Grades 2, 4 & 9 Assessments will not be written in 2020

The Education Ministry on Thursday announced that in light of the COVID-19 pandemic that continues to affect the sector, there will be no sitting of the Grades Two, Four and Nine Assessments this year.

Students, parents, and teachers were advised that for the 2019-2020 academic year, the Assessments would not be administered to all cohorts of students who should have written them.
“The absence of these assessments will have no negative impact on the learners’ records,” the Ministry clarified.
The Ministry has been working to deliver the curriculum on other platforms, especially through the use of technology. In light of the coronavirus pandemic, the possibility of facilitating physical classrooms was dismissed for the month of September after analysing the risks.
Earlier this year, students across the country sat the National Grade Six Assessment (NGSA); the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) and the Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examinations (CAPE). These were facilitated after the COVID-19 pandemic reached Guyana’s shores and were carefully monitored through implemented guidelines.
To facilitate the exams amid the coronavirus threats, the Ministry had mandated that only examination candidates, invigilators and other authorised persons be allowed into the school compounds. All other persons, including parents, media personnel and the general public were advised not to enter any school compound. Along with this, desks and benches were placed six feet apart, with adequate hand-washing facilities at the entrances. Some students were provided with packages and masks.
As the Ministry deliberates on the reopening of schools, it was indicated that they would be closed for September.
Teachers of Grades Five and Six were given a chance to share their concerns with Education Minister Priya Manickchand on Friday, as it pertained to examinations and teaching during the COVID-19 pandemic. More than 800 educators and senior officials joined in addressing the situations facing the different regions, and how they can be solved to continue class sessions, specifically for children scheduled to be sitting the National Grade Six Assessment next year.
Since mid-March, schools have been closed as a measure to ease the spread of the coronavirus. Online platforms were enabled as the new tool to reach students, but there have been some setbacks.
Minister Manickchand noted that a massive training programme will soon be launched to enable teachers to get the training required.