The 2026 Barbados Secondary Schools Entrance Examination (BSSEE) got off to a smooth start on Tuesday, with more than 2 700 Class 4 students across the island beginning one of the most pivotal tests of their academic journey.
In giving a breakdown of the numbers, Chief Education Officer Dr Archer-Bradshaw revealed that 1 410 were males and 1 367 were females.
She said while there were 14 early sitters, 53 students had been exempted from writing the exam while 89 students had been deferred.
Dr Archer-Bradshaw commended the examinations and assessment team, noting that officers had been at the ministry from early morning to ensure the process ran smoothly.
Minister of Education Chad Blackman and Chief Education Officer, Dr Ramona Archer- Bradshaw. (Photo Credit: Lourianne Graham/Barbados TODAY)
Minister of Education Transformation, Chad Blackman visited the Deighton Griffith School ahead of the exam, accompanied by Archer-Bradshaw, Permanent Secretary Kim Belle and Deputy Chief Education Officer Julia Beckles.
Speaking to students before they entered the school hall, Blackman urged them to remain calm.
Ministry of Education officials observe as student line up to enter classrooms for exams
(Photo Credit: Lourianne Graham/Barbados TODAY)
“This is your moment now to do well, so be comfortable, be relaxed because you’re prepared. Today is just a day for you to shine, go in and do your best. The ministry is proud of you, your school is proud of you, your parents, your teachers, and ultimately you determine what you do,” Blackman said.
Speaking to the media after the start of the exams, the minister commended students, teachers and school officials for their efforts.
“We are happy that our children are confident and I also want to thank our teachers. We have prepared our children for this, but even before that this would have started from the time they were in nursery all the way to (Class 4). Commendation to the teachers,” Blackman said.
Ministry officials also visited the Parkinson Memorial Secondary School and the Frederick Smith Secondary School as part of ongoing checks to ensure the process ran smoothly.
“I also want to use this occasion to commend our team within the ministry who have worked assiduously in ensuring that this continues to run smoothly. Our education officers are deployed around the country so as to ensure that all of the examination centers or secondary schools are running smoothly and that things go well for the children,” Blackman explained.
He also pointed to the demeanour of students this year, noting a high level of calm and confidence.
Blackman credited parents and teachers for helping to build that confidence.
“Throughout the weeks as you move around the country speaking to the different Class 4s, my colleagues would have noted the same thing and yesterday when I also went to the Gordon Greenidge Primary in Saint Albans and then this morning, there’s a level of calm and assuredness that our students are are showing in terms of being prepared for this exam.
“Throughout the years you would see it, but I’ve noted that this year students seem to be very, very relaxed in going into the exam, and I think it also comes with respect to a lot of our teachers across the system have been reemphasising you’ve been doing the work from class 1-2-3-4,” Blackman said.
“I think notwithstanding that these young people being able to have this level of assuredness really speaks to the preparation. Also, their parents speaking to them and giving them that confidence that you will do well irrespective of which school you go to.”
Blackman maintained that all students will receive a quality secondary education regardless of placement.
“It doesn’t matter which school you go to.
“We’ve worked with our school boards, we’ve worked with our principals to make sure that come September wherever these children go coming from this exam, they will get the best secondary school experience, not just in terms of curriculum reform and pedagogy and the training from their teachers, but school culture and school life,” Blackman maintained.
“Building out new modes of opportunity that will allow for them to see secondary school life as a major plank of their development going forward, so it’s an exciting time for education in Barbados.”
Following a tour of the Frederick Smith School at the end of the day, Blackman reported a successful end to the day’s exam with only one school having a delayed start.
“There was some delay earlier at the Saint Michael’s school, but we’re going to ensure that we look into it to see what has happened there.”
Students were commended for successfully completing their exams and encouraged to take a break.
“Now of course it’s a time for them to relax and have some pause and to have a well earned and deserved break. So just to assure the country that we, are happy with the things that have transpired…The exam has completely finished and those children there are also in a mode of celebration and I want to commend all of them, their parents, their teachers.”
CXC Exams were also ongoing at some of the secondary schools on Tuesday.
(LG)
