TABAQUITE MP Anita Haynes urged that moderators for the CSEC exam be allowed to defer their work until July to curb their chances of catching the covid19 virus, addressing a news conference at the Office of the Leader of the Opposition on Sunday.

While teachers internally mark their pupils school-based assessment (SBA) exercises, the Ministry of Education sends out moderators to check the fairness/consistency of these marking exercises by themselves observing samples of pupil labs/scripts at various schools.

"Some persons have reached out to me to talk about the moderating exercise for SBA's in CSEC. Moderators have been asked at this time to visit schools and check samples. They are now looking at moving about the country to check these samples. They have noted that there would be no disadvantage to students if this exercise is moved to July or such a time when we get the covid numbers under control."

Newsday put Haynes' suggestion to Minister of Education Dr Nyan Gadsby-Dolly.

In an immediate reply by text, the minister said, "We are all concerned about the well-being of every citizen – students, moderators, teachers. None is excluded.

"It is for this reason that the Government is taking and will take all necessary measures to get the numbers down, and allow the administration of the examinations. This is not being left to hope and chance, the situation is being actively monitored and action taken where required."

Haynes expressed her deep concern about pupils who still lacked electronic devices and/or internet connectivity to keep up with online classes at their schools, and suggested a solution to afford more devices. "There would have been some built-in savings from 2019-2020 fiscal year and 2020 into 2021. Things like the school feeding programme, things like the operational cost and upkeep of the schools. These things would have all been things that the Government ought to have recorded some sort of savings.

"It is a matter of just re-allocating and re-prioritising so our students can get some sort of equal footing with respect to their education."

Haynes asked if the ministry was offering exam deferrals owing to a possible unpreparedness of pupils or to protect pupils from the risk of covid19 infection.

A recent ministry statement said the offer was made by the ministry "cognisant of the challenges experienced by students preparing to sit the Secondary Entrance Assessment 2021."

Saying the ministry's role is that of both policy-maker and advocate, on the latter count she lamented that allegedly too little had been heard from the ministry regarding last year's controversy when the Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC) was asked to re-mark many CAPE scripts amid many complaints of exam grades awarded being very inconsistent with pupils' track records of work.

Haynes said the Government makes a significant financial contribution to the CXC and so has a voice.

She said while TT has been in unusual circumstances with covid19 and while the nation is hoping for the best, it was insufficien