KINGSTON, Jamaica — The Jamaica Teachers’ Association (JTA) is calling for a further review of the schedule for the 2021 Primary Exit Profile (PEP) exams.

JTA President Jasford Gabriel today said 86 per cent of approximately 400 primary school teachers surveyed across the country indicated that their students are not ready for these examinations.

He noted further that 95 per cent of the teachers are asking for the exams to be pushed back, a mock exam to be administered prior to the PEP examinations and that a modified format be looked at allowing for all the examinations to be done in a shorter block of time.

Gabriel said the Ability test is slated for February 23 and the Curriculum and Performance Task between April 23 and March 26.

However, the JTA president said there are some critical questions that must be addressed as the “Ministry of Education seem quite intent and proceeding with the schedule based on the feedback we are getting from school administrators and teachers”.

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[naviga:li]Gabriel posed the following questions for the ministry:[/naviga:li]

[naviga:li]Of the over 600 primary schools not yet opened for face-to-face, how many of them are being inspected by the Ministry of Health and certified ready?[/naviga:li]

[naviga:li]What is the schedule to inspect the rest of the schools to facilitate students for face-to-face classes first and then exams later?[/naviga:li]

[naviga:li]What percentage of the students in the primary sector who are earmarked for examinations have been engaged in either face-to-face or online instructions[/naviga:li]

[naviga:li]What is the plan to address the significant learning loss among the examination students?[/naviga:li]

[naviga:li]How will children with disabilities and/or comorbidities be treated?[/naviga:li]

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