Petrina Francis, Staff Reporter

Maxine Henry-Wilson, Minister of Education and Youth, says the preliminary findings of the Grade Six Achievement Test (GSAT) probe have revealed that there was nothing "untoward" with the examinations.

In July, Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller ordered an independent investigation into the circumstances surrounding the delay of the release of the examinations, noting that the public needed to be aware of the factors that contributed to the delay of the results, as well as to maintain the integrity of the examination process and the placement of students.

Lead investigator

Carlton Samuels, chief information officer of Mona Information Technology Services at the University of the West Indies, was appointed to lead the investigating team

Mrs. Henry-Wilson told reporters yesterday, following the launch of the Survey of Living Conditions, held at the Planning Institute of Jamaica, New Kingston, that Mr. Samuels would be presenting a formal report because some of what he recommended would allow the Education Ministry to ensure that there was not a recurrence of this year's GSAT fiasco.

The ministry had reported in June that it was having problems finding school spaces for students in Clarendon and St. Catherine.

Mrs. Henry-Wilson said yesterday that a census is currently being conducted among students at the grade six level to determine the exact number of cohort.

She also noted that the probe recommended that the Education Ministry looks at the number of choices that students have in selecting schools, noting that the current five choices pose a problem for placement.