Go into your assessment with full confidence – Education Minister to NGSA Students

On the eve of the start of the National Grade Six Assessment (NGSA), in which thousands of children across the country will be writing their exams, Education Minister Priya Manickchand has shared words of encouragement with students throughout Guyana, urging students to approach their exams with confidence, assuring them that no matter the outcome, they will be supported by the Government in secondary school with a range of options to help them succeed.
She at the time made this announcement on Tuesday, in a social media post.
“What I want you to do tomorrow and on Thursday, is go into your assessment with full confidence that you will write what you know. Whatever happens, you will be fine, because we are going to look after you in secondary school, with varied options for how you can go through school,” she said.

The Minister emphasised that the school a student is placed in should not be a source of worry, since efforts have been made to upgrade facilities and improve the quality of education across all secondary schools.
“I know today is the day before your assessment, and I know you have been preparing. I want you to know that you have all of our love and support—our commitment—that it doesn’t matter what school you attend, you will be able to do well. We have made the same investment in every school: infrastructure, textbooks, trained teachers, lab equipment, and more,” Manickchand reassured.
She also encouraged students to carefully read over their questions during the exams and avoid feeling anxious or afraid.
“This is a beautiful time. Do not be nervous or afraid. Don’t be worried—this is just another stage to get into secondary school. Do not be fearful. Do what you know. This is material you’ve been preparing for over the last eight years. It’s the same content you’ve been learning. If a question confuses you, read it again. If you still don’t know the prepared answer, think it through and write what you believe the answer to be,” she advised.
The Minister also extended gratitude to the teachers and parents who supported the students along the way.
“To the teachers who have brought us to this point, I say thank you. To those of you who have worked tirelessly, thank you. This is a good time to show appreciation to you and also to the parents. Please do not make your children nervous by projecting your own feelings onto them. Make sure they’re well-rested and eat something healthy and nutritious,” she concluded.
The NGSA for 2025 is set to be written on April 16 and 17.
The assessment will be based on the Grade Five curriculum and then a consolidated curriculum. However, it was reminded that concepts from Grades Three and Four are also tested.
NGSA is spearheaded by the Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC).
Similar to the structure since 2016, CXC prepares the examination, supervises its administration, marks the scripts, conducts quality checks and conducts consequential reviews if any are requested.
Candidates are tested in four subjects namely, Mathematics, English, Science and Social Studies. The examination in each subject area consists of two papers. Paper One consists of multiple-choice items while Paper Two consists of essay-type or open-ended items.
As accustomed, all examination centres will be fully prepared and organised, and candidates must be fully aware of their seating positions along with the entry and exit plans.
In addition, all guidelines and regulations must be followed by both candidates and invigilators.
Candidates must be seated at least 30 minutes before the commencement of the examinations for both morning and afternoon sessions and they must be seated in an arrangement using their NGSA candidate numbers.
The packages containing examination papers must be opened and distributed in the presence of the seated candidates, and all necessary arrangements and provisions must be in place for candidates with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND), as well as those sitting Spanish-translated papers.