Assignment of Grade 6 students into secondary schools

Overall Report

Background

Due to the challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic, in 2020, Grenada was unable to accommodate students for the sitting of the external component of the Caribbean Primary Exit Assessment (CPEA).

However, the Ministry of Education, Human Resource Development, Religious Affairs, and Information utilised the CPEA internal assessment scores and the Minimum Competency Test (MCT) Grade 5 scores to assist in the assignment of students to a secondary school, in a ratio of 2:1, respectively.

The 2020 internal component of the CPEA officially commenced in September 2019, while most of the present cohort wrote the MCT on 12 June 2019. The Grade 6 students registered for the assessment were 11 on, or will be before 1 September 2020.

The Grade 6 assignment was based on the following

• CPEA Internal Assessment (67% of total score)
• MCT (33% of total score)
• Project
• Book Report
• Writing Portfolio
• Self-assessment
• Practice in “Can-Do” Skills: English, Mathematics, Science and Civics
• Teacher-made-Test in English, Mathematics, Science and Civics

Registration and secondary school assignment

1,872 students were registered for the assessment. This figure included 988 males and 884 females. However, 1,743 students were assigned to a secondary school throughout Grenada, Carriacou, and Petite Martinique. This number includes 884 males and 859 females. Therefore, the Ministry of Education retained 129 students at the primary school; 25 females and 104 males. These students will have another opportunity to write the assessment in the academic year 2020- 2021.

In 2019, one thousand nine hundred and forty-nine (1,949) students were registered for the CPEA; 1,011 were males, and 938 were females. However, 1,799 students were assigned to secondary schools.

Table 1: The number of students assigned to each secondary school 2020

The Ministry of Education assigned 93.1% of the Grade 6 students to a secondary school in 2020. In 2019, 92.4% of the CPEA candidates writing the assessment were placed at the secondary level.

Each primary school will receive its specific copy of the Grade 6 students’ assignments to a secondary school with particulars for their students only. Therefore, the ministry will not publish the comprehensive listing in 2020.

Transfer Procedures

Parents/guardians are asked to note carefully the transfer procedures:

1. Download the transfer form either from the Ministry of Education’s website ([email protected]), Facebook page (facebook.com/moegrenada/), or request the form via [email protected] or email the principal of the primary school where your child is registered.
2. Complete the form fully and email the completed form along with the evidence documentation for the transfer to [email protected] with your signature by 10 July 2020.
3. A panel will review the transfer requests and respond electronically by the third week in July 2020.

NOTE

The Ministry of Education will NOT ACCEPT any hard copies of completed transfer forms from parents, and accordingly, parents MUST refrain from making their request physically at the Examination’s Unit.

Parents who DO NOT have access to electronic means of submission can contact the Educational Testing and Measurement Unit via telephone to assist with the same.

Late submission of transfer forms and incomplete forms WILL NOT be considered.

Based on students’ performances and the number of students placed in the school of their first choice, some schools have already met their CAPACITY. Therefore, the Ministry of Education WILL NOT allow transfer to schools where the class size is already at its maximum.

Grounds for transfer request

Transfers will only be allowed under the following strictly adhered to grounds:

1. Change of residency of parents after the submission of placement forms (Parents MUST submit supporting documentation).
2. The school has accommodation and special arrangements for physically challenged students via ramps, transportation, etc. (Parents MUST submit supporting documentation).
3. Instances of social issues with severe psychological effects on the child being at this school. Please note that original documentation (s) signed by a medical practitioner, education consultant, or psychologist MUST accompany the transfer request.
4. After the above considerations, should space be available, any other special circumstances will be taken into account.

Ministry of Education