Gov’t taps CXC to assess Sixth Form Pathways students
Published:Saturday | December 17, 2022 | 1:25 AMKimone Francis/Senior Staff Reporter
The Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC) has been engaged by the Ministry of Education to formulate assessments for the approximately 24,000 students enrolled in the Sixth Form Pathways Programme.
The disclosure was made by Education Minister Fayval Williams during Friday’s CXC employee appreciation awards ceremony and luncheon at The Courtleigh Hotel and Suites in New Kingston.
Williams said that over the years, the education system has had to be “agile and flexible” in responding to changing market demands.
Equally, she said that the CXC has had to adjust its syllabi and reassess assessment methodologies in determining the best way to evaluate the progress of students.
“I continue to be just delighted when I hear of the plans you have. Plans especially with our Sixth Form Pathways Programme to help us in terms of creating exams for the students, as well as CXC exams, and I know that it will be a really welcome accomplishment when that happens,” said Williams.
She did not divulge further details about the collaboration.
The minister noted that the strength and dynamism of Jamaica’s education system allow for the grasping of fundamental changes that are occurring in the environment in which it operates, taking views from stakeholders in the industry, parents and students and the community to make further improvements.
“We have to keep looking forward for ways to improve and stay relevant in a fast-shifting world. Dr [Wayne] Wesley knows that the competition is nipping at the heels of CXC.
“It is true. When you look at the numbers, competition is there, but I know that you are creative, you are innovative, and that you are in touch with the landscape and you will be innovative as you go along, to the benefit of our students,” Williams asserted.
Wesley is the CXC registrar.
In 2020, at least two Guyana-based schools had threatened to lobby their government to withdraw from the CXC over the controversial grades released that year.
Queens College in Guyana, which pays more than GYD$15 million to CXC annually, threatened legal action, and at the time announced that if the CXC had not re-evaluated the grades, it would lobby the country’s education ministry to remove Guyana from the council, citing other examination bodies which could be engaged.
The Bishops’ High School had also registered its dissatisfaction.
Williams had also written to CXC chairman, Sir Hilary Beckles, requesting a thorough investigation into the matter as students in several regional countries voiced similar concerns.
Over 3,000 grades regionwide were subsequently rectified.
Meanwhile, Wesley announced the revamping of several structures within the council following the disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Wesley said should the council ever experience a similar occurrence in the future it will be in a better position to respond to the disruption caused.
“Currently, we have a team working on that reimagined CXC. Our CXC philosophy has been redone. Our CXC qualification management framework is being redone, and our assessment and recognition framework is being re-engineered to ensure that we are more responsive to the needs of the education system,” Wesley said on Friday.
“I see Jamaica moving with their alternative pathway programme, a commendable programme. CXC is putting systems in place to respond to that new dimension. So, my team will be coming to your team to make sure that we are able to respond to the region and remain relevant,” he added.