More than 7000 students sit day-one of the P.S.E.
Primary school students around the country were up bright and early this morning for day-one of the Primary School Examination. More than seven thousand six hundred sat the exam, for many, anxiety faded once they saw the test papers for English and Science; others felt the tests were as easy as a-b-c.� The results won't be known until June, but before that, Math which is the most challenging test will be taken in May. News Five's Isani Cayetano has that story.�
Isani Cayetano, Reporting
Over seven thousand, five hundred students across the country sat Day One of the annual Primary School Examinations today.� P.S.E., as they have come to be known, are important in evaluating academic performance, particularly for admission into secondary schools.� After weeks of diligent preparation, including evening classes and sitting mock tests, they were assessed for proficiency in English and Science.� Not surprisingly, a majority of those we spoke with afterwards say the papers were fairly easy.
Sheree Clark
Sheree Clark, Pilgrim Fellowship School
"First, I was scared and nervous and I thought it was going to be hard and when I went into the room my heart was beating fast but the exam was very easy.� We did a lot of studying and lots of preparation.� We got evening classes and Saturday classes."
Yensy Ferguson, Trinity Methodist School
"I was a little bit nervous at first but when time dehn give we di paper, then it was easy."
Lisa Clare
According to Lisa Clare, of the Ministry of Education's Exams Unit, while much hasn't changed in the way the exams are administered, the results, when released sometime in May, will vary.
Lisa Clare, Itinerant Resource Officer, Exams Unit
"Basically, it's the same.� In the multiple choice for English we look at mechanics and comprehension and in the mechanics section we look at grammar, punctuation and vocabulary and for the comprehension we look at literal comprehension, insightful, inferential and critical comprehension and [in] science we look at concepts and process skills."
Sheree Clark
"The exam wasn't that very hard because the story and the letter writing were two easy things to do and Science, well I love science so it was very easy for me."
In a ten-year trend in science mean scores, the results remained in the high sixties percentile despite a slight decrease of three percentage points from the previous year.
Mark Summerville
Mark Summerville, Pilgrim Fellowship School
"Science is my favorite subject and math is also my favorite subject and the next PSE I think I will do even better on Math and Social Studies."
In English, the students were required to write a basic letter.
Yensy Ferguson
Yensy Ferguson
"It took me kinda long for the language, for the story writing and the letter writing was easy.� So, we had to write a friendly letter stating that we're having an event at school.� So it was kind of easy."
Isani Cayetano
"In interviewing a number of students who sat today's exam, the overall feedback or response, if I may, is that the exam was fairly easy.� But, then again, it's usually a response that students give annually and then the results show otherwise. Do you believe that this particular exam this year is any more challenging than previous years?"
Lisa Clare
"Not necessarily, I believe it's about the same.� The performance paper is usually the one that would be more difficult for them because they have to, it's an application paper where they would, their writing would show whether or not they have grasped the English language and all the little things that go along with writing."
By consensus, the students all attest to Math being the most challenging exam.
Sheree Clark
"That's the hardest part, the other part is the hardest part but I think I can do well on it.� I have been getting a lot of classes, especially in math.� I'm good in math but I still think I need to do better.� I think it will be very easy."
Odelia Saunders, Pilgrim Fellowship School
"I think it will be very easy because we have been preparing for math for a long time now so I think I'll do good on it."
Day Two will be sat on May fifth. Reporting for News Five, I am Isani Cayetano.
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