As the Ministry of Education continues to transition to electronic registration for the Barbados Secondary Schools’ Entrance Examination, there is an appeal to parents to adhere to the deadlines.
Speaking on the sidelines of the first town hall meeting at The Lester Vaughan School, education officer Shamin Ally said the links would go live on the ministry’s website the week after the last town hall meeting on January 19. They will also be sent to the schools via email.
“I think this is the third year we are trying it. It worked beautifully last year so we are using it again this year. Technology is the way forward, so we are going full speed ahead with this electronic process,” Ally said.
Education officer Shamin Ally. (Picture by Reco Moore)
She added: “We want parents to adhere to deadlines because it is a whole lengthy process thereafter. So imagine missing a child or two from the registration process; just one or two people can back up a whole process.”
Special requests, like extra time, can also be made via the electronic form.
This year’s exam will be held on May 2.
In response to a question about the abolition of the Common Entrance Examination and education reform, Ally, who said she could not speak too much on the process, noted it had to be done carefully.
“That in itself takes a while, and when I say a while, a couple years, because it is not the simple matter of the abolition of an examination.”
She said the public would be informed, “but I can tell you it is a lengthy process; we have to be absolutely thorough in making changes”.
There will be two town hall meetings per week until January 19 at various schools across the island. (SAT)