Over one thousand Tobago students will sit the 2026 Secondary Entrance Assessment (SEA) exam on Thursday.
On Monday, THA Secretary of Education Orlando Kerr, along with other officials, held a media conference at the Division’s headquarters to update the public about the island’s preparedness for the national exam.
Mr. Kerr noted that the examination scripts were received and preparations are underway for the smooth execution of the exam.
“There are currently 1,005 students registered to sit the SEA exam in 2026 at 41 examination centres across Tobago. This year, there are 497 females and 508 males. Forty-nine candidates are registered to write the SEA that will be housed at the Scarborough Secondary School. Those are special primary candidates, there are 49 of them. We have 20 students who have been granted special concessions. So far, we have seven emergency approval.”
School Supervisor II at the Division of Education, Phillip Rochford, noted that in previous years there were challenges regarding security; therefore, security checks will be undertaken at centres before Thursday’s examination.
“We had some protocols being introduced where the Ministry of Education would have collaborated with the TTPS, so we had a security briefing with all our principals, all our centre managers, and there is a response team that will be here in Tobago to treat with any such matter if it occurs. So that on Tuesday, being tomorrow, school will be dismissed at 11:30am at all our centres, which includes two Secondary schools which is Scarborough Secondary School, because the Scarborough Secondary School is a centre, and Pentecostal Light and Life Secondary because they share the same compound with the primary schoo.”
Mr. Rochford explained that following these checks, the centres will be placed on lockdown with no access until Thursday. The TTPS will also be conducting drive through patrols during the period.
The Education Secretary also took the opportunity to send best wishes to the island’s SEA students.
“I want you to feel comfortable that everything has been put in place for you. You don’t have anything to worry about. All you have to do is go to bed early enough, get some good rest, get a good breakfast in the morning, pray and go to the exam and do your best.”