Falling short on ISCF exams
Published:Friday | April 23, 2010 | 12:00 AM
The Editor, Sir:
On Thursday, April 22, I accompanied a female friend of mine to the Island Special Consta-bulary Force (ISCF) headquarters to sit an entrance examination. The ISCF has strict entrance requirements, and individuals are required to have several passes in the Caribbean Examination Council (CXC) examination and are required to satisfy the height and weight requirements prior to their sitting the entrance examination.
While waiting, I had the opportunity to speak to several individuals who were eliminated based on a number of factors. One female applicant is in possession of a teacher's diploma in physical examination from the G.C. Foster College in St Catherine, but she was eliminated because she was an inch short of the height requirement.
Another male applicant who was in possession of a diploma in electrical engineering and a diploma in computer science, along with several other up-to-date information technology certifications, which include the A+ computer certifi-cation, was eliminated because his weight was at 220 pounds. Several female applicants were eliminated because they listed their CXC passes as pending.
Examination
Of the approximately 20 indivi-duals who entered the examination room, only one applicant was able to advance to the second round because the others were not successful at the first phase, which involves a test in spelling and grammar. The other two phases are mathematics and English.
I do know that there are strict requirements to the entrance examination, and several people are considering the security force as a career of choice, but should the height matter, or should it become a factor when some individuals are highly skilled or qualified people?. I would think that the police force, which is seeking people with a variety of skills and training, should have considered lowering the height requirement in an effort to attract qualified individuals.
Applicants with physical education teaching diploma and information technology certifi-cations should have been given the opportunity to contribute to the ISCF.
I am, etc.,
CHARLES BROWN