NGSA 2021 postponed

The Ministry of Education has postponed the National Grade Six Assessment (NGSA) which was originally set for March-April 2021.

Minister Hon. Priya Manickchand made this announcement during a press briefing on Monday, even as the Ministry continues its phased reopening of schools for face-to-face interaction, after months of closure due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“The exams will not be written in March/April […] We’re definitely going to be postponing it, if we write it at all,” she said.

Minister Manickchand explained that unlike the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) and the Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination (CAPE) which are offered by the Caribbean Examinations Council, Guyana administers the NGSA.

“[It] is our exam. We can set it; we can determine how we write it [and] whether we write it. It’s a placement exam […] There are other ways that we can place students fairly, into secondary schools [and] we’re looking at that,” the Minister said.

No concrete decision has been made in terms of when the examinations will be written nor the form it will take. The Ministry is currently consulting with education and health officials to craft a viable plan.

Yesterday, schools reopened for students from Grades 10-12 and those enrolled in technical, vocational education and training (TVET) institutions for classroom learning, after eight months of closure due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Students at the primary, nursery levels and lower secondary levels will continue learning virtually through television, online classes and radio and print packages, until further notice.