Students felt safe in physical classrooms for SEA

Students at the Mucurapo Girls’ RC Primary School in St James said they felt safe doing their Secondary Entrance Assessment (SEA) examination in a physical classroom after participating in online classes since March 2020.

A few students spoke briefly with Newsday on Thursday after the exam.

Kaitlyn Neverson said she felt safe during the exam but was still a bit anxious.

“I am ready to go back to the physical classroom,” she said enthusiastically.

Neverson said preparing for the exams and participating in online classes was hard.

“I always wanted to play on my laptop, but I put it down and realised I had to focus on my work.”

She said the exam was stressful, but she managed to make it through to the end.

“It feels good to be finished but I still feel sad because (I’m leaving) my friends.”

Aliayha Mathews also said she felt safe in the exam room. She said the exam was easier than she anticipated.

“It was easy, and math was good,” she said. “I thought it would be hard, but our teacher Ms Jackson taught us to read the question twice, circle the key word, plan, do, and check it over.”

She said the language section of the exam proved to be challenging and she thanked God for getting her through it.

Mathews said she was grateful for the exam to be over.

“I could never get what I want. I could not wait for SEA to finish, and I thank God it is so I could get what I want now.

Arianna Ramnarine agreed with her classmates that the physical classroom felt safe and that the health protocols were good.

Temperatures were checked and recorded upon entry as well as when students were leaving the school compound.

There was a delay in the completion of the exam which was supposed to finish at 1 pm but instead finished at 1.40 pm.

By that time parents had gathered at the front gate waiting for students to be released. Police officers from the nearby Western Division station visited the compound and asked parents to maintain social distancing while they waited for their children.

“We don’t want people gathering, so follow what the principal is saying so there would be no breach of the protocols,” said Supt Henry.

“My daughter goes to this school, and I am waiting for the instructions from the principal. Let us observe social distancing and be patient.”

Another officer advised parents that students would come out one at a time.