Gadsby-Dolly: Online assessment, means test coming

EDUCATION Minister Dr Nyan Gadsby-Dolly on Friday said a committee established by the ministry will submit a report on the standardisation of assessments for online classes taking place during the covid19 pandemic. She also disclosed that on April 12, a means test will be held to determine the students who will benefit from the purchase of a first tranche of 20,000 electronic devices.

Responding to questions on both issues from Tabaquite MP Anita Haynes in the House of Representatives, Gadsby-Dolly said, "A committee was recently formed and should be soon convened to deal with the form of this national standardised assessment."

She explained, "The findings of this committee will be used to assist and inform decisions on other standardised assessments such the National Test and the National certificate of secondary education (NCSC)."

Gadsby-Dolly reiterated that the Government's emphasis is to "continue the necessary work to ensure that face-to-face school can resume in some form for our children even as we explore the use of adaptive technology systems to assist those with learning gaps, especially in basic literacy and numeracy skills."

On the means test, Gadsby-Dolly said it was being done to ensure the devices were given to the students who were most in need. She explained the April 12 launch date "is close enough to the delivery date of the devices, so that those who qualify would not also benefit from device donations from other sources."

Principals, Gadsby-Dolly continued, have been keeping records of students who have received devices and those who have not. She added that the first batch of 20,000 devices were paid for out of a $50 million allocation from the Government.