Reply: I wish to inform the House that any review of the existing qualifications requirements at entry level requires a policy decision. In this context, a preliminary consultation with relevant stakeholders, namely the Prime Minister’s Office, the Public Service Commission and Disciplined Forces Service Commission, the Ministry of Education and Human Resource and the Pay Research Bureau was held on 23 February 2026. Accordingly, my Ministry issued a circular letter to Supervising Officers in-charge of Ministries/Departments requesting them to identify those grades in respect of which the qualifications requirements at the Cambridge School Certificate Level could be amended to specify three credits instead of five credits. With regard to part (b) of the question, I wish to apprise the House that currently, the Cambridge General Certificate of Education at “Ordinary” and “Advanced” Levels are specified as alternative to the School Certificate and the Higher School Certificate in all schemes of service where the School Certificate and the Higher School Certificate are specified. Additionally, provisions are also made in all schemes of service for equivalent qualifications acceptable to the service commissions to cater for those candidates who may not possess the School Certificate, Higher School Certificate or the General Certificate of Education at “Ordinary” and “Advanced” Levels or undergraduate degree, as the case may be, but hold other qualifications which have been duly certified by the Higher Education Commission as being equivalent. As a general rule, qualifications to be specified in schemes of service are determined at the level of Ministries/Departments. However, any qualification which has been duly recognised by the Higher Education Commission is acceptable. I also wish to inform the House that as from the year 2012, in line with Government decision at that time, only the highest qualification is specified in all schemes of service for entry grades in the public sector. For example, for posts requiring the School Certificate and the Higher School Certificate, only the Higher School Certificate is specified as a requirement. Similarly, for posts requiring a post Higher School Certificate and degree, only the degree is specified except where qualifications at the lower level need to be prescribed in view of nature of duties to be performed, as in the education sector. It is to be noted that the salary attached to each post in the public sector, which is governed by the Pay Research Bureau, is based to a large extent on the qualifications prescribed in the scheme of service for the post. Any review of the qualifications requirement at entry level would also need to take this factor into consideration as well as salary relativity between grades in the public sector. In this context, my Ministry will hold further consultations with all relevant stakeholders as to the qualifications that could be considered as alternative equivalent qualifications to the existing qualifications requirements. My Ministry will, thereafter, make appropriate recommendations to Cabinet for its agreement. RIPAILLES AREA HEALTH CENTRE – ACCESSIBILITY – RELOCATION PROPOSAL

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