United National Congress » MP Khadijah Ameen Exposes Misrepresentation of SEA Results by Education Minister
Member of Parliament for St. Augustine, Ms. Khadijah Ameen
Member of Parliament for St. Augustine, Ms. Khadijah Ameen says she is compelled to call out the blatant misrepresentation of facts by the Minister of Education, Dr. Nyan Gadsby-Dolly, during her recent contribution to the budget debate earlier today. MP Ameen says while boasting about improvements in CAPE and CSEC results under the PNM government, the Minister conveniently cherry-picked data to paint a favourable picture, deliberately omitting the troubling trends in the Secondary Entrance Assessment (SEA) results.
The reality is that under the PNM’s tenure, our youngest and most vulnerable students have faced a continuous decline in performance in the SEA exams, a trend that should alarm every parent and educator across Trinidad and Tobago.
MP Ameen says that in the interest of transparency the public should be made aware about the numbers the Minister chose not to share with the public:
* In 2020, only 62.6% of students scored 50% or higher in SEA, with a dismal 1.6% achieving 90% or more.
* In 2021, this figure dropped further, with just 52.49% of students scoring 50% or above and only 3% achieving 90% or higher.
* The worst decline was seen in 2022, when a mere 37.07% of students scored 50% or higher, and less than 0.5% achieved 90% or more.
* In 2023, despite a slight recovery, the figures still fell short, with 58.06% scoring 50% or more and 2.11% achieving 90% or higher.
* Most recently, in 2024, only 57.9% of students managed to score 50% or above, and just 1.4% reached 90% or higher—again highlighting the government’s failure to adequately address the needs of our children.
MP Ameen says while These statistics clearly show a downward spiral in performance, the Minister chose to focus on selective regional successes at the CAPE and CSEC levels, diverting attention from the ongoing crisis at the primary school level, where the foundations of education are laid.
We must remember that under the People’s Partnership Administration, the SEA results reflected a much more promising reality:
* 91% of students scored 50% or higher during the UNC’s tenure, with a significant 14% achieving over 90%.
There’s a real concern that T&T can have a generation of children who are being failed by a system that does not prioritize their needs. While Minister Gadsby-Dolly and the government may seek to pat themselves on the back, the reality on the ground tells a very different story and it must be addressed urgently.
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