THE 2013-2014 academic year will see the introduction of six additional Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination (CAPE) subjects — digital media, performing arts, tourism, agricultural science, entrepreneurship, and physical education & sport.

The Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC), which administers the post-secondary exam regionally, made the announcement at a stakeholder seminar for journalists at the Pegasus Hotel in Kingston last Thursday.

CXC registrar Dr Didacus Jules believes that the subjects are relevant and timely, given the spread of global integration.

“These programmes were very carefully and deliberately determined. There were two things we looked at: one was ‘what were some of the most major and most glaring problems confronting the Caribbean at this point in the process of this historical moment of globalisation; and that is where subjects like agricultural science would have come in, and also entrepreneurship,” Dr Jules told the Jamaica Observer in a post seminar interview.

“When analysing the major problems facing the region, we thought of the strategic opportunities that would give the Caribbean a niche advantage in the global set-ups and hence, for example, subjects such as tourism came up. Tourism is the lifeline for many of our countries. Now, the way tourism is trending with the big players, we need to market ourselves,” he added.

Minister of Education Ronald Thwaites lauded the move, saying he hoped the new syllabi and examinations would increase the levels of skill competencies among Caribbean citizens.

“I am encouraging them (CXC) to increase the number of examinations because this will develop the competency of our population,” Minister Thwaites told the Observer in a brief telephone interview.

“I hope they (CXC) will emphasise the technical and vocational skills also, because those areas are where we need more competencies in,” he added.

The syllabi for the six new subjects will first be introduced to principals, teachers and other educators either at the end of May or early June, this year. Digital media will be the first to be introduced, come September when the new school year begins. Performing arts, tourism, agricultural science, entrepreneurship and physical education are expected to follow in 2014.

The new courses will have a heavy focus on the use of technologies, both in and outside the classroom.

“When the panel met to develop CAPE agriculture for example, the brief we gave to them was to produce with zero land. [They had to use] technologies — hydroponics, whatever technologies which allow you to maximise your production in the smallest possible space. So, that kind of an approach is what is going to help us to really respond and quickly,” Dr Jules said.

He said the new examination subjects will also benefit the health and lifestyle of Caribbean nationals, given that subjects such as agricultural science is widely appreciated.

“In agriculture for example, two or three years ago, our food import bill reached US$4 billion a year as a region. Now, a food import bill of US$4 billion is untenable and when you couple that with the rising costs of food imports, the increase in the price of food with the world food crisis… We considered also, the problems of health and nutrition, our lifestyle, bad food choices, bad dietary habits and so on. The CAPE agriculture is really meant to create this new breed of agro-business people who can respond to those challenges,” Jules explained.

Driving the decision to offer digital media, Dr Jules said the council considered the fact that a large number of students, especially those from Jamaica, were interested in becoming part of the entertainment industry, whether online or otherwise.

“CAPE digital media, that speaks for itself. Jamaica has had a distinctive record of your students winning global contests,” he said.

The CXC registrar pointed out that CAPE tourism was also important to the region because it will provide operators in the sector to identify areas in heritage tourism, sports tourism and at the lower end of the market.

“Physical education and sports almost speaks for itself. So, based on performance, and with Jamaica in particular, in the London Olympics, not everybody can be a Usain Bolt, but for a runner to succeed there has to be a whole array of supporting characters such as the agent, the trainers, the therapists and other professionals,” Dr Jules further stated.

“These are some of the careers, where, when you are talking physical education and sports, you are not just talking about those stars who are running in line, but that whole architecture that supports a world class career,” he said.

The supporting cast nutritionists, track managers

“It’s going to create huge opportunities for individuals, for the countries, to the extent that any of our countries can position itself as the centres of excellence,” he reasoned.

CAPE is currently offered in 22 two-unit subjects — including accounting, art & design, biology, environmental science, economics, French, geometrical and mechanical engineering — and two one-unit subjects, which are Caribbean Studies and Communication Studies.