Diane Henry - teacher/student: `The only problem with the whole grading system is that some students don’t prepare themselves during the early years. It’s during the later years when they are preparing for Common Entrance that they get motivated by the big examination. You can see it. And although it might make some children begin studying from an early age, after a while they keep studying, over and over, and they begin to feel pressured over time. But I think it’s positive too, I believe it might motivate a lot of children to perform well over time.’

Dwayne Grant - tally clerk: `I don’t think that it would be fair for the children of a very young age, whose minds are not fully developed. From my point of view, it should wait until these children’s minds are developed, at a young age they may not be properly prepared. I don’t think I would have been prepared at Prep B. And children don’t understand the importance of education until they get older. They just think that they get sent to school because their parents don’t want them in the house or because they just have to go to school. A lot of the time they don’t understand the reason why they have to go to school.’

Maurice Prince - sculptor: `I think it’s a good idea. A lot of children may sit the SSEE and some of them do not do well. But I think with the grade assessments they would stand a better chance of getting into secondary school. And I think it would allow you to recognise their potential early on.’

Patricia Phillips - craft teacher: `I personally don’t agree with it. Some children work up to the Common Entrance where they make a big push. There are some who would be able to do a lot of work at the early stages, and there are some who can’t. But I think it would encourage children to study more and do more in class from a young age, which is good because at many times you find that children go through to the secondary level but they can’t cope with work. It will enhance their development but as I said before, some children develop late and it might be a bit unfair to them.’

Amanda Subryan - computer clerk: `I think that it might be a bit unfair to those children in Prep B because they have just started school and to be tested at that stage? But at the Primary 2 level I think that’s okay because it’s just about that time that you begin preparing for the SSEE. And I don’t think children appreciate it at an early age.’

Kamla Boodram - housewife: `I don’t feel too comfortable with it, I prefer the Common Entrance, because that is all I know about since I was growing up. But I have a son who is going to be doing the level 2 in June and I see that they are trying harder at the school to get the children to improve their work. My son is doing well and I will be helping him in June.’

Sunil Singh - driver: `It’s a wise idea because it would motivate children to work from an early age. It would lead to their development so by the time they get to Primary 4, they understand everything. It is a wise idea and I believe it could elevate the standard of education in schools.’

Telitta Thomas - self-employed: `It seems like a whole lot of stress on the children. They will have regular examinations plus this grade assessment, it will put a lot of pressure on their minds. I mean the Common Entrance examination is not an everlasting examination. Some students get jittery or nervous at examination time, while they may do well on the course work all of the time. They may argue that they are focusing more on educating children from the early stages, but isn’t that what they were doing all the time. I could understand if they added course work, assignments, but more examinations? I don’t think that is wise. I think introducing assignments like the School Based Assessments (SBAs) CXC students have to do, would have helped to prepare them for higher learning and teach them research skills.

Marlon Fraser - mechanic: `I think it’s good because a lot of children can sometimes do well during the years before they reach Primary 4. And this would ensure they get over to secondary school. When writing Common Entrance a lot of children only have one chance, if they fail that is it. But writing three separate examinations would be better. When I heard about it I thought it was a very good idea. It is better for the children, it’s a new system and I think it’s a good system that could lead to their development.’