JIS: Parents of grade-six students who are awaiting the results of the inaugural Primary Exit Profile (PEP) later this month will be able to access a new Student Summary Report with a standardised scaled description of their children’s performance in all subject areas of the examination.
The Ministry of Education, Youth and Information made this announcement during a press conference at the Ministry on Tuesday (June 11), along with providing a sample of the document for the media.
In keeping with this, the Ministry will no longer provide percentage results for grade-six students, as was the case with the previous national secondary-school-placement examination, the Grade Six Achievement Test (GSAT).
Minister with responsibility for Education, Youth and Information, Hon. Karl Samuda, said this change is in keeping with international standards.
“Similar to the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) and Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination (CAPE), you will not see the percentages [of student grades on the result paper]. Instead, parents will receive a detailed four-page report which clearly outlines your student’s performance,” he said.
“You don’t have absolute numbers associated with a child anymore. You will now have that child falling within a band. In that way, we are better able to focus on a large group that falls within these bands. This is a very targeted and scientifically worked out method of giving every child the best opportunity going forward. It’s a great thing for Jamaica,” the Minister added.
He said the Government has decided to start grading in this way, because this is on par with international standards and developed nations, and will help Jamaica to be a more developed country.
Grade-six PEP results will also be made available on an electronic platform for easy access.
The PEP has replaced GSAT as the national secondary school entrance test. It is intended to provide a better and more complete profile of students’ academic and critical-thinking capabilities at the end of primary-level education.
During this academic year, grade-six students were tested in three stages with a Performance Task Test on March 27 and 28, an Ability Test on February 26 and a Curriculum Based Test on April 16 and 17.
CAPTION: Minister with responsibility for Education, Youth and Information, Hon Karl Samuda (right), holding a copy of the new Student Summary Report that parents of grade-six students will receive for the Primary Exit Profile (PEP), during a Press Conference at the Ministry on June 11. With the Minister is State Minister in the Ministry, Hon. Alando Terrelonge.