KINGSTON – The Jamaica government announced on Monday the postponement of all the remaining national assessments at the primary school level until the latter half of the Christmas Term of the upcoming 2021-2022 academic year.
In a statement, the Ministry of Education, Youth and Information said the decision was taken after a series of consultations with key stakeholders and consultant psychometricians concerning the administration of the 2021 sitting of Primary Exit Profile (PEP) Grade 4 and Grade 5 assessments.
It said the assessments to be postponed include the Grade 3 diagnostic test, the Grade 4 performance tasks and the Grade 5 performance tasks.
“Based on this decision, effective (Monday, May 31), boards of management (and) principals of schools that have been approved by the Ministry of Health and Wellness as COVID-19 compliant, should ensure that all Grade 4 and Grade 5 students are scheduled for face-to-face instruction in preparation for their examinations,” the ministry said.
It said that the Grade 9 Achievement Test (GNAT) has been cancelled for 2021 and that all students registered to sit the GNAT will be placed in schools that are in proximity to their home address or attending school consistent with the approach used in June last year, or both.
(CMC)
