TCI: Eliza Simons student tops GSAT 2018, Oseta Jolly primary sets bar higher with better pass rate

#Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands – Tuesday June 26, 2018 – A usual chart-topping streak has been broken with the absence of Oseta Jolly Primary School from the Top Ten list of the Grade Six Achievement Test for 2018.

The school, usually located in Blue Hills Providenciales was the hardest hit public institution by the ferocious Hurricane Irma, which pounded the site and obliterated any possibility of the 500 children returning to the campus during the 2017-2018 Academic year.

The Ministry of Education suffered a firestorm of criticism for its handling of conditions for the students and teachers, faculty and parents of Oseta Jolly Primary but there was no trace of animosity when this evening we spoke to the school’s principal, Rachel Handfield.

There was jubilation in Mrs. Handfield’s voice and she reveled in the performance of her students.  

“It was a happy atmosphere at Oseta Jolly today when we got the results.  Yes, there was the list (of top ten students) but we are happy to celebrate with Enid Capron and Ona Glinton in particular and to see that government schools have done well.”

Oseta Jolly students and faculty had taken up residence at the Edward Gartland Youth Center and the Gus Lightbourne Gym following the September storm.  Public schools were closed nearly two months.

There was challenge with a lack of privacy in teaching the students, extreme heat was also a foe when the  air-conditioner at the Gym malfunctioned; it forced the school to go to half days; complaints by staff exposed to the public that there were leaky ceilings due to excessive rainfall and when it was time for the GSAT examinations, once again Oseta Jolly’s regular time table was upset as classes were suspended for a week for all students because the gym was a venue for the exam in Provo.  

Two boys were top of the best performer’s list; Ewing Franklyn of Eliza Simmons Primary School in Grand Turk earned the number one spot and at No. 2 was James T’Andre’  from Precious Treasures International School in Providenciales.  Franklyn earned an overall 92.29 per cent and T’Andre’ had 92.19 per cent.

There were 12 students named for the Top Ten, with a three way tie for tenth place.

Minister of Education, Karen Malcolm confirmed that the list we received on social media was indeed authentic and it revealed that of the ten performances on the regional and national exam, for the Turks and Caicos Islands the government school system dominated.

Ten of the 12 were from public primary schools and making the best showing was Ona Glinton of Grand Turk with five of its students there, two for Eliza Simons Primary also in Grand Turk and Enid Capron Primary of Five Cays with three students making the best list.

When Magnetic Media contacted Oseta Jolly’s principal to determine the mood of the school given its absence from the nation’s best GSAT performers’ list, there was the sound of sincere joy in Mrs. Handfield’s voice as she explained that her school is happy.

“We had 73 students sit the GSAT and only nine were unsuccessful. Our 86 per cent pass rate was an improvement and we are extremely happy.  I am excited for schools like Enid Capron and Ona Glinton which stood out this year.  I celebrate that Oseta Jolly has gotten these children ready to enter high school.”

Oseta Jolly Primary remains the only displaced school following the harrowing hurricane season of 2017 yet the principal explained that she was thrilled at the pass rate of her remedial class, where of the 26 students sitting the GSAT from that focus group, 23 overcame the odds and passed their GSAT.

There was the sound of activity as Mrs. Handfield spoke to us via phone.  It was explained that students are now relaxed and readying for another big moment:  the Mr & Ms Oseta Jolly Primary school pageant which is set for this coming Thursday July 26, 2018 at the Gus Lightbourne Gym.

There are 11 contestants in the pageant.