With the way now cleared for a new administration, I write to support and reiterate the call made in a letter by Omchand Madhu titled `Incoming Minister of Education should postpone National Grade Six Assessment’ that appeared in our newspapers.

This letter effectively outlines the reasons behind the many calls for the Ministry of Education to postpone the sitting of these examinations.

These reasons include the readiness of these young boys and girls to sit these exams in such a short turnaround and serious health risks posed by the COVID-19 pandemic.

This week, the Region Ten Regional Health and Emergency Committee (RHEC) asked the Education Ministry to further delay the NGSA citing overcrowding at schools and the severe financial pressures of implementing changes to make them safer.

The incumbent Prime Minister, Brigadier Mark Phillips, recently advised the Ministry of Education to “take a second look” at its plans to conduct the NGSA in early July and highlighted a number of similar concerns.