THERE was a slight decline from 60 per cent to 52 per cent in the average students’ performance for the 2021 Primary Exit Profile (PEP) Grade Six Ability Test this year, when compared to last year, it was announced yesterday.

The official release of the PEP results was announced by Minister of Education, Youth and Information Fayval Williams at a press conference at her ministry in Kingston.

However, the minister did not elaborate on the averages.

A total of 37,278 students were registered to sit the PEP Ability Test but 139 of the registered students were absent.

Of the total number registered to sit the exam, 4,420 were from independent schools or sat as private candidates, while the other 32,858 were registered in public schools.

The minister said the cancellation of the grade five PEP Performance Task Tests in 2020 had created a gap in the scores that were intended to be used as a contribution to placement for the current grade six students.

“Consequently, this group of grade six students will be placed in high school using their 2019 Grade Four Performance Tasks’ scores along with PEP Ability Test,” she said.

“Based on this combination of scores, we not are able to speak to the achievement of the students in relation to the skills and competencies as outlined by the National Standards Curriculum at the grade six level,” Williams explained.

At the same time, the minister said 84 per cent of the students were placed in one of their preferred schools, about 12 per cent in secondary level schools in proximity to the schools they currently attend, and about two per cent of the students were placed manually in secondary level schools in proximity to the address they submitted at registration.

“Even though the tests and components used to place students have changed over the past three years, the mechanism used to place students remains the same. We are, therefore, confident that even in this unprecedented COVID-19 crisis, the method used to place students this year is fair, reliable and consistent with what previously existed,” she said.

The results for the individual performance of students were made available online at 2:00 pm yesterday.

Twelve-year-old Jala Bryan of Praise Tabernacle Christian Academy is now breathing a sigh of relief as she will be attending Merl Grove High School come September.

“I had anxiety, I didn’t even want to look at the results. I am happy that I can finally relax and not worry about whether I passed my exams or not. My teacher was very supportive in the preparation. It’s a very nice school,” she told the Jamaica Observer.

Her mother, Winsome Bryan, was also nervous due to the challenges presented by the remote learning experience amid the novel coronavirus pandemic.

“I’m so proud of her, knowing that she did her best. Staying home and doing online class, you know children fall back in certain areas,” she said.

Another parent, Sadie-Ann Sutherland Bryce, who is the mother of 12-year-old Vinesia Bryce of St Richard’s Primary, is happy that her daughter will be attending Ardenne High School.

“That was her first choice. I couldn’t sleep and I was so nervous. I woke up very early as I was very impatient. I am so proud of her,” she said.

Vinesia added: “I feel so happy. I am looking forward to meeting new people and learning new things.”

The Grade Six Ability Test was postponed twice this year. It was originally slated for February 23 and then postponed to March 25 due to the spike in COVID-19 cases.