A total of 3 300 students will take the Barbados Secondary Schools’ Entrance Examination next week Tuesday at the island’s 21 public secondary schools.
The figure comprises 1 545 males and 1 755 females, and students will be required to wear masks, sanitise, and be seated three feet apart.
In a recent interview with the Barbados Government Information Service, Chief Education Officer Dr Ramona Archer-Bradshaw noted the importance of protecting students in the COVID-19 environment and gave the assurance that the protocols governing the exams, as well as those pertaining to how parents/guardians conduct themselves near the centres, would be enforced.
Speaking on the issue of sanitisation, Archer-Bradshaw said: “There will be sanitising stations in the classroom and/or bottles of alcohol for students to cleanse their hands on entering the compound. But I want to make it clear that all COVID-19 protocols will be followed. We will also have [school] monitors from the public primary schools at the examination centres.”
The Chief Education Officer further noted that in addition to children walking with at least two pencils, a sharpener, an eraser and a ruler, they should bring along more than one mask.
The exam begins at 9 a.m. with the essay, then the English paper. This will be followed by a short break, after which there will be the mathematics paper. The entire process is expected to be completed by 1:15 p.m. (BGIS)