A literacy expert has urged the Ministry of Education Transformation to begin collecting meaningful assessment data from Class 1, arguing that decisions on secondary school placement should be based on a child’s development over time.

Shawntelle Morgan, founder of I-Teach Transformative Knowledge Solutions Ltd, said while she welcomed the ministry’s acknowledgement of concerns surrounding the proposed introduction of continuous assessment at Class 3, she believes the wider reform should focus on building a long-term picture of each child’s development rather than relying heavily on assessments conducted when students are 10 or 11 years old.

“I would like to see Class 1, which is approximately age seven, included in the assessment framework that informs the eventual transition from primary to secondary school,” she said.