USAID’s COMMUNITY TRANSFORMATION PROJECT HELPS TO PREPARE INNERCITY STUDENTS FOR GSAT

Noting that the project is aimed at improving the performance of innercity students in GSAT, Bertrand Laurent, Director, USAID-COMET states, “ The project offers an opportunity for youth to extend their reach and build a better future for themselves.”

The joint venture programme, which began in mid-January, is serving 270 youth from Grants Pen in St. Andrew, Flanker in St. James and White Marl/Central Village in St. Catherine gaining free access to the online exam coaching services of GoGSAT, for a one-year period. The USAID-COMET Project pays the subscription rates of the students, and all the youth have to do is go to the Cyber Centres for at least 2 hours and 40 minutes each week. Every time they log-on at the Centres, they receive timed practice tests to build their familiarity with the material and the process for GSAT Exams.

Shalette East, GoGSAT’s Vice President-Operations, explains the features of the programme, “ We are preparing 45 Grade Six students from each of the three communities for the upcoming GSAT exams, and when they are finished with that exams we will begin to train another 135 students (that is 45 from each of the communities) who are now in Grade 5.” She notes that GoGSAT has trained the teachers and or Centre Managers who will be administering the programme, and these trainers have put in place timetables to ensure that every child gets adequate attention.

Speaking in an interview, Ms. East points out that the children can access tests specific to the subject areas in GSAT, full practice tests on all sections of the Grade Six Curriculum as well as notes on topics covered in GSAT. She indicates that “students have a Help Desk, at which they can seek answers to questions online, and get those answers in 24 hours. They also have a Chatroom, on which they can logon and speak with a tutor live, between 5pm and 7pm.”

Teachers/Centre Managers can also keep track of their grades and progress in preparing for GSAT, through a special facility called a ‘Grade-book’ system.

Schools in the targeted communities assist in the selection of the students –20% of those selected were performing above average, 60% were average and 20 % were performing below average prior to the GoGSAT venture.  “We will also be administering a survey for teachers so they can indicate what level of improvement they have noticed in the students, during the programme,” comments East.

Students from the Grants Pen area who attend New Day Primary and Junior High , Shortwood Practicing  and Constant Spring Primary Schools are involved in the programme which operates out of the community’s Cyber Centre at the Grants Pen Community Policing Station. Nelka Clarke, Administrator for the Centre is pleased with the enthusiasm of the children in using the system for GSAT preparation and is confident that it will be a springboard for better performances.

 “Over the years, the performance by the Grants Pen students in GSAT Exams, has not been satisfactory and so the GoGSAT programme will be of tremendous help. We want a 100% improvement in the performance of the children,” Clarke says, while pointing out that parents are grateful for the programme.

In the city of Montego Bay, the Flanker Peace and Justice Centre as well as the Flanker Primary School and Junior High School serve as the hub for the programme. Marilyn Nash, Director, Flanker Peace & Justice Centre explains that for those students who are unable to pay for extra-lessons at school, the joint venture between the USAID–COMET Project and GOGSAT will definitely give them a “ a boost in their academics.” She says the community welcomes the initiative.

 For the youth of White Marl/Central Village, the programme operates out of the White Marl Primary School. Noting that his organization is very “excited” about the project, Bertrand Laurent says the USAID-COMET collaboration with GoGSAT is consistent with the organization’s capacity building strategy: “It has an immediate effect on the youngsters and benefits community development.”

 He is challenging businesses to match the efforts of the Project in committing support for current and future GSAT students in the inner-city areas. “This effort offers opportunities for community-based organizations and businesses to participate in community development,” says the Project Director. 

The USAID-COMET Project was launched in Grants Pen in March 2006, and was extended to Flanker and Central Village/White Marl during 2007. Its mandate is to spearhead sustainable community transformation in select inner-city areas, through economic support and social intervention. USAID’s development programme for Jamaica is helping to create a more competitive business environment, enhance the education and health of the population, preserve biodiversity and foster environmentally sustainable rural development and create safer communities.