Basseterre, St. Kitts, June 16, 2021 (SKNIS): During the June 14, 2021 press conference held by the Ministry of Education to inform the public on matters related to the administration of CSEC 2021 Examinations, Examinations Registrar Mr. Solomon Claxton indicated that there would be several changes to the exam protocols given the current global environment due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“During the period June 15-25, there were a number of subjects at the closure of secondary schools due to the pandemic that was affected. Those subjects namely Food and Nutrition, Clothing and Textiles, French, and Spanish orals, and CSEC Music were all affected. We at the Ministry of Education left no stone unturned and collaborated with the National COVID-19 Task Force to ensure we have the best method in place going forward,” said Mr. Claxton.
Mr. Claxton further indicated that the Ministry of Education did not want to disrupt the preparation of students whilst ensuring that all personnel adheres to the COVID-19 protocols in relation to the administration of oral examinations.
“When we look at the movement of officers we realized that it is necessary to provide this information so parents and the general audience at large could be informed and be provided with some level of safety in relation to the wellbeing of their children. All officers will either be driven by themselves or driven by an assigned driver to and from each location. For examiners in St. Kitts going to Nevis, they will drive to the Stanford building location and then they will be taken to Reggae Beach and then over to Nevis. Each driver will be outfitted with hand sanitizer and disinfection spray,” said Mr. Claxton.
Mr. Claxton further indicated that regardless of the measures put in place, responsible action from the individual level would greatly assist the efforts being made by the Ministry of Education. Across the Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis, schools have been closed due to the ongoing COVID-19 community spread, with teachers and students taking part in online learning sessions.