Barbados delays continuous assessment for school placement

The Barbados Ministry of Education Transformation has postponed the implementation of its continuous assessment programme for secondary school placement following concerns from parents and stakeholders. Minister Chad Blackman announced that the transition to a new placement model will be delayed, ensuring that students currently in Class Three and Class Four will still sit the Common Entrance Examination in its existing format.

A petition signed by over 400 parents and guardians requested a phased rollout starting with students in Class One to allow for better preparation and system refinement. In response, the ministry stated that while continuous assessment will be integrated into primary school teaching and learning this academic year to monitor progress and identify learning needs, it will not be used for secondary school placement until the 2029-2030 academic year.

The proposed National Assessment Programme aims to move away from a single high-stakes measurement toward a framework of regular checkpoints. This system is intended to provide teachers, parents, and students with timely data to support literacy, numeracy, and overall academic development.