95% of 11,000 aspirants to teach in public schools failed assessment test

[Dolores]

Only 528 of almost 11,000 education graduates and public school teachers who took the written assessments for teacher positions in public schools for the 2021-2022 school year have passed the tests. This is 4.8% of the total that took the cognitive tests and the specific knowledge tests to pass the written test phase of the assessment. The second phase is a personal interview.

Another 60,000 teachers and aspirants to principal for pre-school, elementary, high school have pending taking the tests.

The Ministry of Education needs to fill 19,181 positions in time for the start of in-person learning set to start 20 September 2021.

The assessment was suspended on Thursday because of technological problems, lack of organization and the massive failing of the first who took the tests.

There were also complaints that the tests were shared on social media.

The Committee of...

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[Liberator]

I really wonder why you choose to work in education...

 

[johne]

Where can I find this test on line. I want to learn more about what the applicants know and don't know.

 

[JD Jones]

I really wonder why you choose to work in education...

I have a few neighbors who are teachers. All of them are wonderful folks.

I think those folks are born to be teachers because they sure don't do it for the money.

 

[scot_tosh]

"The Committee of Observers of the National Public School Teacher Contest favors continuing with the assessments. It also favors a lowering the minimum scores needed to pass the tests." LOL you could not make it up, 95% fail the competency test to be a teacher so they consider dropping the pass mark, only in the RD. And we wonder why the educational attainment in Republica Domininica is so poor.

 

[scot_tosh]

Lack of reading comprehension: A knowledge crisis?

<p>Santo Domingo, DR The recent publication by the Ministry of Economy, Planning, and Development (MEPyD), to the effect that 62.3% of the Dominican population of 10-year-olds could not understand the reading of a simple text, caused great concern. It was disconcerting. It seems impossible to...

dominicantoday.com

 

[Auryn]

Or hey, how about this?

Invest in children attending public schools, ensure that they are competent enough to go to university if they choose.

Invest in teacher education programs that focus on rigorous university level classes, hire quality education professors, and standardize extensive student teaching internships to ensure the best candidates move forward.

Why even bother with a test?

Let them eat cake.

 

[aarhus]

A long time family friend took this test. He said it was mostly very extensive reading comprehension across Science, Math, Sociales, and Lengua Español.
Questions were multiple choice and difficult to select the correct answer, to the point where it was somewhat ridiculous. He and one other person passed in his group of 20.

Think about it this way: If the powers that be wanted to improve the state of their country (clean up the trash, increase literacy rates, reduce domestic violence etc.), education is the way to do that.

They are not interested or it would have happened already. They are quite content with their position and with everyone else exactly where they are as well.

I am not sure it is a deliberate policy but they think to much about benefits for them. I mean the politicians. It’s as if everything is a business opportunity. Even children’s education. It may progress a bit but it is as if it only does if they make money in the process. I am sorry but it’s just how it looks like.

 

[Auryn]

Absolutely it is a money making scheme.

But it is also very deliberate.

There is no other excuse for the state of public education in the Dominican Republic.

 

[NanSanPedro]

Absolutely it is a money making scheme.

But it is also very deliberate.

There is no other excuse for the state of public education in the Dominican Republic.

I tend to agree with you. I wonder why Luis supports the status quo. My semi-educated guess is that there is enough on his plate right now with corruption, the Wuhan Flu, and the economy. But if they don't do something, they never will improve. In fact, they will regress further, if that's even possible.

 

[aarhus]

Absolutely it is a money making scheme.

But it is also very deliberate.

There is no other excuse for the state of public education in the Dominican Republic.

With it being deliberate I am not so sure but they don’t seem do anything if they don’t see something in it for them. At least it looks that way.

 

[bob saunders]

Or hey, how about this?

Invest in children attending public schools, ensure that they are competent enough to go to university if they choose.

Invest in teacher education programs that focus on rigorous university level classes, hire quality education professors, and standardize extensive student teaching internships to ensure the best candidates move forward.

Why even bother with a test?

Let them eat cake.

PARENTS have to buy in for your first statement to work for most children. The average Dominican parent is just happy if their kids can read and count. Second statement - much needed. Testing is a measurement of two things , what was learned and how well it was taught. If you want to reach a standard you need to teach to that standard, then you need to test that the standard was achieved. Certainly there are multiple methods of verifying that standard has been achieved.

 

[Auryn]

Parents cannot buy in if they are the products of that same system. They play a significant role, but unfortunately they cannot be expected to implement this. It has to come from outside the home to be brought in.

Tests are only one aspect of measuring learning. Projects, practice, and high standards of quality provide more valuable forms of assessment. Thi

 

[Auryn]

What I meant to add is, the “multiple methods” you mentioned are where the money, the meat and potatoes are at.

 

[bob saunders]

What I meant to add is, the “multiple methods” you mentioned are where the money, the meat and potatoes are at.

Well I am not a fan of 4 hour exams like the oral one I had when I did my aircraft technician trade boards, but I think daily quizzes in class are useful in determining if students are learning the subject. If I was president for a day I would institute a teacher education program run by a successful education system like Spain. I realize there are better programs in some other countries but Spain is the best Spanish speaking system. I wouldn't allow much input from the locals either.

 

[aarhus]

What I meant to add is, the “multiple methods” you mentioned are where the money, the meat and potatoes are at.

There has to be I think. Otherwise nothing happens.

 

[NALs]

I really wonder why you choose to work in education...

Yeah, but are "teachers" that fail a test of what they know truly in the "educating field?" What are they going to educate about? That 2 + 3 = (wait, let me get the calculator, too hard without it) 36?

Oh, that your kid wrote 5 as the answer and he got a F for that? Well, teacher knows best!

 

[Auryn]

“It would be extremely naive to expect the dominant classes to develop a type of education that would enable subordinate classes to perceive social injustices critically”

~Paolo Freire

😳

 

[aarhus]

“It would be extremely naive to expect the dominant classes to develop a type of education that would enable subordinate classes to perceive social injustices critically”

~Paolo Freire

😳

I don’t know if there really is an intent like that. I just think they are so focused on enriching themselves that they don’t give it much priority.

 

[JD Jones]

Just thinking out loud - I wonder how many would have passed if they graded on a curve?

Wouldn't the possibility exist there may be quite a few of the teachers who were just below the passing grade? (I admit I know absolutely zilch about education as many of you know)