KINGSTON, Jamaica (JIS) — The Government has put systems in place to ensure a smooth sitting of the March 16 and 17 Grade Six Achievement Test (GSAT).

More than 39,000 students will sit the two-day test in 1,090 centres across the island.

Minister of Education, Youth and Information, Senator Ruel Reid, said the ministry has taken steps to ensure there is no leaking of test papers.

These include unannounced visits to the printing facilities and the storage of examination papers in a vault. He informed that the packaging of the examination materials will be done in a sterilised area and under strict supervision.

Reid also reported that support systems will be in place for special needs students.

He was addressing a press conference yesterday, at his National Heroes Circle offices in Kingston.

Meanwhile, the ministry informed that over the past year, support was provided for primary schools whose GSAT averages for Mathematics and Language Arts, and mastery in the Grade Four Literacy and Numeracy test fell below 60 per cent.

He noted, further, that some 118 secondary and primary schools, which are part of an improvement initiative called Operation Turnaround, also benefited from intervention.

Operation Turnaround aims to engage volunteer educators to provide instructional support in literacy and numeracy to improve results in these areas.

“Students from the schools that have been targeted, who are preparing to sit national or key exit examinations in 2017, are being provided with the requisite support,” Senator Reid noted.