Special arrangements for COVID positive students writing NGSA tests

WITH SOME 14,000 set to write the National Grade Six Assessment (NGSA) tests over the next
two days the Ministry of Education will introduce a number of new measures which it said is
geared towards serving the best interest of the candidates.
Among the novelty, the education ministry said emergency centres will be available for ailing
candidates who may have tested positive for COVID-19 or others who are still to be in
quarantine, according Ministry of Health guidelines.
This facility was introduced for students who wrote this year’s Caribbean Secondary Education
Certificate (CSEC) and the Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examinations (CAPE) tests offered
by the regional examinations body, CXC to cater for COVID-19 positive candidates.
It enabled them to write their examinations in a separate building while not endangering the lives
of their peers or the invigilators.
In a press statement, the education ministry asked parents of those NGSA students who have
tested positive, or, are in quarantine, but are still able and/or choose to write the examination, to
inform the Headteacher of the school or the Department of Education in their respective Region
about their child’s health status.
In those peculiar circumstances, parents are also advised to call 226 – 1237 to make all the
necessary special arrangements for their children, the ministry’s press statement advised.