The Primary Exit Profile (PEP) examination is undergoing “internal assessments” for changes to be made, says Minister of Education, Skills, Youth and Information, Senator Dr Dana Morris Dixon.

Speaking with JIS News while visiting the Coffee Piece Primary and Infant School in Clarendon, recently, the Minister said the examination, which is geared at enhancing the academic and critical-thinking capabilities of students, is likely to be restructured.

“We are actually doing some internal assessments of PEP to look at whether or not it’s meeting our needs. And we do believe there needs to be some changes to it, and we will announce that in short order,” Morris Dixon said.

The minister, who toured several schools in Clarendon North Western, added that she went through classrooms to see what the students are learning, and in a grade-one class at Coffee Peace Primary, she saw them doing bar charts, which “is fabulous to see”.

“Their teachers have prepared them very well. There is a lot of material, a lot of resources have been put in, and I have seen some excellent teachers,” she added.

“My message in coming to these schools is to say that you matter. You are important. I want to hear from you and to say thank you to them directly, and personally, because our rural schools—these children are brilliant, and they are doing brilliant things. Our teachers are doing amazing work with them, and we have to always show them and always say to them that you are important, you matter, and that is why visits like these are very important,” the minister said.

She encouraged the students to always focus on making the “best of this life that you have, and there are going to be some great opportunities provided to you”.

“There are going to be some great days ahead for you. And there are going to be some days that are not going to be as easy, like the days when you do the exams. But I say to you, that you have been equipped by your teachers to take on all of that. You have been equipped by your parents to take on the challenges, and most importantly, you have been blessed by God,” the minister told them.

In the 2024 sitting of the PEP examination, the ministry reported that nationally, approximately nine out of every 10 students who sat the test were placed in a school of first choice. Sixty per cent of students were ranked in the proficient or highly proficient category.