Representatives from the Ministry of Education and the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) met recently with the principals of infant and primary schools in Saint Lucia.

The meeting served to introduce the OECS Primary Grades Assessment Framework. The framework provides an outline of approaches to assessment from grades K – 6, that caters to the acquisition of knowledge, skills and attitudes that are critical for nurturing students.

Selma Biscette, Curriculum Officer for Social Sciences, explained that the standards were developed by the Caribbean Examination Council (CXC), to ensure an equal assessment system across the OECS.

“For a long time there have been calls for some sort of standardization,” Ms. Biscette said. “Many teachers are not sure about the scope, where they should end when it comes to the curriculum, so they have been very receptive when it comes to the standards, because it guides them as to what the basic learning targets are that students should have when they leave a grade.”

Ms. Biscette said the assessment framework is available on the CAMDU website and can be accessed by the public.

“We ae encouraging teachers to let the students know that these are the benchmarks, so that students and parents will now have a guide as to what the child should know.”

The OECS countries received an Education Plan Development Grant from the Global Partner for Education. The funding will provide technical assistance for finalizing the development of the education quality framework.