OEC vows to clear outstanding PEP examination payments by Friday

The Overseas Examinations Commission (OEC) says it will complete all outstanding payments to invigilators and presiding examiners who worked during the 2026 Grade 4 and Grade 5 Primary Exit Profile (PEP) examinations by Friday, October 16.

In a statement issued on Tuesday, the commission said it received 845 claims from 537 examination personnel, all of which were submitted in June.

Nine of the 15 payment batches, covering 44 per cent of the claims, have been paid, while the remaining six batches are being processed for settlement by direct bank transfer.

The OEC acknowledged that the payments had taken far longer than they should have and apologised for failing to communicate clearly with the affected examination personnel about when they would receive their money.

“This is the first examination cycle in which the commission has processed these payments directly, and it has taken far longer than it should have,” the commission said.

Executive Director Hector Stephenson said the delays and communication failures fell short of the organisation’s responsibilities.

“Our examination personnel did their part. It is our responsibility to pay them promptly and to keep them informed, and we fell short on both this cycle. We are fixing the process so that this does not happen again,” he said.

The OEC noted that a small number of claims remain unprocessed because of incomplete payment details. It said it is contacting the affected individuals directly to obtain the outstanding information, after which their payments will be made.

The commission is advising any examination worker who has not received payment or notification of a deposit by the end of Friday to contact it at help@overseasexams.org.jm, using ‘PEP Claim’ as the subject line, or call (876) 618-3721.

To prevent a recurrence, the OEC says it will collect complete payment details and provide a payment schedule when personnel are engaged for future examinations. It will also confirm receipt of each claim upon submission and publish updates on payment progress on its website.

The commission thanked the teachers and other examination personnel whose service supports the national assessment process.

Follow The Gleaner on X, formerly Twitter, and Instagram @JamaicaGleaner and on Facebook @GleanerJamaica. Send us a message on WhatsApp at 1-876-499-0169 or email us at onlinefeedback@gleanerjm.com or editors@gleanerjm.com.