Education Ministry says PEP exams successfully held despite Melissa disruptions

The Ministry of Education is reporting that the 2026 Grade 6 Primary Exit Profile (PEP) examinations have been successful administrated despite significant disruptions caused by Hurricane Melissa.

The examinations were held on Wednesday, April 29 and Thursday, April 30 across the island and were sat by 31,806 students, including 15,964 males and 15,842 females.

Of that number, 27,375 students were from public schools, while 4,431 attended private institutions.

Students sat Curriculum-Based Tests in Mathematics and Language Arts on April 29, followed by Ability Tests in Verbal and Quantitative Reasoning on April 30.

The education ministry, in a media release on Thursday, outlined that the Mathematics and Language Arts papers each consisted of 60 multiple-choice questions and were conducted for one hour and 50 minutes.

It noted that the 2026 sitting introduced the first formal assessment of literacy and numeracy at the Grade 6 level, with dedicated components embedded in both subject areas.

The Ministry said this enhancement will provide critical insights into students’ readiness for secondary education and help educators evaluate intervention strategies implemented since Grade 4.

It noted that inclusive measures were implemented, with 615 students receiving special accommodations such as extra time, readers and writers, preferential seating, and assistive formats including braille and large print.

Additionally, 17 students were approved for linguistic support in French, Spanish and Mandarin.

To address the lingering effects of the hurricane, the Ministry implemented several contingency measures to ensure safe and accessible examination environments.

These included relocating students to alternative centres, using temporary weather-resistant facilities, arranging transportation, and deploying rapid response teams to manage emergencies.

Regional offices were also empowered with funding to address urgent local needs, supported by clear communication protocols to keep stakeholders informed.

This year’s sitting of PEP was adjusted to account for the impact of Hurricane Melissa, a Category Five storm that severely affected several parishes, particularly in western Jamaica.

As part of those adjustments, the Ministry cancelled the Performance Task assessments after consultations with teachers, principals and parents from both public and private institutions.

It said the move was aimed at ensuring fairness for all students while maintaining the integrity of the placement process.

Minister of Education Dr Dana Morris Dixon praised the effort of all stakeholders involved in delivering the examinations.

“We are extremely pleased that the 2026 PEP examinations were conducted successfully across the island. This achievement reflects the dedication and coordination of our ministry staff, school administrators, teachers, parents and students, who remained focused despite the challenges brought on by Hurricane Melissa,” she said.

“Our priority was to ensure that every child had a fair and supportive opportunity to perform at their best.”

The Ministry reaffirmed its commitment to delivering a fair, credible and student-centred PEP process, noting that the successful staging of the 2026 examinations highlights careful planning and adaptive strategies aimed at supporting every student’s transition to secondary education.

According to the Ministry, the smooth execution reflects a strong commitment to resilience, equity and student success in the face of adversity.

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