Latest update January 18th, 2025 7:00 AM
National Grade Six Assessment… Education Minister debunks allegation of unmarked papers
Reports that the National Grade Six Assessment papers of more than 400 pupils are yet to be marked in order to afford them a place at secondary level schools were categorically refuted yesterday by Education Minister, Shaik Baksh.
However, the parents of some pupils are claiming that their children are in fact faced with the predicament since their names were allowed entry at a late stage by the Ministry to sit the exam.
This newspaper understands that the pupils are all older than the requisite Grade Six age because they either entered school late, or due to some other issues beyond their control.
According to one parent, an education official informed that because the names were placed late in the system the results could not have been made available along with those of pupils who received theirs on Monday.
It was related that there was some level of deliberation by education officials as to whether the pupils could have been entered for the assessment due to their age.
A parent said that it was not until the Friday before the assessment that the pupils were provided with slips granting them allowance to participate in the exam. The assessments were held on March 26 and March 27 last.
An official related that the papers of the pupils who were entered late would have to be marked and tabulated manually.
One parent disclosed that a Ministry official has since related that the process would be completed this week thus the results are expected to be made available as early as Friday or as late as Monday.
A parent informed that she learnt of the availability of the assessment results and attempted to secure some level of assistance from the Ministry to determine what score her child had secured.
However, the parent said she was told that the child falls within a bracket of pupils who were too old to be in Grade Six.
The woman added that she was informed that there was no priority in marking the papers of those students.
Minister Baksh, however, has remained adamant that there is no such case that he is aware of within the system even as he regarded the allegations as baseless.
The Minister explained that since the Ministry is not capable of providing all schools with instant results, efforts are still being made to send them off.
He pointed out that results have to be sent to all of the regions and thus the process will take some time to be completed. He assured though that all papers, with no exceptions, have been marked but simply have not reached all of the schools.
According to the Minister, the concerned parents can all uplift the result slips at their children’s schools by Friday.
Meanwhile, some parents disclosed that they plan on taking legal action if the results their children receive are not acceptable.
This newspaper was told that some of the parents will move to the court to have a review of the assessment be done by a private educator who will be chosen by the court.
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