CXC has much to celebrate, but…
Dear Editor,
One of the truest tests of integrity is its blunt refusal to be compromised. — Chinua Achebe
The Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC) has had a proud and illustrious history serving as a regional examining body for secondary and post-secondary school candidates in Caribbean countries, as well as The Netherland Antilles and Suriname. The Council was established in 1972 and since has been offering a wide range of subjects in academic, technical and vocational areas. The two levels of examinations are the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) and the Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examinations (CAPE). The CXC has been rather proactive in regards to the scholastic needs of students of the region.
As the CXC celebrates its 43rd year of existence, there is one area that the council needs to redouble its efforts in addressing — quality assurance. Quality assurance is the systematic review of educational programmes to ensure that acceptable standards of education, scholarship and infrastructure are being maintained.
A few years ago, the University of the West Indies (UWI) introduced an English language entrance examination, which many believed was related to the fact that a significant number of applicants who had passes in English language were doing poorly in their studies. Since this action by the UWI, a number of tertiary level institutions have followed suit.
Many of us are extremely proud of the CXC and wish it well for the future. As a society, we should not wait until the wider public begins to question the veracity of passes of our students before the CXC puts in place more safeguards to ensure the reliability and viability of this regional examination.
It is often said that teaching is a calling; disturbingly a significant number of those who
answer the call lack integrity and scruples. In the words of former US President Dwight D Eisenhower, “The supreme quality for leadership is unquestionably integrity. Without it no real success is possible…”
Wayne Campbell
waykam@yahoo.com
@WayneCamo
