OEC to complete outstanding PEP exam payments by Friday

KINGSTON, Jamaica — The Overseas Examinations Commission (OEC) has confirmed that all outstanding payments to invigilators and presiding examiners who served during the 2026 Grade 4 and Grade 5 Primary Exit Profile (PEP) examinations will be completed by Friday. In a statement this week, the commission said it received 845 claims from 537 examination personnel for the two examination sittings. To date, it said nine of the 15 payment batches have been processed, accounting for 44 per cent of all claims. The remaining six batches are being processed, with payments to be made by direct bank transfer, the OEC said. All claims were submitted to the commission in June 2026. This was the first examination cycle in which the OEC assumed direct responsibility for processing these payments, and the commission said the process has taken significantly longer than expected. Acknowledging that communication with examination personnel regarding payment timelines was inadequate, the OEC apologised to all invigilators and presiding examiners affected by the delays. “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,” said Hector Stephenson, executive director of the OEC. The commission noted that a small number of claims remain outstanding because the payment details provided were incomplete. It said it is contacting the individuals concerned directly to obtain the necessary information. These payments will be processed as soon as the required details are received, it added. Examination personnel who have not received payment or notification of a deposit by the end of Friday, October 16, 2026, are encouraged to contact the commission at help@overseasexams.org.jm, using “PEP Claim” as the email subject, or by calling (876) 618-3721 for assistance. For future cycles, the commission said it will collect complete payment details and issue the payment schedule at the time of engagement, confirm receipt of each claim when it is submitted and publish payment progress on its website.