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11 PLUS RESULTS ANNOUNCED

Scott Johnson of Charles F. Broome Primary and Anata Sealy of People’s Cathedral School are the overall top performers in the 2023 Barbados Secondary School Entrance Examination (BSSEE).

Minister of Education, Technological and Vocational Training, Kay McConney, made the announcement during a press conference at her Ministry to report on the examination.

Johnson, who scored 100 in Mathematics, 96 in English and an A in the essay will be heading to Harrison College at the start of the new academic year, while Sealy will be attending Queen’s College. She scored 99 in both English and Math and an “A”.

Delivering her report on the exam, Minister McConney highlighted the performance of students in the Mathematics paper, revealing that 35 of them (15 males and 20 females) scored full marks in that subject.

“This was a vast improvement over only two students in 2022, and a slight decline from 37 in 2021. The national mean score for mathematics is 59.2. This represents a marginal increase from 57.5 in 2022, and a small increase over the 55.6 in 2021. This all represents a continued increase in both male and female performances in mathematics over the last three years, this is certainly encouraging,” the Minister said.

As it relates to the English paper, only one student, a female, gained 100 per cent in that subject. However, Ms. McConney noted that there was no significant difference in national average for the subject over the past year. The overall national mean in English for 2023 is 69.5 as compared to 69.7 in 2022, and 66.3 in 2021.

The Education Minister also explained the decision to delay the examination from the customary date in the first week of May to June 27. According to her, this aided in the preparation of students who were disadvantaged due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the education system.

“The decision was made to delay this exam date because the Ministry believed that the additional eight weeks of face-to-face instruction would have made a significant difference in the preparation of the exam sitters, who had been severely impacted by the non-traditional online delivery method of instruction while they were in classes Two and Three. The results this year suggest that the decision to delay was a good one,” she stated.

In her closing remarks, Minister McConney encouraged students to give of their best, regardless of the school they will be attending in the new academic year.

“I wish to offer my congratulations to the top performers and to all students who wrote the Barbados Secondary Schools’ Entrance Examination in 2023. I want you all to remember that it is not about where you go, but what you do when you get there,” she stated.

A total of 3,170 students were registered to write the 2023 Barbados Secondary Schools Entrance Examination. Of these, 18 (11 males and seven females) were early sitters, all of whom gained scores of 85 percent or more in the English and Mathematics papers.

Also noteworthy was the performance of a legally blind student who received 94 percent in Mathematics, 88 percent in English and a “B” in Composition.

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The UWI Cave Hill & UNCTAD Sign Partnership MOU

The University of the West Indies (UWI) Cave Hill Campus, the Shridath Ramphal Centre for International Trade Law, Policy and Services, and the United Nations Trade and Development (UNCTAD) concluded a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to further trade-related research and cooperation.

The MOU was signed by Principal of The UWI Cave Hill Campus, Professor Clive Landis, and UNCTAD’s Deputy Secretary General, Pedro Manuel Moreno, on Tuesday, June 18.

It was witnessed by Barbados’ Ambassador to the United Nations, the World Trade Organization (WTO) and other International Organizations in Geneva, Matthew Wilson, who also serves on the Board of the Shridath Ramphal Centre; Director of the Centre, Dr. Jan Yves Remy, and The UWI’s Cave Hill Dean of Social Sciences, Professor Troy Lorde.

The partnership is a direct outcome of the recent Global Supply Chain Forum held in Barbados in May and builds on almost 20 years of collaboration between The UWI and UNCTAD, specifically concerning annual visits to Geneva by students.

A focus of the partnership going forward will be on joint research, especially in the area of the blue and green economy, building on the Villars Framework, and supporting trade-related data and analysis.

Principal Landis praised the collaboration and said it was an input into the ongoing work on ‘remaking trade’, led by Dr. Remy and other academics under the Villars Framework.

UNCTAD’s Deputy Secretary General Moreno pointed out that the MOU represents a continuation of the long collaboration between UN Trade and Development and the Caribbean.

Ambassador Wilson, who has been involved in the Centre’s MITP Programme for almost two decades, stated: “The policy support and analysis that can result from this partnership will be incredibly useful for the small Caribbean missions in Geneva, which often have to cover a multitude of issues and need quick policy contributions.”

Students of the Shridath Ramphal Centre’s MITP Programme have been in Geneva for two weeks as part of the Joint University Study Tour, where students visit international organisations, CARICOM embassies and missions, as well as private sector entities, to get a first-hand view of how trade practitioners, from a variety of fields and institutions, undertake their tasks and put trade policy in action.

The Barbados Mission in Geneva is hosting four interns from The UWI and the University of Newcastle, who will be shadowing the Barbados team, at meetings of the Human Rights Council and the WTO Trade Policy Review of Canada, where Ambassador Wilson is serving as the discussant. (PR/GIS)

CAPTION: Principal of The UWI Cave Hill Campus, Professor Clive Landis (sitting left); UNCTAD’s Deputy Secretary General, Pedro Manuel Moreno (sitting right); and officials pose with the signed MOU which will further trade-related research and cooperation.

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National Council on Substance Abuse To Host Cannabis Panel Discussion

The National Council on Substance Abuse (NCSA) will be hosting a panel discussion on the topic “The Grassroots of Medicinal and Recreational Cannabis.” This insightful event is scheduled for May 30, 2024 from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at the Chesterfield Brewster Empowerment Center, Silver Hill, Christ Church.

The panel discussion aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of cannabis from various perspectives, including medicinal, recreational, and sacramental use of cannabis. Attendees will have the opportunity to hear from the following panellists who are experts in their respective fields:

Mr. Joel Barrow – Nursing Officer, Psychiatric Hospital – Mr. Barrow will discuss the biopsychosocial effects of cannabis on the mind and body of the user.

Dr. Adrian Waterman, Barbados Association of Medical Practitioners – Dr. Waterman will discuss the qualifying conditions for medicinal cannabis use and address common concerns of patients regarding their treatment with medicinal cannabis.

Mr. Corey Beckles, Senior Attorney-at-Law, CBL Chambers – Mr. Beckles will discuss the legal aspects surrounding the sacramental use of cannabis.

Representative from the Barbados Police Service – the new amendment to the Drug Abuse Prevention and Control Act CAP 131.

The NCSA is committed to fostering informed discussions on health risks associated with using legal or illegal substances and its implications for society. This event promises to be an enlightening experience for all members of the public. For further information please, contact the NCSA at 535-6272.

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BARBADOS VOCATIONAL TRAINING BOARD

Programmes for January & February 2024 with two new courses, Introduction to Entrepreneurship and Massage Therapy for Beginners. Register today!