Today was day one of the Primary School Examination. 6,668 candidates – 187 fewer than last year - registered to sit the exam which was administered at 26 testing centres across the country. It is hoped performance will improve because last year the national average for social studies, science, and math decreased. There was a marginal increase in the performance on the English paper. 7News was outside testing centres this afternoon and we gauged the reaction of students.
Keith Swift Reporting,
At 1:45 this afternoon, relieved standard six students filed out of PSE testing centres.
Martha Mejia, Holy Redeemer Primary School
“It was challenging in some areas. The science, some areas were challenging like for example tides. The English, it was quite easy. The storytelling, you had to think, and for the multiple choice you had to comprehend.”
Aretha Hamilton, Central Christian Academy
“The comprehension and the letter writing was kind of a little hard but it was easy and when it came to the science, that was hard. You had to bust your brain. I pray to God that I think I did good. I just pray to God I just pass.”
Kyra Moreira, Holy Redeemer Primary School
“The English was kind of easy but little challenging but the science
got to me. I studied but, I studied though.”
Francis Reyes, Central Christian Academy
“Parts of it were easy but what gave me problems was the composition writing. I am not really good at writing stories so that was the only problem.”
Kyle Encalada, Holy Redeemer Primary School
“Kind of challenging, the English. Mostly the letter writing, only that. I didn’t know the different type of letters so I thought I would get confused and did the wrong one.”
Saida Esquivel, La Democracia Government School
“For me it was fine and easy because everything that my teacher gave
me, everything was in the exam book. Only the comprehension was a little bit too hard for me. I think I did fine, thank God.”
The students sat English A and B in addition to science. Last year only 47% of students passed the English Paper and 65% got C or above on the science paper.
Yvonne Davis, PEO - Examinations Unit
“There are two papers to the English test. English Paper 1 which is the comprehension paper. It consists of 50 multiple choice items and the Paper 2 is the composition paper which consists of two writing pieces, a letter, and a narrative little story.
Every year they say the science is challenging or some part of the examination is challenging but I believe it has to do with how they were prepared for the exam because the table of specification for the exam has not changed. We have
been using the same table of specification, the same content areas for ten years, eleven years now. Maybe the reason for the challenge is probably because they weren’t expecting the quality or the items to be structured in the way they are.”
Day 2 of the PSE will be on May 3rd – which is the math and social studies papers.
Yvonne Davis,
“They will be writing the mathematics papers one and two and the social studies papers, 50 item test, multiple choice.”
Keith Swift,
“What advice would you give to students and teachers as they prepare for the second half of PSE?”
Yvonne Davis,
“No anxiety, just relax. Get a copy of the table of specification, the topics that are tested, and work towards the exam in that form because there is no change so there is no need for heightened anxiety. Just do your normal routine things and don’t get too anxious.”
Principal Education Officer in charge of Examinations Yvonne Davis says students who registered but didn’t sit today’s papers can still take the math and social studies papers. Remember those will be administered on Monday May 3rd.
