GEORGETOWN, Guyana (CMC) — Education Minister Priya Manickchand said yesterday that the Barbados-based Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) examinations originally scheduled for May 11-12 have been re-scheduled so as not to coincide with the general and regional elections.

Manickchand told a news conference that the exams will now be held on June 15 -16 and that the interest was taken in the best interest of the students.

The education minister said the ministry was guided by the general concerns raised after May 11 was named as the date for the polls.

Earlier this month, President Donald Ramotar announced the election date following weeks of speculation but Manickchand said the Ministry of Education would take the necessary steps to ensure that all candidates are informed.

Last week, President Ramotar posted on his Facebook page that adequate systems would be put in place so as to ensure that students were not affected by the exams that coincides with the elections.

“In regard to the concern that students who are scheduled to sit CXC exams on May 11 will be affected, please note that the Ministry of Education will put adequate systems in place to ensure students are able to sit their exams without disruption by the day’s election activities,” Ramotar wrote.

A number of schools here are used as polling stations in the general elections.

Cumberbatch said that the papers for the CSEC and the Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination (CAPE) for Guyana would be different but on par with those that would be written by candidates across the region.