The Ministry of Education has announced an alternative sitting for the final Education Management Certificate Course (EMCC) examination after Seventh-day Adventist participants objected to the decision to move it to a Saturday.
The main examination is scheduled for Saturday, September 26, at 9 am. A parallel examination will be held on Wednesday, October 7, at 3 pm for participants who cannot attend because they observe the Sabbath, are hospitalised or have other documented medical circumstances, or have extenuating circumstances approved by the course coordinator through the Education Management Committee.
In a clarification posted by the ministry, course coordinator Praniva Singh said the Saturday sitting was chosen to minimise disruption to teaching and other school activities during the week. The statement did not refer to any particular complaint.
However, WIN parliamentarian Odessa Primus had posted messages from at least two participants objecting to the change. Introducing her most recent post, Primus said: “They have no respect for religion. This is unacceptable and a violation of their rights.”
One participant told Primus that the examination had originally been set for Wednesday, September 23, and alleged that candidates were told during orientation that classes, quizzes and examinations would not be held on Saturdays. The participant said notice of the change came only two days before the original examination date.
The participant questioned why Adventists should have to submit a letter explaining their inability to attend on a Saturday. “Our faith is not a last-minute excuse,” the message said, adding that the change had placed Sabbath observers in a difficult position through no fault of their own.
Another participant complained about both the Saturday date and the requirement to sit the examination in person after classes and quizzes had been conducted online. That participant also asked whether Seventh-day Adventists had been considered when the date was changed.
Under the ministry’s arrangement, candidates seeking the October 7 sitting must submit a formal written request through their respective master trainers to the course coordinator at [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected]) by Wednesday, September 23. Those who have already made a request need not submit another.
The ministry said candidates approved for the parallel examination would face “no penalty or reduction in grade”. Approval must be obtained in advance.
The clarification addresses whether an alternative sitting is available, but retains the written application requirement questioned by one of the participants. It does not say when the decision to move the main examination was made or whether candidates were previously assured that Saturdays would not be used.
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