Godfrey Stewart High School student, Kadeen Frater (right), smiles as she receives an information technology (IT) text from The Gleaner's corporate affairs officer, Terry Ann Wilson (left), following the end of the western leg of The Gleaner's Youthlink Caribbean Secondary Education Council Seminar at the Sean Lavery Faith Hall in Westmoreland on Wednesday. Looking on is Frome Technical High School's Tiffany Dennison. Uniformed representatives of each school were given free copies of the text, courtesy of IT lecturer George King. - Claudine Housen/Staff Photographer

WESTERN BUREAU:

Caribbean Secondary Education Council (CSEC) English Language markers are imploring students not to write sexually explicit stories in their exams.

"Please do not write any more sexual stories in your exams," said English language teacher, GodfreyFisher.

A marker with CSEC for more than five years, Mr. Fisher, who was addressing students attending the Westmoreland leg of The Gleaner's Youthlink seminars on Wednesday, asked students to be careful about the content of their stories.

"Students tend to write sexual stories that could be considered distasteful. Please be mindful of your audience. Don't embarrass the markers," he said.

"Also, when you do not know how to address a question, move on, do not write things like 'I could not answer this question because my teacher did not do it in class.' It does not do anything for you and it is not going to give you another mark. You are going into the exam to gain marks not to lose mark, so do not make silly mistakes."

Valuable tips

One of two lecturers who presented at the seminar Wednesday, Mr. Fisher coached the students on summary writing, short story and persuasive writing. He reminded the students to pay attention to the rubric of the question and the marks allotted to each section.

He was so well received that students were even asking if he could visit their school.

"I learnt a lot in the English session," said Rusea's High School student, Melissa Blair. "His method was shorter and easier. I wish he was teaching me English. His presentation was good - I wonder if he could come to my school."

The final leg of The Gleaner's Youthlink seminars in the western region, the attendance at the Westmoreland sessions far outnumbered the two preceding days in Montego Bay with some 500 students from schools as far as Mandeville.

One parent, Georgette McNeil, journeyed from Mandeville and had nothing but praise for the sessions.

"My daughter is preparing for the exam and I know that Youthlink has always made an effort to help the youth, especially for exam preparation," she said. "As a parent I could not let it (the seminar) pass."