Grade six students are expected to return to school on June 15.
The Ministry of Education has announced the reopening of schools to facilitate students preparing to write the National Grade Six Assessment (NGSA), Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) and the Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination (CAPE).
Beginning from June 8, teachers and auxiliary staff will be expected to attend school. Grade six students are expected to return to school on June 15. According to the ministry, physical distancing stickers and other signage will be employed while only 15 students will be allowed in each classroom. It was also noted that classes will not be held every day.
The ministry has gazetted and made public the necessary health protocols to ensure the safety of all students and teachers. Among those being put in place are temperature checks at the schools’ gates along with the restriction of unauthorised vending and parent visits inside the school compounds.
All schools will have appropriate sanitation stations. Specially designated sick bays will be organised to accommodate any student who may exhibit any symptoms of the Novel Coronavirus. Sweeper/cleaners will be trained in infection prevention and control practices
Masks will be provided by the ministry and all students and staff are required to wear masks every time they are in the school compound.
Grade Six students will sit the NGSA on July 1 and 2 and the Ministry has decided to have all local candidates eligible for these exams use the traditional paper-based modality.
Test papers will be placed on desks before students arrive to reduce physical contact.
Transportation will also be provided for all vulnerable students and those who live outside of their school’s catchment area. Students who previously benefited from the hot meals programme will be provided with meals.
The gazette and publication of the official Examination Order follow the release of the official timetables for the NGSA (1-2 July), CSEC (13 July – 4 August), and CAPE (13-31 July) by the Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC).
Approximately 15,000 students are expected to sit the NGSA while 120,000 students are expected to sit the CSEC examinations and while over 30,000 are registered to sit CAPE.
The timetables can be accessed here. [https://www.cxc.org/download-timetables/]
