Over 10,000 students around the country participated in the Grade Six mock exams on Wednes-day.
According to Assistant Chief Education Officer Mohammed Hussain, who presented the data during a virtual press conference with Minister of Education Priya Manickchand on the same day, a total of 10,179 students had been reported to have sat the mock exam from either their school or their home. Hussain explained that information was steadily reaching the Ministry and that the figures would likely continue to rise.
In all ten regions, a total of 12,672 out of some 14,200 students who have enrolled to write the National Grade Six Assessment are a part of the public school system. Hussain also informed that the participation of 817 students from private schools had been recorded. He, however, reminded that data from Regions Eight and Nine and the flooded regions were still coming in. Thus far, a total of 2,493 students were absent, with 420 students being unable to sit the exam due to flooding, according to Hussain’s analysis. The data indicate that four students in Region Two, 120 students in Region Three, 63 students in Region Six and 233 students in Region Seven, were unable to sit the first set of mock examinations on Wednesday because of the ongoing floods. The other students were absent for unknown reasons.
The exams, which took a hybrid format, saw 9,820 students writing it in schools and 359 students sitting it from at home.
Speaking at the press conference, Manickchand explained that the examinations are diagnostic and would help teachers, parents, and students to determine which areas need to be re-examined and work-ed on before the actual sitting of the NGSA. She added that reasons for absenteeism from the examinations include financial challenges, transportation and need to stay home to assist parents with younger siblings. She disclosed that her ministry will be creating a robust team, which will include social workers, to look into these issues. Acknowledging the possibility that students may have exited the school system, she said her ministry will also work to get these students back.
Additionally, Manickchand noted that some students were unable to write the mock examinations on the scheduled dates as some communities were under a lockdown due to COVID-19, while others are flooded, making schools and homes inaccessible.
Manickchand visited some schools to get a first-hand view of the turnout on Wednesday. She visited Graham’s Hall Primary School, North Georgetown Primary School, and Stella Maris Primary School. She expressed satisfaction with the processes and protocols observed at the schools she visited. According to the Minister, the students were properly distanced, wearing masks and were in possession of the care packages prepared by the ministry and which contains masks, sanitiser, pencils, eraser, ruler and sharpener.
She reminded that the second mock examinations are scheduled for July.
