MP visits Bay Primary to rally pupils ahead of 11-plus exam

With days to go before the common entrance examination, pupils at Bay Primary School received a morale boost on Thursday as their constituency MP, Kirk Humphrey, urged them to focus on courage and perspective rather than pressure.

Despite a morning visit to the dentist that he jokingly described as “not a very pleasant experience,” the St Michael South MP prioritised the visit to hand out stationery kits as a gesture of community support before they sit the 11-plus examination on Tuesday.

Addressing a classroom buzzing with both nerves and excitement, the MP bypassed traditional academic advice, choosing instead to focus on the emotional resilience required for the day.

“I don’t have a lot of advice for you; I’m sure you’ve got a lot of that,” Humphrey told the students. “But if I were to tell you one word, it would be ‘brave.’ To be brave means you are confident enough to do anything you put your mind to. It means to be courageous.”

He encouraged the students to start their exam morning with prayer and gratitude, urging them to trust in the years of preparation provided by their educators. He specifically advised them to manage their anxiety when faced with difficult questions.

“I want you to be brave so that even if you see a question that you don’t think you know, you give yourself the confidence to go on to the next question and to come back afterward,” he noted. “Read every question on the paper slowly. Take your time. Do not rush.”

The MP sought to ease the pressure often associated with secondary school placement. While several students shouted out “Foundation!” when asked where they hoped to go, Humphrey reminded them that their character and work ethic define their future more than any specific institution.

Stationary supplies courtesy the office of MP for Michael South Kirk Humphrey arrives at Bay Primary.

“This examination does not determine the rest of your life,” he insisted. “This idea that you have to go to a particular school does not determine the rest of your life. You can go to any school and do extremely well. In my view, being a good person is even better than doing well on an examination.”

Humphrey took a moment to call for a round of applause for the teaching staff, praising their dedication and the “calls and messages” he received from them advocating for their students’ needs.

“I really appreciate the teachers at the Bay Primary,” the MP said. “They’ve done a wonderful job with the children over the years. I like to see that the primary teachers stay outside the school when you go to do the 11-Plus to support you.”

As the students received their stationery and final words of encouragement, Humphrey promised to be present on the morning of the exam and to return afterwards to celebrate their efforts.

He concluded his talk by leading the students in a deep breathing exercise and a recitation of the school’s “head, heart and hands” motto: “I will use my head, my heart, and my hands to strive for excellence.”

The visit also served as an opportunity to recognise the educators who have guided this cohort — a group often referred to as “COVID babies” because of the pandemic-linked disruptions faced during their early primary years.

Class Four teacher Dwayne Hayde expressed confidence in his students’ readiness, noting that while the pandemic created hurdles, the children have worked hard to bridge the gaps.

“I am confident that they are well prepared,” Hayde said. “As teachers, we always want more, but if I’m being fair, I believe that they should do their best. They are apt and well prepared for the math. Questions change, but the concepts remain the same. It’s just for them to determine the concept and apply what they know.”

Hayde identified time management as the primary hurdle for Tuesday’s sitting. “The biggest challenge, I would say, is time management — having to complete what they know in a given time. But once they have that under control, they should do well and hopefully get the school of their choice.”

(RR)