GOV’T Advancing Reforms for Equitable Access to Quality Secondary Education

Prime Minister, Dr. the Most Hon. Andrew Holness, says the Government is advancing reforms to ensure every child has equal access to quality secondary education tailored to their individual needs and abilities.

Speaking during a Primary Exit Profile (PEP) Awards Dinner on Thursday (July 31), hosted by Speaker of the House of Representatives, the Most Hon. Juliet Holness, at Hillside City Centre in Lower Halls Delight, St. Andrew East Rural for which she is the Member of Parliament, the Prime Minister emphasised that the education system must serve all students equitably, ensuring that their success is not contingent on their doing exceptionally well for limited school placements.

Dr. Holness reiterated the Government’s commitment to strengthening all schools in order to eliminate disparities in educational outcomes.

The Prime Minister noted that the Ministry of Education, Skills, Youth and Information is working to reform what he described as a “filtering, rationing exam” —a ritual that has persisted through Common Entrance, the Grade Six Achievement Test GSAT, and now the Primary Exit Profile (PEP) —which determines access to the most sought-after high school placements.

He said the Ministry’s main strategy in this regard is improving the performance of Jamaica’s primary and high schools, with the aim of achieving parity across the education system.

“What we must do is improve the quality of all the schools so that the performance gap between them is so narrow that you would prefer to send your child to the school nearest to where you live,” the Prime Minister added.

Dr. Holness pointed out that this would be beneficial, as it would lead to a more even distribution of talent across the nation and foster uniform development in communities.

He emphasised that the Government is working to build a Jamaica where students are no longer burdened by the fear that a single high school placement exam will define their future.

“We want to build a Jamaica where the education system provides every child the same high quality of education… where the education system caters to their learning style, particular skills and talents, and enhances [them],” the Prime Minister maintained.

Meanwhile, Dr. Holness acknowledged that the current education system tends to reward a narrow range of academic skills.

“We have to change that. That is why we have commissioned a new Education Transformation Task Force, because the education system that we want is one that gives an opportunity to every child to truly meet our motto – ‘Every Child Can Learn… Every Child Must Learn,” he emphasised.

The awards dinner saw 91 students, each earning a cumulative score of 330 or more in their PEP exams, awarded tuition support, book grants, and other prizes.