Education Minister fighting CXC's decision not to push back exams

 

Education Minister Fayval Williams has written a letter requesting an urgent meeting of CARICOM's Council for Human and Social Development (COHSOD), following an announcement by the Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC) that this year's exams will not be pushed back.

 

CXC's public relations and marketing officer, Folayan Taitt, has said the exam schedule was determined following agreement at its council meeting in December 2021 and an adjustment would destabilise the regional consensus.

 

But speaking at the Inaugural Installation Ceremony of the National Youth Advisory Council of Jamaica on Friday afternoon, Mrs Williams made it clear the Jamaican government would be fighting that decision.

 

She revealed that she has written to Kay McConney, who is the new Minister of Education in Barbados and chair of COHSOD, asking for an urgent meeting. 

 

The meeting, she said, would give the government a chance to "present our case to them as to why we believe the exams, the dates should be pushed back". 

 

She added that she would be "advocating strenuously" that CXC restore other accommodations that had been made last year for students sitting exams. 

 

Mrs Williams noted that students in Jamaica and across the region have been significantly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, and should be given more time to prepare for the exams and complete their School Based Assessments. 

 

While the CXC has said students who are not prepared can defer their exams to another sitting, Mrs. Williams argued that this option alone is not enough. 

 

The Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examinations (CAPE) are scheduled for May 2 to June 10 while students will sit the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) from May 2 to June 3.

 

 

 

The Jamaica Teachers' Association has described CXC's decision not to push back its exams as disturbing.

 

JTA President Winston Smith pointed out that the current batch of students have been the worst affected by the pandemic since "they have been out of school for approximately 80% of their CXC years, meaning grades nine through to 11".

 

"We are hoping that collectively we can press home to the examining body that if we are really serious about education and looking to empower students, that we must provide them with a fair chance of success," he asserted. 

 

CXC overhaul?                      

                                  

Dr. Garth Anderson, President of the Caribbean Union of Teachers (CUT), has called for an overhaul at CXC, which he said is lacking leadership. 

 

"The entire operation of CXC needs to be reformed because CXC is here to serve," he insisted. 

 

"It's an important organisation that is sailing like a ship without a sail, under, with the support of Ministers of Education. To date, the Ministers of Education across the region have been hiding. CUT can't hear from them. We have been writing letters from one chair to the next chair of COHSOD, we have been making calls – nothing – because they know the decisions that they have taken, and so [are] finding it difficult to go back on it," he said, adding that the lack of action was at the expense of students to whom COHSOD, CXC and ministries have a duty of care.