A new examination which seeks to standardise assessment of ninth graders in all high schools in Jamaica was postponed because of the ongoing unrest in West Kingston.

The grade nine diagnostic tests for high schools, administered by e-Learning Jamaica Ltd, was scheduled for Wednesday and Thursday this week, but could not be written because of the bloody showdown between security forces in search of Christopher “Dudus” Coke and residents of Tivoli Gardens and Denham Town.

The tests would have seen grade nine students from more than 130 high schools across the island

doing the same exam in three subjects — English, mathematics and integrated science.

Chief executive officer of e-Learning Jamaica Ltd Avril Crawford said the diagnostic test will assist schools in determining the performance level of students before they start preparing for Caribbean Secondary Examinations Certificate (CSEC) exams.

“End-of-year exams are not standard across all schools, so you will find a child at a school being amazed that they failed the CSEC exams after they were getting seventies and eighties (percentage in tests). This is because they were being tested at a lower standard. So the idea is to develop standard exams at grades seven to nine,” she told Career & Education.

Crawford said the test would also assist students who transfer from one school to another, as it would help the receiving institution to determine their areas of strength and weakness.

The grade nine diagnostic test was piloted last year with two subjects — maths and English — in 28 schools. The intention was to roll out the test in all 168 schools under the e-learning project, but some did not register, leaving just over 130 schools.

The exam papers were printed, packaged and ready for delivery last Monday, Labour Day, to schools across the country from the Ministry of Education’s offices at the Caenwood Centre on Arnold Road when the fierce battle broke out in West Kingston.

“No one could venture down to Caenwood,” Crawford explained, which meant the test papers could not be delivered to all the schools in time for Wednesday’s exam.

Crawford hopes the new tests

will quickly gain acceptance in

the schools.

“The ministry intends for these tests to replace the tests in all the schools. We’re inviting schools to use them as their end-of-year exams,” she said.

Up to late last week (May 28) stakeholders were being consulted in order to set new dates for the exams.

The grade nine diagnostic test was among a number of exams which fell victim to the violent struggle being waged in the country capital. The crucial CSEC and Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination (CAPE), both administered by the Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC), were not postponed but candidates from 10 schools near to the war zone were relocated to

safer schools and centres to write their exams.

Also, the education ministry was forced reschedule to the grade three diagnostic test and the grade four literacy and numeracy exams because of the uncertain situation. The grade three test, originally earmarked for June 1 and 2, was shifted to June 15 and 16, while the grade four tests were postponed from June 16 to June 29.

Commenting on the impact of the violence on the exams in schools Jamaica Teachers’ Association president Michael Stewart a number of days had already been lost in the school year.

“This is not making the situation any better at all,” he said.