New date for PEP Ability Test

The Ministry of Education, Youth and Information has set a new date of March 25, 2021 for the administration of the Grade Six Primary Exit Profile (PEP) – Ability Test.

The original date was February 23, 2021.

Education Minister Fayval Williams said that despite the Grade 6 Ability Test not requiring learnt knowledge based on the Grade 6 curriculum, the Ministry decided to change the date from February 23 to give students more preparation time.

She said this decision came after extensive consultation with stakeholders including parents, teachers, principals and the Jamaica Teachers’ Association. 

“We understand the challenges facing the education sector during this COVID-19 pandemic. We continue to work with the Ministry of Health and Wellness to ensure that more of our schools are inspected and that they attain a satisfactory report. We encourage all our students, parents, teachers and principals to utilise the learning approaches (online, audio/visual, learning kit and face-to-face where allowed) to help prevent any more learning loss," Williams said.

She added: "For those schools that are back in the face-to-face mode, they have the flexibility to utilise the rotational approach, the mixed modality and to avail themselves of the mobile intervention as we seek to reach all our students.” 

The ministry said the students will sit the Ability Test in centres within schools presided over by external persons contracted by the ministry.

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