On a bright Tuesday morning, hundreds of young test-takers across Barbados stepped through the gates of examination centers, carrying a unique blend of jittery nerves and quiet determination to tackle one of the most high-stakes milestones of their early academic careers: the Barbados Secondary School Entrance Examination (BSSEE), more widely known locally as the common entrance exam.
At one key testing site, Frederick Smith Secondary School located in the parish of St James, 124 pupils drawn from four local primary schools – St Silas Primary, St Albans Primary, Good Shepherd Primary and St James Primary – gathered alongside their families ahead of the opening bell. What stood out most among the gathered parents was a widespread, deliberate shift in priorities: for the vast majority, supporting their child’s emotional wellbeing took clear precedence over chasing a top exam score.
For Alinka Simon and her 11-year-old son Ronaldo, a student from St Albans Primary, the morning unfolded with the quiet rhythm of a normal school day. Simon remained steady and unflappable as she waited with her son, emphasizing that she had placed no extreme performance pressure on him. “He was calm and he was just ready for whatever comes,” Simon shared. “I don’t have any expectations. Whatever he does, that’s it.” For his part, Ronaldo was open about the weight of the moment, admitting a small dose of pre-test anxiety. “I’m feeling a little bit nervous. Last night, I was just trying to sleep… just trying to get the adequate sleep I needed,” he explained.
Claire Gittens, a Year 6 student from St Silas Primary, described her lead-up to the exam as an emotional rollercoaster. Speaking to reporters from Barbados TODAY, she recalled, “Yesterday I was almost going to cry, but I went by my auntie and I cooled off. I’m feeling nervous this morning.” Her mother Gina was quick to reinforce her message of unconditional support, saying, “Whatever she does is good with me, but you know she is going to do well.”
Consistent, low-pressure preparation was the approach taken by many parents of students from Good Shepherd Primary. Iyoka Lewis, mother of candidate Ariel Daniel, explained that she had supported her daughter’s study routine steadily in the lead-up to test day, but shared the same no-expectation mindset as other parents. “I went over her lessons about five days a week,” Lewis said. “Honestly, I really don’t have any expectations. I just want her to go in there and give her best. Whatever she does is well done.” Like many of her peers, Ariel described her pre-exam mood simply as “anxious.” For fellow candidate Rynisha Gilkes, the plan was to push past her fear and give the test her all. “I’m feeling kind of nervous and I’m scared to do the exam, but I’m going to go in there and try my best,” Gilkes said.
Beyond the support from parents, waiting teachers also played a key role in calming students’ nerves on the morning of the exam. Standing proudly with her group of students from St James Primary, educator Katrina Beresford projected a calm confidence that she hoped would settle her students’ nerves ahead of the test. “I feel calm and confident they will do their best,” Beresford said. “A lot of work went into preparing for today. They worked hard, they’re dedicated, they’re committed, and I believe that they will come out even better than I even expect.”
As the morning bell rang across the testing center, students slowly filed into their assigned classrooms to begin the exam. Outside the gates, parents lingered, some in quiet prayer for their children, others engaging in soft conversation with fellow parents, all waiting patiently for their children to complete this defining early academic milestone. Images captured ahead of the bell captured the outpouring of support across the site: a jubilant group of Good Shepherd Primary students laughing together ahead of their test, a candidate pulled into a warm, reassuring embrace from her mother, a teacher offering words of encouragement to a nervous pupil, and one student securing goodbye hugs from both parents before stepping into the testing hall.