Dear Editor,

The Overseas Examination Commission (OEC) is aware that the premature release of information from our office regarding the discontinuation of syllabi for some Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) and Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination (CAPE) subjects offered by the Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC) has caused consternation among our education stakeholders.

A correspondence from CXC’s office was directed to the permanent secretary in the Ministry of Education (MoE), Dr Kasan Troupe, regarding the suspension of subjects and was copied to the OEC for information purposes.

MoE’s team was stymied by the untimely release of the information and would have had the option to decide on a course of action based on consultative meetings with key stakeholders, such as principals and other operatives of the MoE. The OEC regrets this impetuosity and informs that though CXC has provided an advisory on the discontinuation of the aforementioned subjects, a decision to remove them from the Jamaican secondary schools’ curriculum has not yet been taken.

CXC has advised that territories or groups of territories across the Caribbean region may decide to maintain the subjects as part of the suite of certification options for terminal exams but such territories will be allowed to do so under certain conditions.

The commission further advises that the MoE will be meeting with stakeholders ahead of the new academic year and will ensure a consensus in the best interest of the nation’s youth.

The OEC remains committed to serving all key stakeholders of the education sector as we ensure continued commitment to the integrity of our education system and engagement with our key stakeholders.

Overseas Examination Commission