Students to do PEP prepping during Christmas holidays
Published:Tuesday | December 18, 2018 | 12:00 AMJodi-Ann Gilpin/Gleaner Writer
Except for Christmas and Boxing Day, at least two schools in the Corporate Area have said grade six students will be hard at work during the holidays as they prepare for the Primary Exit Profile (PEP).
The principals of both institutions are also emphasising the need for parents to monitor their children closely and ensure that all assignments that they would have received are completed with the highest standard.
Dr Margaret Bailey, principal of the Rollington Town Primary School in Kingston, said although the ideal situation is to enjoy the holidays, parents, students and teachers must be prepared to make the necessary sacrifices if they are to see success.
"We don't want our efforts to be in vain, so we are pulling out all the stops and we are doing everything that we possibly can. There is no looking back, it's ( PEP) going forward," she said.
"The students will be given a performance task package to take home and parents will have to sign. This is not to indicate they did the homework for them, this is to ensure that it (homework) was done. You want to make sure that the parents know what is going on," she continued.
Bailey added, "We have a communication thing where the parents can always call on us. The teachers have the parents number in their WhatsApp group so that they can have discussion with the parents. We have established rules so they know what time to call. Even though we are on holiday and the children are on holiday, we will still be working."
Veronica Gaynor, principal of the Iris Gelly Primary School in Kingston, said it has been, and continues to be, a hard task to convince parents of the urgency of the exam.
"Grade six students will be at school until Friday doing some PEP work. But even after Friday, they will be receiving assignments, that's inevitable. The turnout of (students) is not what we expected. It is rather disappointing," Gaynor said.
"It's a hard sell to the parents. I don't think the parents realise that the exam has changed and that there will be additional work," she said.