives and experiences.  Time should be regarded in all schooling as a flexible factor in learning rather than as a determining factor.  It will mean that able students could be provided with extension work within the stage of the syllabus they are undertaking.  However, it also includes the bold step of allowing, at the discretion of the school, “accelerated progression into the next stage of work”, in terms of providing flexible progression - for all students within the context of social growth and peer interaction.

The basis of any accelerated progression will be compression (more work) rather than omitting sections of work. Accelerated progression in any subject requires students to achieve the outcomes of all stages in that subject.  Acceleration is an appropriate response to students who are accelerated learners.  This will involve changes in school organisation and in the curriculum.  These changes include: classroom teaching strategies, flexible progression, vertical grouping, enrichment, specialist classes, mentor programmes, and camps. 

Given the current resources available within the education system it is important to ensure that the objective is one which commits itself to identifying high potential in students - real potential, not imagined potential proposed for political reasons - and creating an educational and social environment which will develop that potential into high performance.

Students Allowance now paid in arrears

The government allowance for students who are pursuing post-secondary education is normally paid monthly in advance. This year, however, things seem to have gone berserk at the Ministry of Finance, where it appears there seem to be a serious shortage of money.

Not only is the allowance being paid in arrears, some students are getting less than they are supposed to. At this time students should have received their April allowance, but some have only received half their March allowance. The Ministry of Education is conveniently blaming bureaucratic confusion rather than lay the blame where it belongs – with the Ministry of Finance, which is seriously short of money. 

April 06, 2007
Copyright 2007: Seychelles Weekly, Victoria, Mahe, Seychelles