Dear Editor,
The results for the 2026 Primary Exit Profile (PEP) have been nothing short of exemplary: A 75 percent mastery in Numeracy and 79 percent mastery in Literacy. Notably, this comes in the wake of the deleterious effects of a major natural disaster, no less! Our students at the primary school level have once again proved their resilience and tenacity in achieving academic excellence. Last year, we achieved 69 percent in Literacy and 75 percent in Numeracy.
The Primary Exit Profile made its debut in 2019, replacing the Grade Six Achievement Test (GSAT). PEP assesses students’ knowledge while placing increased emphasis on the demonstration of 21st-century skills such as critical thinking and communication, according to the Ministry of Education, Youth & Information.
Within that esteemed success are key pillars and support systems. We must therefore give credit where credit is due. A heartfelt thank you to the facilitators, who have made countless sacrifices in and out of the classroom for months and even years. A thank you to the parents for stewarding your child’s studies and cementing your presence and support for them. A thank you to the administrators for your hard work in leading the academic team assiduously through times of adversity and tumult.
Let us now replicate that success in Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) subjects locally. Unfortunately, only a third of our CSEC candidates last year were able to receive 5 subjects or more and this disconnect cannot continue any further. The same resilience, discipline, and collaborative spirit that propelled our primary students to mastery must be harnessed at the secondary level.
If we can translate the lessons of perseverance from PEP into the rigors of CSEC, Jamaica will not only sustain academic rigor but also cultivate a generation equipped to thrive in global competitiveness.
I am,
Dujean Edwards
Educator and Researcher
