CXC assures it’s prepared to tackle ‘disruptions’ during exam sittings

The Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC) says it has established policies in place to minimise disruptions that may occur during the sitting of examinations.

The statement follows a series of bomb threats directed to at least three high schools yesterday which temporarily halted the administering of Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) and Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examinations.

“Our first priority is the safety of our candidates and officials at the centres. If a disruption occurs, the matter is handled by the officials at the centre and the CXC local registrar, and reported to CXC,” the council said in a statement to The Gleaner.

Kingston College, Campion College, and Holmwood Technical High School were affected by the threats that were reportedly issued by email Monday night.

As emergency procedures were implemented, the Overseas Examinations Commission (OEC) noted that this resulted in a delay to the start of exams.

The agency said candidates had to write their exams at other centres, and that insufficient question papers also contributed to a late start of exams.

REPERCUSSIONS

It emphasised, too, the physical and emotional distress that students may have suffered because of the threats.

“There are some procedures that are determined by the country’s disaster response and these must be observed. The aim is always to maintain the security of the question papers and/ or examination scripts while also attending to the well-being of the students,” it stated in explaining its approach to possible future disruptions.

Meanwhile, the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) stated that the threats align with a pattern observed in other jurisdictions, including recent incidents in the Turks and Caicos Islands.

In those recent incidents, it was similarly declared that bomb threats would be triggered in other countries in the region, specifically naming Jamaica, the JCF said in a media release yesterday.

“Recently, there have been a number of schools and other public offices across the country that have been impacted by widespread reporting of bomb threats. While all threats received thus far have proven to be unfounded, the JCF takes each one seriously and responds with full diligence. The safety and security of all our society, especially our children and educational staff, are of utmost importance,” the police force said.

The JCF indicated it was working closely with school administrators and local authorities to ensure that appropriate safety measures are in place.

REMAIN VIGILANT

“We implore all school officials to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activities or threats immediately to the JCF,” the statement continued.

Meanwhile, CXC said it has heightened security protocols to prevent a repeat of last year’s breach of its examination papers.

The CSEC Mathematics Paper 2 was leaked in Jamaica during last year’s examination period and resulted in CXC using a modified approach to awarding grades for the exam.

“Any examination misconduct is taken very seriously by CXC and the appropriate penalties applied. In addition, the relevant ministries of education may take further action against any reports of misconduct,” the statement said.

The OEC also outlined that, in the event of any further such occurrence, the “appropriate and approved action will follow”.

“There is a structured process in place that involves examining the facts, facilities, and individuals involved, followed by taking appropriate actions under legal guidance, which may include initiating criminal proceedings,” it said.

sashana.small@gleanerjm.com