Education minister cites encouraging results from PEP exams

There have been encouraging results for mathematics, science, social studies and language arts from the 2023 Primary Exit Profile (PEP) examinations, says Minister of Education and Youth Fayval Williams.

Addressing a back-to-school conference on Tuesday, July 11, at the Terra Nova All-Suite Hotel in St Andrew, the minister said that in 2019, 41 per cent of students sitting the mathematics examinations were placed in the proficient or highly proficient category. In 2023, however, the figure is at 57 per cent. She noted, too, that whereas in science, 49 per cent of the students were in the proficient or highly proficient category in 2019, it is now at 64 per cent.

“In social studies, 63 per cent in 2019 in the proficient or highly proficient category, that figure is now 67 per cent, and in language arts, 55 per cent in the proficient or highly proficient section in 2019, that number is now 60 per cent,” the minister reported.

The ministry’s data shows that girls outperformed boys in mathematics and language arts, and boys achieved better in science and social studies. It also shows that in mathematics, 54.4 per cent of those proficient are females, with males accounting for 44.4 per cent. A total of 18,451 males and 17,653 females sat this year’s exams.

The minister shared that according to data, 600 students did not show up for the exams, remarking that, “We have to find them, understand their circumstances, and we are committed that no child is left behind.”

“Our efforts today must shape the leaders, the innovators, and changemakers of tomorrow,” she emphasised.

The main objective of PEP is to enhance the academic and critical-thinking capabilities and creativity of students by the end of primary-level education. It commences with a series of assessments at grade four and ends in grade six. The three main categories are Performance Task, Ability Test, and Curriculum Test.

More than 80 per cent of students who sat the exams in 2023 have been placed in their school of choice. A breakdown of the numbers shows that of the 36,105 children registering, 8,105 were placed in their first-choice schools, 5,432 in their second choice, 4,378 in their third choice, with the remaining number getting to their seventh choice.

Administering of the PEP examinations commenced in the 2018/2019 academic year. Minister Williams explained that due to issues with the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, the ministry had to modify the sittings in 2020, 2021 and 2022. She noted that for the first time the ministry can fully compare this year’s results with that of 2019.