Jamaica releases 2026 PEP grade six results with gains in literacy, numeracy and core subjects

Education Minister Senator Dr. Dana Morris Dixon on 22 June 2026 presented Jamaica's national Grade Six Primary Exit Profile (PEP) results, reporting measurable improvement across core subjects even after disruption from Hurricane Melissa.

For the first time, the ministry administered standalone literacy and numeracy tests at grade six. Under Jamaica's functional literacy standard, which emphasises comprehension over basic reading and writing, 79% of students reached mastery, 17% were at almost mastery, and 4% at non-mastery. In numeracy, 75% achieved mastery, up from 69.9% when the same cohort was assessed in grade four.

In mathematics, 69% of students were proficient or highly proficient, one percentage point below the ministry's 70% target but up from 57% in 2023. Language arts reached 72% proficient or above, surpassing the 70% goal and rising from 60% in 2023. Girls outperformed boys in both subjects, though seven of the top ten students nationally were boys.

Roughly 86.1% of candidates came from public schools and 13.9% from private institutions, across 971 participating schools. About one-third of students who sat PEP were severely affected by Hurricane Melissa, which damaged schools in seven parishes and disrupted learning for 12,860 pupils. Minister Dixon said separate parish-level studies found no decline in performance compared with national trends.

Among registered students, 99% received secondary school placement. About 90% were placed at one of their seven ranked school choices, while 9.5% were assigned by proximity. Seventy-six students were excluded from placement, mainly those with special needs or whose parents declined placement. The top-performing primary student attended Park Mountain Primary School in St. Elizabeth; individual names were not released because candidates are identified only by random numbers.

Minister Dixon said parents would receive updated individual PEP reports at 2:00 p.m. on results day. She also announced a boys' education committee to be led by Parliamentary Secretary Senator Marlon Morgan, citing a regional pattern of girls outperforming boys.