… 100 percent attendance at region three schools so far

The Ministry of Education (MOE) has reported a high turnout for the ongoing Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) examination and the Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination (CAPE) which commenced on July 13, 2020.

There are 11,998 students at 168 centres countrywide registered to write the CSEC examination while 851 candidates at 15 centres are registered to write CAPE. The MOE noted in a release on Thursday that a 100 per cent attendance was recorded at schools in Region Three (Essequibo Island- West Demerara) thus far.

“…it has been noted that students attending schools in that region have been attending their institutions to sit their exams and that there have been no issues with absenteeism for the examinations written to date,” the ministry stated. Thursday marked the fourth day into the examinations and saw students writing Principles of Accounts (POA) amongst other subjects.

Visiting four secondary schools in West Demerara, Stewartville, Leonora and Uitvulgt, the MOE noted that all students registered to write this exam were present. Headteacher of West Demerara Secondary, Mr. Harrinarine, told the MOE that he was very satisfied with the conduct of the examinations.

He said that the high attendance of the students is an indication of the importance placed on the examination by the students, their parents and teachers. The situation at the other three schools mirrored that of West Demerara Secondary. The ministry also reported that, at all of the schools visited, the COVID-19 guidelines set out in the gazetted Examination Order were being stringently enforced.

Even as the exams are ongoing, the MOE reminds that students, teachers and those permitted to be in the school compound are required to wear a face mask at all times. Additionally, handwashing and sanitizing must be done at the entrance of the school.

Students are required to be two meters or 6 feet apart from each other at all times while playing, gathering and vending outside schools are prohibited. MOE Education Officers will be visiting schools across the country to ensure that there is full compliance with the order. The CSEC examination and CAPE are being written from July 13- August 4 and July 13- 31 respectively.