Friday, July 17, 2009

Misrata Gets Lioness' Share of Top-10 Honors, Again!

The results of Libyan national exams are out for this year. For some background on the subject, and some analysis, check my post from last year on the subject.

For this year, the Libyan education ministry published the top-10 lists for "middle schools" (9th grade) and for high schools (12th grade). This year's high school data set is smaller because, so far, they only published the overall "top-10" list, i.e., the top student in each specialty, unlike last year's data which included the top-10 students for each of nine specialties. In fact this year's list is strictly a top-7 list because they just left out two specialties (Media Arts and Fine Arts) which had pretty dismal numbers last year. I wonder if they were left out because no one passed in those specialties?

The numbers this year are not much different from last year. The girls dominate the scene by a huge margin, and on the geographic distribution Misrata shines like a lighthouse. Again, you can read my post from last year for more detailed thoughts and evaluations... But now, and without further ado, here are the numbers for 2009.






Congratulations and best wishes to all these promising young people.

To the Libyan education authorities: When will you start recognizing and spreading the success of Misrata to other places?

To the Misrati stars in particular: I notice you with pride. You go girls!

3 comments:

  1. Misuratta have also offered us the best dairy products ever at an affordable price- I truly enjoy how they think - a very opened minded people business oriented only but this is news to us ie Misuratta girls hitting big with the education ....

    I'll ditto your "go Misrata girls " go after all we all share Misuratti blood ;-)

    Have a lovely weekend !

    Hanu - A big hug and kiss -so good you're back - Our prayers have been answered and I am more than happy . Alhamdulah.

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  2. Hello, Brother Luna. Yeah, it must be something in the Misrati milk. lol lol A lot of people point to a supposed Misrati business/commerce ethic, but in my opinion, it is more like a "self reliance" ethic...

    I noticed this "Misrata phenomenon" last year, and I see the same sort of data this year. Also, this year's 9th grade exams were (for the 1st time) made multiple-choice exams and administered "by computers," as they say, which means using "bubble sheets" and optical scanners. Still, the trends did not change: girls and Misrata way ahead.

    Something is working for girls in general, and in Misrata in particular. It is worth studying...

    But first it would be nice even to acknowledge what is happening. I read yesterday a news item in Libya Alyoum about a training workshop on creative thinking for teachers at the Al-Fateh Center for Advanced Students in Benghazi, which as far as I can tell is a one-of-kind center for gifted students... and probably started as a boondoggle! Anyway, the news story added in the usual advertising style that students from this center "often earn the first ranks on the national exams for 9th and 12th grade." That's not exactly true. Based on my reading of the available experimental data, excellence has two characteristics: XX chromosomes and an address in Misrata, but the Brothers in Libya Alyoum must be inspired by things outside the measurable world. lol lol If you look at last year's post which had a larger dataset, you will see girls dominating all the different majors, and the same for the district of Misrata. That tells me, there is depth in both of those groups, unlike the Al-Fateh center which does produce top-10 students, but I am not sure it is any more productive than other schools. For example, among the top 9th-grade students this year, there are two (out of 20) from the Al-Fateh Center but there are also two from Al-Karama (ordinary) school in Misrata. So, I don't quite see the distinction of this center. The Libyan media should really pay attention to the overwhelming success of students (girls) from ordinary schools and under ordinary circumstances, but they're too busy covering more important things like Aisha Gaddafi's annual Quran recitation contest for women. Now there's news!

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  3. Hi Suliman !


    Hello, Brother Luna.

    That's so funny ! I have been called many things but brother Luna hahahahahaha never lol!

    Girls tend to study more especially in the outskirts of Tripoli-why you may ask -is that they cant socialize as do the boys in their same peer group who have more fun-

    The girls work at home helping their mums ie many Libyan housewives stop doing housework chores and the load is usually the daughters responsibility !So they take of the male dominants in their household serving them hand and foot and study hard to get out of the vicious cycle Libyan style life has created upon them :-(!

    I too wish the Libyan Guv would pay more attention to these young ladies. I try to do the best I can with what I have to offer some young ladies.When I teach I always quote :

    "when I teach a man ,I teach a person;when I teach a woman ,I teach a teach a family "~Unknown

    Sorry for the long comment ,hope I gave you no headache !
    ciao e a presto !

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