Just look at a very recent data. For this reason we must aim higher.
GCSE results by ethnic group and region (Times Online October 30, 2008)
GCSE results for 2006/07 indicate that 49 per cent of mixed-race pupils from the North East gained five good GCSEs with English and Maths compared to 42 per cent of white pupils living in the same area. In the South East 53.9 per cent of mixed race pupils reached the benchmark compared with just 49.5 per cent of white children.
More than a third of teenagers sitting GCSEs in 2006/07 failed to gain five good grades in any subject. Black pupils living in the South West of the country came out bottom of the GCSE results pile with just 26.1 per cent obtaining five good grades including English and Maths.
But students of Chinese origin living in the South East did the best with 77.8 per cent reaching the Governments benchmark. Across the board pupils of Asian origin performed the best with 48.1 per cent of those in England gaining five good grades including in English and Maths.
Ethnic Group Percentage Achieving 5 A* to C including English and Maths
Asian 48.1
White 46.0
Mixed 44.0
Chinese 42.4
Black 37.0
What is your influence on your childs performance -by Peter Wangaruro
I have been talking to the Kenyan community about the performance of our children, the black kids. It is unfortunate that some people think otherwise even when the data vividly indicates the meager performance. The 37% shown above does not represent Kenyan pupils; it involves all pupils from Africans, Caribbean, Bangladesh etc. We cannot say that all the Kenyan kids are not performing, but this should worry any visionary parent who has a child in school. The data above was 2008 and likely in 2009 results there were probably some improvements but are not sure if it changed the above order. Parents who have children at the primary school level please get to understand what is going on with your child. Understand the level at which he is working at and get to know what else you can do to help your child. Remember the data will be transferable from primary to secondary. If you think that your child will wake up when at secondary level then you are just living a lie.
Just look around in your neighborhood or church and check how many of young adults progress to A- levels and then the university. If you find many then that is good and encouraging but check how many of those at the universities are at the top UK universities. Do not stop checking how many of all those attending universities are ambitious and pursuing well paying career building courses. I know very well that people can make careers from anything if they are that brainy, but how many of us are? Is it not unfortunate that our youngsters are opting for cheaper courses where they will do less of challenging units? Is it not true that we are likely to have influenced them through cheap talk that we engage in as far as education is concerned or lack of career guidance has taken its toll? What do you say when you talk about your school days when talking to friends or family members? Do you feel proud that you were a negative star or a positive star? Do you portray education as not important just because you are making some good money? Maddoff was a billionaire through dubious methods; he lost it in one day and landed in prison. Goodness me with good education it is certain, nobody can imprison the value of your brain unless yourself.
If for instance you failed in your secondary school GCSE/KCSE or if your behavior was not desirable, do you ever feel remorseful that you failed and misbehaved or do you laugh and fill the atmosphere with your Character euphoria? Your hard spirit still refreshes in you with excitement without making an apology that you wasted an opportunity. If at all you caught up later and progressed with your career, it would be good to let the youngsters know that you would have moved faster and higher had you not wasted the precious opportunity. We have to teach positive things to the youngsters from anything that has happened to us whether positive or negative.
Those of you who have succeeded through hard work there is a temptation to feel as though your success is transferable to your children. This school of thought would be disastrous as it is not true. Let your children succeed on their own merit. Make life easier for them but let them not miss to become the person their potential can allow. Is it possible that we have the youngsters who will be pursuing sciences and become Doctors, Pharmacists, Engineers, Pilots, Researchers, Educators, Accountants, and so on? With all due respect we also need people qualified in the other disciplines. Ensure that this motivation begin right from when the child is born. Let no body including yourself tells your child that he/she cannot become.
Family Rebuild has very important and affordable materials on parenting and personal development, I urge all parents to do their best to get a copy. Who knows what am saying today could be what will change your child for good. Remember equipping yourself for the task of parenting is a great investment and worthy more than silver. To order for the DVDs please call 07940105578 or write an email: familyrebuild@yahoo.co.uk.
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