11 Plus pupils from Bay Primary supported by St Michael South MP

Every year around this time, children from the age of at least 10, or more, have extra lessons and prepare for the Barbados Secondary Schools Entrance Exam, also known as the 11 Plus test.

One of the schools in St Michael is paid special attention by their parliamentary representative – Kirk Humphrey, MP for St Michael South, who arranges for school supplies for the Class 4 students.

The 11 Plus exam is seen by many as a benchmark for their children to access specific schools, however the MP (who is from the Pine originally) told the youngsters what they do matters and not where they go. 

Mr Humphrey observed – “You know it doesn’t really matter what school you go to, what matters is that you’ve done your very best, you know that? There are some people who passed for some think of as Good Schools and nothing happens. While others go to schools not thought to be the best and they have done the most for Barbados. It just depends on what you decide to do once you get there, there are no good schools nor bad schools.”

He urged them to relax the night before, and when Tuesday comes around to read the paper thoroughly and make sure all the answers are completed.

The equipment was shared out to the students not only by the MP but also in part by Roshanna Trim, a member of Mr Humphrey’s Constituency Executive, the care packs were clipboards, pencil cases, as well as some pens and pencils with a sharpener. 

In 1959, Barbados saw the introduction of the Barbados Secondary Schools Entrance Examination (BSSEE), also known as the 11 Plus. This standardized test was implemented to allocate placements in secondary schools across the island and marked a significant development in the educational system.