NGSA, CSEC 2026 success hinges on mock exams – Education Minister

– calls on parents, teachers to work with students in weak areas

The success of students preparing for the Caribbean’s two major high-stakes secondary and exit examinations – the 2026 sitting of the National Grade Six Assessment (NGSA) and the 2026 Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC), respectively – will be heavily determined by performance on structured mock examinations, Minister of Education Sonia Parag has emphasised, issuing an urgent call for parents and teachers to work intensively with learners in academically weak areas.
Speaking directly

to the nation’s exam-bound cohort via video remarks on Tuesday evening, the Education Minister acknowledged the emotional tension surrounding the first set of 2026 preparatory mock assessments, scheduled for December 3 and 4, 2025, for Grade Six students sitting the NGSA, and December 4, 2025, for Grade 11 students writing the first Mathematics mock sitting for CSEC 2026.
“It’s an important week for us; it’s an important week for our students, it’s an important week for our teachers, as well as our parents,” Parag said, drawing from personal experience to extend reassurance. “And I know how parents can feel at this time because I was that parent last year when my son was also writing NGSE,” she shared, referencing her own journey through the rigours of the now-renamed national assessment.
Mock exams, the Minister stressed, serve a critical diagnostic role in the education system’s performance strategy by identifying knowledge gaps early enough for targeted remediation. “These mock exams are important for the simple reason that it tells the student, and it tells the parent and the teachers where that student’s weaknesses lie, and where their strengths lie in terms of a particular topic or subject,” she explained, urging stakeholders not to treat mock scores as final verdicts but as evidence-driven guides.
Grade Six students began testing English and Science on Wednesday before moving to Mathematics and Social Studies on Thursday. All four core subject areas will include Paper One and Paper Two, but with English mock papers being administered in the reverse order – Paper Two first, followed by Paper One. Meanwhile, Grade 11 students sitting Mathematics mocks on December 4 will use the exercises to pinpoint challenging topics ahead of their final assessment window, building readiness for CSEC 2026.
“This is to assist you in getting to the point of CSEC where you can excel,” Parag said. “Mock exams give you the chance to determine your weaknesses in Mathematics and which topics need more effort to secure a good CSEC grade. Investment is being made in Mathematics and in our students to make sure outcomes are strong and sustainable.”
The Minister was explicit in her appeal to parents and teachers: immediate corrective support must be deployed for students who underperform mock assessments in certain subject areas. “Pay attention to mock results when they come out,” she urged. “Prepare learners for the second set of mock exams, which will be held in February 2026 for NGSA and CSEC Mathematics. Mock One covers Grades One to Four, Grade Five, and up to the 10th week of Grade Six for NGSA mock coverage.”
Importantly, Parag reinforced that mock examinations provide timing leverage – students still have months to improve before the final 2026 delivery. She reassured learners not to succumb to fear-driven pressure narratives.
“Panicking will get you nowhere. Take a deep breath, have a good night’s rest, and put your best foot forward tomorrow and Thursday,” Parag said. “Mock exams are a stepping stone. You still have time to get even stronger. You can do better in Mock Two. And we will continue to engage you so we can make your journey successful together.”