Minister of Education, Youth, Skills and Information, Senator Dr. the Hon. Dana Morris Dixon, says something will be done in the near future to address concerns regarding the Primary Exit Profile (PEP) examinations.
In recent times there have been complaints about the heavy course load involved in the preparation and sitting of the examinations.
Speaking to Board members, students and teachers at Belair High School, in Manchester, on May 1, Dr. Dixon said having listened to students and parents over time, they have said it is challenging for them.
She told the gathering that come this summer, she would be able to announce some changes to the PEP, following consultations with stakeholders.
“I see them (students) in first and second form and they tell me they still feel the stress from grade six. I have met with the Independent Schools Association and asked for their concerns to see how you think we can fix it. I have also met with the Jamaica Teachers’ Association and asked them to liaise with teachers and let me know how you can fix it,” she said.
Discussions are under way in the Ministry to look at whether the content is too much, the Minister said, sharing that as a parent who has gone through the process with her child, she felt she was doing the exam.
She noted that it was stressful and gave her an understanding of the pain that all the major stakeholders undergo.
“We have been actively looking at it in the Ministry. We have some suggestions how to change things come September, but we don’t want to unilaterally rule. We want to ensure that what we are looking at matches with the recommendations from key stakeholders,” Dr. Morris Dixon said.
The Minister also addressed the worrying issue of the large number of children who are leaving primary school illiterate, questioning the point of having a heavy curriculum to complete while not being literate.
“At a minimum, every child should leave primary school literate; that is our goal. That is another reason we have to look at the PEP, and in September we are committing that we are going to time-table reading. It is not time-tabled now at the primary level and it needs to be because we are not serving those children well. Changes to PEP will match the changes to grades one, two and three at the primary level where we will be doing many exciting things,” she said.
Belair High School was the first stop of four high schools in Manchester Central to kick-start Child Month activities. The Minister also visited May Day High, Mt. St. Joseph High and Victor Dixon High schools.