Thousands of grade 6 students will be sitting the ability test component of the Primary Exit Profile (PEP), examination today (February 16).

This is the first physical sitting of the exam since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Education Ministry said it had implemented various initiatives and support services, leading up to today, in a bid to prepare both teachers and students for the exam.

These include PEP preparation lessons are being facilitated via television, and an ability test preparation session streamed online.

A session geared towards sensitising parents about the demands of the curriculum-based tests and performance tasks for grades four to six will be streamed live on the Jamaica Teaching Council’s YouTube channel at 5 PM on Tuesday, February 21.

The grade six students are scheduled to sit the performance tasks in Language Arts on March 22 and Mathematics on March 23, then the curriculum-based test in Language Arts and Science on April 26 and Mathematics and Social Studies on April 27.

The Ministry also indicated that students with special needs or long-term medical conditions, who are slated to sit this year’s PEP exams between today and April 27, will receive adequate support to do so.

This will be facilitated through the ministry’s special needs unit.

The requisite arrangements have been made to accommodate the students within classrooms, homes, hospitals, or any other location where the exam can be facilitated.