Learninghub Academy Preparing Students for Local and Regional Examinations

For more than two decades, a Jamaican developed e-learning platform has been transforming how students prepare for national examinations, helping hundreds to secure top placements and scholarships, while improving overall academic performance locally and across the Caribbean.

Chief Executive Officer of The LearningHub Group and Caribbean e-learning pioneer, Dr. Shalette Ashman, said the platform, LearningHub Academy, has been at the forefront of online education in the region since its inception, continuously evolving to meet the needs of students in a changing educational landscape.

“I started GoGSAT in 2005 to help Jamaican children prepare for their GSAT examinations. One year later, I launched CaribbeanExams to support primary school students across the region in preparing for their transition to high school, as well as high school students preparing for CSEC (Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate) and CAPE (Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination),” Dr. Ashman said.

“We operated both platforms for over a decade. In 2015, through a partnership with Digicel, we consolidated the systems, and today, everything operates under LearningHub Academy,” she explained.

Dr. Ashman noted that the platform provides comprehensive support for students from early childhood to upper high school, with a strong emphasis on preparation for the Primary Exit Profile (PEP) examinations.

The platform is aligned with Jamaica’s National Standards Curriculum and offers targeted preparation across all grade levels, ensuring that students are exposed to the full scope of content required at each stage of their academic development.

“In relation to PEP, we cover the entire grade four curriculum and support students in preparing for their Mathematics and Language Arts performance tasks. At grade five, we again provide full curriculum coverage and assist with performance tasks across the core subject areas. By grade six, we prepare students for all components of PEP examination, including the Ability Test, the Curriculum-Based Test, and the Performance Tasks in Mathematics and Language,” Dr. Ashman explained.

Students benefit from 24-hour access to learning materials, allowing them to study at their own pace while receiving structured guidance through live, scheduled Zoom sessions.

Dr. Ashman noted that these sessions are held on Fridays and Sundays between 6:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m.

Additionally, the platform incorporates diagnostic tools to identify learning gaps and personalise instruction for each student, ensuring that weaknesses are addressed effectively.

Dr. Ashman also informed that parents are able to monitor their child’s progress through a built-in grade book feature.

Students are further motivated through a rewards system, where points earned through consistent use of the platform can be exchanged for tangible incentives. The system also integrates artificial intelligence to provide students with customised responses to their questions.

According to Dr. Ashman, the platform’s impact has been significant, with hundreds of students achieving academic excellence, including top national performers and scholarship recipients.

“Over the years, we have supported many students who have gone on to earn government scholarships. To date, more than 400 of our students have received national scholarships, and we have helped many others secure placements at some of the top schools in Jamaica,” she said.

With just weeks remaining before the Grade Six PEP examinations, the platform is intensifying its support through targeted revision sessions designed to provide students with additional preparation and focused practice.

“With only two weeks remaining before the Grade Six PEP, we are conducting intensive revision sessions. Students will be able to join our Zoom classes and use these sessions to strengthen their preparation for the upcoming Ability Test,” Dr. Ashman told JIS News.

The platform incorporates a wide range of digital tools, including past papers, mock examinations, live tutoring, animations, educational games, and artificial intelligence features, all designed to enhance the learning experience and improve student outcomes.

Dr. Ashman emphasised that affordability and accessibility remain central to the platform’s design, with flexible pricing options to support both individual users and institutional partnerships.

“If a student signs up individually, the cost is $1,500 per subject. However, when students register through their school, they pay the same amount and receive access to all content for their grade level,” she explained. Parents and students can access the platform at www.learninghubacademy.com.

“They can also contact us directly via WhatsApp at 876-351-7777 if they have any questions or require guidance,” Dr. Ashman added.

Offering advice to students preparing for PEP, Dr. Ashman underscored the importance of critical thinking, consistent practice, and familiarity with examination formats.

“The Ability Test assesses critical thinking skills, the Performance Task focuses on the application of concepts to real-world situations, and the Curriculum-Based Test evaluates knowledge of content from the syllabus,” she said.

“A key factor in student success is completing the curriculum, understanding what will be tested, and developing the ability to answer higher-order thinking questions effectively,” Ashman added.

Reflecting on the platform’s legacy, Dr. Ashman highlighted its extensive partnerships and regional reach, noting that collaboration has been central to its growth and impact.

“Over the past two decades, we have worked with several Caribbean governments, major corporate organisations, international publishers, and non-governmental organisations. LearningHub now operates in Jamaica and North America, and supports students across the Caribbean, North America, and Africa in preparing for [both] pre-high school and post-secondary examinations,” she said.