There has been a marked decline in pupils writing the Secondary Entrance Assessment (SEA) exam in the last decade.The Ministry of Education's statistics reveal there are 4,000 less pupils writing the exam this year than ten years ago, and a few hundreds less almost every year since 2003.A ministry official attributed the alarming decrease to a decline in the enrolment of students at the primary level, mainly in rural communities. The official insisted the new policy to hold back students at the primary school level until they are up to standard academically to sit the exam was not responsible.
In some schools along the North East coast, the school population has dwindled from 150 pupils to a mere 30, the official said.In 2001, over 21,000 pupils wrote the first SEA exam as opposed to the 17,327 pupils sitting the 2011 test on Tuesday.The last Common Entrance exam in 2000 recorded 29,567 pupils writing the exam.Last year 17,268 pupils were at the exam.Former education minister, Hazel Manning in 2006 admitted that the number of pupils writing the SEA exam had reduced.Manning had said this was as a result of the number of pupils being kept back because they were not performing up to standard.
"Every year there has been a fall in primary school enrolment," the official said.For the past decade, this trend has been developing, resulting in a smaller school population."This is reflective in some primary schools."Asked if this was a good or bad sign, the official responded: "It all has to do with the birth rate in the country."Having worked as a school supervisor for several years, a ministry source revealed that several primary schools had a population of under 50 pupils. Two such schools are Tableland Anglican and Biche Presbyterian.Tableland has between 21 to 22 pupils.Biche Presbyterian school had 150 pupils, now there are approximately 30 pupils attending.
Number of SEA students writing the exam between 2003-2010.
Statistics obtained from the Ministry of Education.
Year Male Female Total
2003 10,313 10,365 20,669
2004 10,338 10,476 20,814
2005 9,602 10,184 19,786
2006 9,512 9,207 18,719
2007 8,964 8,840 17,804
2008 9,071 8,784 17,855
2009 8,702 8,913 17,615
2010 8,736 8,532 17,268
SEA statistics obtained from T&T Guardian's archive:
2002 21,561
2001 21,186
2000 29,567 (last Common Entrance Exam)
1999 30,251
1999 30,251