Parents are being encouraged to give their children moral support for the sitting of the new Primary Exit Profile (PEP), beginning on February 26.

The students will be among the first cohort to sit the Ability Test component at 1,104 centres across the island.

Speaking at a Jamaica Information Service (JIS) Think Tank at the agency’s head office in Kingston last Thursday manager of the Student Assessment Unit in the Ministry of Education, Youth and Information, Terry-Ann Thomas Gayle, offered tips to parents and students for examination preparation.

She said that parents should ensure that their children are relaxed and given a proper meal on the morning of the exam.

“The day before the examination, ensure that the children are relaxed. They do not need to be going through any book, any notes to get themselves extra nervous for the exam,” she said.

Thomas Gayle said that parents should remind their children to obey the rules of the examination centres and to listen to the instructions that are given to them by the presiding examiners.

“They are to sit and use their own material. There should be no communication,” she added.

Rough-work paper will be included in the packages given to students on the day of the exam, so there should be no writing in the test booklets presented to them. Students are required to hand over all additional paper to the examiners after completing the exam.

Thomas Gayle is also reminding parents to encourage their children to read the questions carefully.

“They have one hour and 15 minutes to complete 40 multiple-choice questions. They are to take their time and go through to ensure that they are adequately covering and understanding what the questions are asking of them,” she said.

Thomas Gayle noted that only one answer is needed for each question, and students would have been exposed to the information from grades one to four.

“So, there is absolutely nothing in the booklet that we know that they are unable to do,” she added.

— JIS