The Education Ministry has announced that it will be postponing the Ability Test component of the Grade 6 Primary Exit Profile, PEP Examinations and cancelling the Performance Based element.

In a release today (February 15), the ministry said following a stakeholder meeting last Friday, February 11, it decided to postpone the GPEP Ability Test from its originally scheduled date of February 22, to March 24.

It said the performance based tests scheduled for March 22 and 24, will be cancelled, while the Curriculum Based Tests will be maintained as scheduled for April 27 and 28.

The Ministry said portfolio minister, Fayval Williams, announced the change in the administration dates against the background of concerns raised by stakeholders in the education sector about students’ readiness to sit these exams and the meeting on Friday.

It said the emergency meeting was attended by members of the National NSC/ PEP Monitoring Committee.

During the discussions members considered administering the exams as scheduled, postponing or cancelling some or abandoning the exams altogether.

The options discussed were put to a vote by committee members.

Minister Williams accepted the recommendations made.