Sample Results of Open-Ended Questions From Survey

• In Event: Educating Diverse Democracies: Comparing the Voices of Teachers and Students on Implementation of Secondary Reforms in Seven Countries

Abstract

Sample results of open-ended questions from survey (Numbers in brackets are number of respondents)

From Trinidad
• Many lack basic numerical and literacy skills (29)
• Removal of remedial teacher and subject teachers were asked to work with students who need remediation (untrained)(3)
• NEC exams were scraped and replaced with CVQ and CSEC (6), too difficult for most students (3)
• “With introduction of laptop (every child gets one entering Grade 7 in Trinidad), students performance has declined. Students use laptop for entertainment (Social media, games, Youtube)” (13)
• No WIFI in school, teachers not given laptops, little or no training (12)
• School Based Assessment (SBAs) as 30% of CSEC is problematic, e.g. not submitted (4), standards of marking (1), too rushed (1), too many (1), too much time spent

From Uganda
• “Students are too much spoon fed by the teachers and some of them do not see the need of education” (Math teacher)
• “Negative attitudes because of the abstract methods of teaching and failure to relate the course to everyday life.” (Science HOD).
From Sierra Leone
• Introduction of the 6-3-3-4 sytem (18) increased standards (15), increased numbers of students (13), fewer dropouts (13), and the addition of TVET (6).
• Students’ attitudes divided - improving (20% of respondents), negative attitudes (19%).
• Cheating was evident and also pointed to the problem of “students [who] disregard school work and [who] prefer private lessons... to pass.”

Quality Education Reform in China

Weak ability in understanding and applying what they have learned. (Female chemistry teacher with
20 years’ experience)

Curriculum is not changing, teachers cannot be changed. (Junior HS male student)

Quality Education is implemented with a lot of resistance. (Senior HS politics teacher)

Quality Education Reform and Exam System
Exam-oriented education needs reform. Now students study only for exams. What is the use of
studying? I strongly suggest Chinese education learn from foreign countries, with discovery, creative thinking, so that students can learn real and practical knowledge. (Male senior HS student)

High school exam system is not good. It should not be “a single exam to decide one’s fate.” (Student)

Curriculum should have been taught with more interest. But due to the pressures of time and exam, the interesting contents are reduced. (New female geography teacher)

Variety of teaching approaches but little changes in evaluation. Great emphasis on exam. It’s difficult to achieve the goals of quality-education reforms. (Male HS Chinese teacher)

Better not to decide on one’s fate with one exam. Good grades mean everything is fine. Those with low grades appear to be abandoned. The fact is in the real world, how well one succeeds has no relation to exam results. Exam system should cater to everyone. Exam system will only make students hate school, rather than enjoy school. (Female HS Chinese teacher)

Authors

• Peter Yee Han Joong, University of Toronto

• Nalini Ramsawak-Jodha, The University of the West Indies