Barbados Secondary Schools’ Entrance Examination (BSSEE) Date Confirmed for May 7 Amid Controversy

There has been no change to the May 7 date for thousands of primary school students to sit the Barbados Secondary Schools’ Entrance Examination (BSSEE).

Last Wednesday, during the Senate debate on the Appropriation Bill, educator Senator Reverend Charles Morris said there was a strong possibility that the date of the exam, commonly referred to as the 11-Plus or Common Entrance Exam, would be pushed back.

“I have it on good authority that the date will be put back, and I agree it should be put back,” he said.

However, a check with the Ministry of Education on Thursday indicated that no change had been made.

Spokeswoman for the ministry Gaynelle Marshall told Barbados TODAY: “There has been no change to the May 7th date.”

Over the past few months, the Barbados Union of Teachers (BUT) and head of The Group of Concerned Parents, Paula-Anne Moore have been lobbying the ministry to reconsider the date, citing the multiple disruption in classes experienced by scores of students as environmental issues plagued a number of primary schools. They also pointed to the learning challenges associated with online classes during the heightened phases of the COVID-19 pandemic.

However, when contacted, BUT president Rudy Lovell said it did not make any sense to continue protesting against the date.

“We commented, giving our position on the matter before and it doesn’t make any sense commenting now because the ministry has made a decision not to change the date and nothing that we say will make them change the date,” he told Barbados TODAY. (SZB)