Don't be fooled by the scores released by the Education Quality Accountability Office stating that 84 percent of students across the province were successful in passing their literacy test. It simply means that 84 percent are above the standard set by the EQAC, which could be a score as low as of 50%. Many of the students may be at the tipping point, the established passing grade, just squeaking through. It also means that 16% are failing to meet the basic minimum score. That is unacceptable.

The EQAO was established by the Harris government to give the impression that his educational changes were garnering positive results. When the percentage of students above the bare minimum increased by one percent he could say the students are making progress.

External testing is an expensive waste of student and teacher time. The only tests of value are those that show a student where he/she is going wrong and how to improve, teacher made tests to indicate day to day progress and standardized tests, administered by the schools, to show individual growth over the course of a year. It is time to eliminate the EQAO and put assessment and accountability back in the hands of the schools.

Charles Davies

Fort Erie