SECOND vice-president of the National Parent-Teacher Association of Jamaica (NPTAJ) Stuart Jacobs says parents and teachers have become less apprehensive about the Primary Exit Profile (PEP) examination as students finalise preparations to sit the first component — Ability Task —tomorrow.

Speaking to the Jamaica Observer over the weekend, Jacobs said there is much more optimism among parents, teachers and students about the three-part exam, which replaces the Grade Six Achievement Test (GSAT).

“The parents are more optimistic than they were when it was first introduced. What some of the parents are also saying is that ‘this is the first test (component); let us see how it goes’. So as far as the National Parent-Teacher Association is concerned, we are optimistic, and we are open to possible tweaking as we go along for the first exam. After that we can do some assessment, and then we expect the Ministry of Education and whoever the experts are to look at the results, look at the framework, and try to adjust accordingly,” Jacobs noted.

The national secondary school placement test received strong opposition from stakeholders when it was first introduced.

Despite sector and stakeholder outcry for adjustments in the implementation of the exam, Education Minister Senator Ruel Reid indicated that his team was going “full speed ahead”.

Reid, who was responding to a Jamaica Observer question during a press conference on whether or not the ministry would consider allowing students in grades five and six to sit the GSAT — therefore introducing PEP to the current grade four cohort — said that the curriculum had begun two years ago, rebutting arguments of unpreparedness.

However, poor mock exam grades caused the ministry to reschedule the Performance task from December 2018 to March 2019.

Yesterday, Jacobs said the scepticism and uncertainty about the examination have virtually died down.

“We were hearing that the teachers weren’t fully prepared. now we are hopeful because the actual exam time has been extended so it gave teachers and parents and students more time to prepare for it. [We] are always going to be challenged by changes, and I think that is what was happening in the beginning. If you compare it, when we moved from the common entrance [Exam] to the GSAT it was a similar thing, but as soon as the curriculum was more understood things became okay,” Jacobs said.

According to a circular from the Ministry of Education, the ability test will measure students’ ability to reason with words and quantities (quantitative and verbal reasoning). It consists of 40 single-select multiple choice items and represents, 30 per cent of students’ profiles. The other PEP components — Performance Task and Curriculum-Based Test — are scheduled for March 27 and 28, and April 16 and 17, respectively, and will share the remaining 70 per cent of students’ grade profiles.

PEP is designed to sharpen critical thinking skills and is intended to provide a more complete profile of academic performance. PEP forms part of the Government’s New National Assessment Programme and will be administered annually at grades 4, 5 and 6.

— Kimone Francis