Changes to the Primary Exit Profile

The Primary Exit Profile (PEP) comprises a series of assessments, conducted at grades four, five and six to determine the readiness of primary school students for secondary school. The combined results of these assessments are used to place students in secondary schools.

The Ministry of Education, Skills, Youth and Information (MOESYI) in January 2026 announced changes to the 2026 sitting of PEP. These adjustments outlined below were intended to ease the volume of content that students are expected to master.

Grade Six

For 2026, Grade Six candidates were assessed on proficiency in the following format:

• 40 Multiple-choice items for the Ability Test
• 60 Multiple-choice items for the Mathematics Curriculum-Based Test
• 60 Multiple-choice items for the Language Arts Curriculum-Based Test

Grade Five

Students at the Grade Five level were assessed by a series of performance tasks in the following format:

• Up to 6 open-ended, scenario-based questions for Mathematics
• Up to 6 open-ended, scenario-based questions for Language Arts

Grade Four

Literacy and numeracy are the competencies in which students are evaluated at this grade level. The assessments entail 30 multiple-choice questions for each category.

For additional information, contact:

The Ministry of Education, Skills, Youth and Information

Address: 2-4 National Heroes Circle, Kingston

Telephone: 876-922-1400-9

Website: www.moey.gov.jm

Email: customerservice@moey.gov.jm

Facebook: @MOEYIJamaica

X: @MOEYJamaica

Instagram: @moesyijamaica