Improved Performance in PEP 2025

Date: 2025-08-18 | Location: | Category: Education

The Ministry of Education has reported encouraging results from the 2025 sitting of the Primary Exit Profile (PEP) exams, signaling steady progress in literacy, numeracy, and overall student performance.

Of the 33,462 students who participated from 964 schools islandwide, 56% demonstrated proficiency in their subjects, with 7% reaching highly proficient levels. This marks a clear improvement over previous years, particularly when compared to grade-4 results from two years earlier. Minister Dana Morris-Dixon noted that absenteeism fell by 25%, a sign that both students and schools are taking the exams more seriously.

Breaking down the results:

Mathematics and Language Arts: 67% of grade-6 students reached proficiency, up from 34% at grade-4.

Science: 61% reached proficiency, with 7% highly proficient.

Social Studies: 58% reached proficiency, with 14% highly proficient.

“This shows that our targeted interventions are paying off,” Morris-Dixon stated. “But we still have work to do to reach our Vision 2030 goal of 85% proficiency.”

Changes to the 2025/26 PEP Administration

While celebrating improved performance, the Ministry has also announced structural adjustments to the PEP exams beginning in the 2025/26 academic year.

Reduced Testing Days

Exams will now be completed in four days instead of five, cutting down exam fatigue for students.

Day 1: Mathematics

Day 2: Language Arts

Day 3: Science & Social Studies

Day 4: Ability Test (reasoning skills)

Integrated Literacy and Numeracy

Standalone literacy and numeracy tests will no longer be separate.

Instead, these skills will be embedded directly in the Mathematics and Language Arts assessments.

Removal of Grade 5 National Task

The Grade-5 performance task will no longer be part of the national PEP framework.

Schools will handle this assessment internally, giving teachers more flexibility.

Decreased Stress for Students

By shortening the testing schedule and removing duplication, the Ministry aims to reduce pressure on students while still capturing key skills.

According to the Ministry, these changes are part of an ongoing effort to “prioritize deep learning over rote memorization” and to align assessment more closely with 21st-century skills.

Teachers and Parents Respond

Teachers across Jamaica have welcomed the changes. At a recent workshop in Kingston, one grade-6 teacher noted:

“PEP can be overwhelming for students. Reducing it to four days and integrating literacy and numeracy makes sense. It will allow us to focus more on teaching critical thinking and less on test prep.”

Parents also expressed relief, especially with the compressed schedule. “I like that the Ability Test will now be on its own day,” said Marcia Brown, mother of a grade-6 student. “It gives my child breathing room and ensures he can give his best on each paper.”

Spotlight: Student Success Stories

Several schools have reported standout improvements this year.

In St. Catherine, a primary school that piloted small-group tutoring for struggling readers saw literacy scores climb from 42% proficiency to 71%.

In Montego Bay, one school credited its improved numeracy scores to the integration of digital learning platforms, allowing students to practice skills online before exam day.

These stories highlight that behind the national statistics are thousands of personal victories for Jamaican students.

Looking to the Future

The Ministry has emphasized that while PEP results are improving, equity remains a challenge. Rural schools, particularly in parishes like St. Thomas and Hanover, still lag behind their urban counterparts in proficiency rates.

To address this, the government has pledged:

Increased teacher training in literacy and numeracy instruction.

More digital resources to ensure rural schools have equal access to online practice tools.

Community partnerships to help fund after-school support programmes.

As the system evolves, there have also been ongoing discussions about whether PEP will eventually be replaced or transformed into a more continuous assessment model. For now, the Ministry is focused on streamlining and strengthening PEP while monitoring student outcomes closely.

Final Thoughts

The 2025 PEP results demonstrate that Jamaican students are rising to the challenge, with more than half achieving proficiency and thousands excelling at highly proficient levels.

With the 2025/26 adjustments,shorter exam days, integrated literacy and numeracy, and fewer national tasks—students are set to experience a more manageable and focused assessment process.

For parents, teachers, and students, the message is clear: PEP is evolving to better prepare children for secondary education while reducing unnecessary stress. If the trend of rising performance continues, Jamaica may be well on track to meet its Vision 2030 education goals.