Over 43,000 students in the 6th grade (those aged 11-12), of Primary and Prep Schools in Jamaica, will be taking the GSAT exam tomorrow and Friday.
The Grade Six Achievement Test (GSAT), is an entrance exam for High School in Jamaica and so determines the quality High Schools that these children will attend.
Students doing the GSAT are usually given a choice of between 5-7 High Schools, but only those with passes in the 90's are guaranteed positions in one of their top two (2) schools.
Those with very low passes are sometimes placed in newly upgraded High Schools - formerly called Secondary Schools - where children there, pursue mostly vocational subjects that give them a skill. E.g. they are trained in construction, auto mechanics, animal husbandry or as beauticians.
This year, the Ministry of Education is trying to prevent very low passes in the GSAT, by only allowing those children who have passed the Grade 4 Literacy Test, to take this exam.
(The Grade 4 Literacy Test is administered in the 4th year of Primary/Prep School. Students who pass are certified literate and numerate).
We want to wish our young friends, all the best, in their GSAT exams and offer a simple prayer for them:
Prayer for GSAT Students
Dear Lord, we thank You for our GSAT students, Your special gifts to us.
We pray that You will calm, comfort and protect them, during their exams tomorrow and on Friday, so that they will have clarity whilst doing their exams.
Let every distraction that may come upon them, be subdued.
Please bring back to their remembrance, everything that they have studied and practiced,
So that they can represent You, their parents and their schools, well.
Lord, when their results are out, we pray that they will thank You, Lord, for Your continued faithfulness to them.
Bless them, their families and teachers and help them to depend on You always, for guidance and strength...
...Help them to live spiritually-accountable lives to you.
This we ask, in your Precious Name,
Amen.
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To our friends doing GSAT, just do your best!
We at Girl With a Purpose (GWAP) Blog are looking forward to hearing great things from you!
Gillian
Sources Include
Nationwide Radio, March 23, 2011