KINGSTON, Jamaica — The Overseas Examinations Commission (OEC) is to construct a flexible, state-of-the-art multipurpose facility at its headquarters in Kingston, during the 2019/20 financial year.

A similar facility is to be developed at the Montego Bay Centre in the 2020/21 financial year.

This is outlined in the 2019/20 Public Bodies Estimates of Revenue and Expenditure.

Other initiatives include the development of new business ventures by building information and communications technology (ICT) infrastructure to support and protect e-testing of all candidates at the secondary level and within the out-of-school population.

In addition, the OES is to establish a marketing and sales department as well as a customer care department to facilitate students within the context of administering the new suite of online examinations.

The OEC was established by an Act of Parliament in 2005, and is the only organisation mandated by the Government of Jamaica to administer external examinations.

The Commission partners with the Ministry of Education, Youth and Information and external examining bodies on a number of key initiatives as they relate to the administration of local and external examinations.

The OEC’s financial year previously spanned September 1 to August 31. However, effective April 2019, the Commission changed its financial year to April 1 to March 31.

—JIS