The Adult Education School (AES) has received a financial boost to prepare administrators and teachers for the new test format next year.The new requirements to obtain a General Education Diploma (GED) go into effect on January 2, 2014.The changeover marks the first time the test format has changed in over a decade in order to meet new national college and career readiness standards.In a bid to support more adults in becoming ready for the workforce and for college, the Argus Group made a financial donation yesterday.While the GED will continue to measure high school equivalency, the new format will also provide detailed information about a test-taker’s readiness for college and career training programmes.The new test will have four sections: reasoning through language arts (RLA), mathematical reasoning, science and social studies. The total time for the new assessment is approximately seven hours.For those who have started a GED course but not finished, an Argus statement noted that “the scores they have registered so far will expire if they don’t complete it before December 31”.“Current GED students in this position should contact the Adult Education School as soon as possible to discuss their options.”AES executive director Donna Daniels noted: “The GED test that is being released next year has been designed to better indicate the college and career readiness of test-takers.“For example, it required adults to demonstrate basic computer skills and the ability to build arguments based on evidence — the same kind of skills that employers expect — so it is a measure of job preparedness not just high school completion.“With any change like this there is a certain amount of administration and training and we are grateful to Argus for supporting our operational costs in preparing for the 2014 GED.”Insurance company CEO, Alison Hill said: “Argus is a long-time supporter of the AES due to the excellent opportunity it provides to a wide cross-section of the community in helping them to increase their skills to better suit the needs of the job market.“Prevention is the theme of the Argus Corporate Giving Programme and education is an important element in reducing unemployment and antisocial behaviours so this project is highly relevant to our objectives.”An estimated 250 students, ranging in age from 16 to over 60 attend the school to for a variety of programmes.More than 50 students graduated with their GED this year.Argus did not state how much it had donated.GED Ready — the official computer-based practice test for the 2014 GED test — will be available at the AES in November.Anyone interested in registering for courses should contact the school at 292-5809 or e-mail hosborne@aes.edu.bm.