Math teacher Clement Radcliffe (standing) encourages the participation of this high school teacher during The Gleaner's Youthlink CSEC seminar in Westmoreland yesterday. - photo by sheena Gayle

Western Bureau:

Students from as far as Manchester flocked the Sean Lavery Faith Hall in Savanna-la-Mar on Monday to participate in The Gleaner's Youthlink Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) seminar, which sought to assist students in getting ready for their examinations.

More than 350 students attended the one-day session, which featured renowned math teacher, Clement Radcliffe and English teacher, Godfrey Fisher.

With the poor performance of several high schools across Jamaica in the subject of mathematics, the majority of the students attended the math session in a bid to get their concerns clarified and to garner useful information that might aid them in the upcoming CSEC examinations.

Eleventh grade student of Black River High School, Nevado Blake, welcomed the effort, adding that the information from both sessions was very educational.

He noted: "As it relates to the math session, I thought it was very informative and it helped to clarify some issues that I had in how I go about doing my exams. This was my first time coming to the seminar and it was a good initiative to have someone who has marked the papers before to come and speak to us."

With the limited time that students now have to prepare for the exams, Blake further commended The Gleaner's Youthlink for its efforts in giving students an opportunity to discuss their concerns in such a forum.

However, one teacher of Manchester High School, Esmeralda Waston, suggested that, given the importance of the seminar and the impact it can have on students, such an educational session should also be held in Manchester or surrounding areas.

"You have high-school students from Clarendon, Manchester and in sections of St Elizabeth who would benefit from something like this but, because of the distance, it makes it a tedious task to travel," the educator remarked.

Nevertheless, she said she regarded the CSEC seminar as a useful tool that students can use and share with other students who did not have an opportunity to attend.

The second seminar in the west begins this morning at the Holy Trinity Anglican Church Auditorium, Westgate in Montego Bay. More than 400 students participated in the forum last year.