Students, parents relieved covid19 SEA exam finally over

RIA CHAITRAM AND COREY CONNELLY

It was a long and winding road for Secondary Entrance Assessment (SEA) students, but at 1 pm on Thursday the exam was finally over.

The covid19 pandemic shut down schools, interrupting preparations for the exam, which led to its eventual postponement. It was originally scheduled for April 2.

Parents lined the streets in San Fernando and patiently waited for their children to come out of school.

Newsday caught up with several students of St Gabriel’s Girls' RC Primary School and San Fernando Boys’ RC Primary School and their parents, who said they were nervous but happy that it was over.

Kelisa Athanas, who is hopeful that she will pass for her first choice of St Joseph’s Convent, said the exam was not what she expected.

“Even though I had a lot of time to prepare, I was still nervous to write the exam. I found mathematics, which is usually the hardest, was not that bad today.

“For me the comprehension was a little bit challenging, but other than that I found it was an okay paper.”

Athanas said she was concerned about her safety, given the covid19 situation in TT, but her fears disappeared.

“I was scared at first to come out and write the SEA examination, because I was not sure I would be safe at school. But when I came to school they had all the stuff that they were supposed to be doing in place, so I was not scared as before.”

Her mother, Keisha, said they were out very early on Thursday morning, having been told to be at the school by 7 am, to ensure all health protocols were followed.

Her father, Kelly, said the unusual circumstances came with added stress.

“It took a toll on her in particular, because she was unable to be with her friends and interact and socialise. This is a very integral part of being able to be at school, and we have lost that opportunity.

“But the preparation, foundation and fundamentals were there before, and I think that she gave her best.”

A short distance away at San Fernando Boys' RC, some students said section two of the maths paper was difficult, but were happy it was over.

In Tobago some 997 students, except for five, wrote the exam. One student tested positive for covid19 and two others were identified as secondary contacts. No reason was given for the absence of the other two. A make-up test will be prepared for all of them.

Matthew Daire, 13, told Newsday he could not wait for it to be over.

"I going home and fix bike until meh brain turn backwards," he said, laughing.

Daire said the mathematics component was very difficult. He added, the other subjects were relatively easy.

Daire's friends agreed.

"The last set of the mathematics paper was very hard but I feel like I going and pass," a female student said.

Daire is hoping to pass for his first choice, Mason Hall Secondary School. Why Mason Hall Secondary?

"That information is classified."

Daire also said the students observed all covid19 protocols before the exam.

TTUTA Tobago officer Braden Roberts said he got feedback from several teachers.

He said several students became emotional before the exam.

"It appears as though those same concerns about the psycho-social needs of the children would have been lacking because a couple of the children broke down and had to be consoled."

Apart from that, Roberts said the exam ran smoothly.