Students will finally sit their CPEA exams this week

Thousands of students will finally sit their primary exit examinations this Thursday and Friday after delay caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

On Thursday, June 25, and Friday, June 26, these students will be taking the Caribbean Primary Exit Assessment (CPEA) after having returned to physical school on May 25, after a two-month break.

Previously, Prime Minister Dr Ralph Gonsalves had decided that March 20 would be the last day of the term for pre-primary, primary and secondary students, after concerns were raised due to the presence and possible spread of the deadly respiratory virus, COVID-19, in St Vincent and the Grenadines(SVG).

At some point in time during the break, most schools were able to engage in some form of e-learning.

When the decision eventually was made for students in grade six, and form five, to return to instruction in schools as preparation for them to sit exams, a number of protocols had to be established.

These included: wearing of masks, regular hand washing and physical distancing.

The CPEA is an examination administered by the Caribbean Examinations Council(CXC) for students exiting the primary cycle of their education, and the regional body has had to delay their exams following the outbreak of the pandemic in the Caribbean.

“We are in dialogue with the respective countries in that regard to determine when is the best time for that examination to be administered,” the Registrar for CXC, Dr Wayne Wesley had indicated on the radio on April 15, while speaking on the CPEA examination.

“We are working with the respective local authority where that is concerned because only the national governments can make a determination as to when their country is ready to be engaged in activities of this nature,” he continued.

This year’s examinations, being held in June, is more than a month later than when they were held in 2019, which was on May 16 and 17.

At that time 1785 (930 males, 855 females) students had registered for the exam. In 16 centres throughout SVG, the students were tested on the subject areas: Mathematics, Social Studies, Language Arts and Science.