Parents who have concerns about where their children have been placed, based on their performance in the Grade Six Achievement Test, can visit the various regional offices across the island and air their grouses, SAID Jasper Lawrence, chief education officer in the Ministry of Education.

An upset parent who wrote to The Gleaner said her child who has a 73 per cent average, was not placed in a school of her choice.

But Lawrence said if the ministry were to place all students in the six or seven schools in Kingston, to which most aspire to go, the ministry would have to close down the other schools, Lawrence said principals have challenged the ministry to review the placement mechanisms. Currently, students are placed in high schools based on scores, choice and proximity.