A decision to discontinue four subjects at the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) and Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination (CAPE) levels, due to low enrolment, has been reversed by the regional body that administers academic tests.

The Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC) announced its about-face on the issue during a virtual press conference on Tuesday, following a meeting with education ministers from across the region.

“The meeting with the ministers of education demonstrated our shared commitment to find a critical path forward on this matter, given the pressing education and human capacity development imperatives facing the region,” CXC registrar and Chief Executive Officer Dr Wayne Wesley said at the news conference.

CXC had hinted that it planned to discontinue offering agricultural science (double award), mechanical engineering, electrical and electronic engineering and technology, and green engineering, because of the low number of students registering to sit these examinations.

But at a post-Cabinet media briefing last Wednesday Minister of Education Fayval Williams declared that Jamaica was not prepared to accept that decision.

“Having registered the concerns of principals and other concerned Jamaicans, in no uncertain terms, we will be meeting with CXC, along with other regional education ministers… to address concerns with respect to the discontinuance or suspension policy,” said Williams.

“I want to assure Jamaicans that the Ministry of Education and Youth is fully in support of the continuance of these four subjects. We will report back to our principals and the wider Jamaica community on the meeting with CXC on June 4 and [a] meeting with the region’s education ministers,” Williams added.

Her position won support from Jamaica Teachers’ Association President Leighton Johnson who told the Jamaica Observer, “As a nation we have a STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) focus and these subject disciplines are critical to Jamaica’s national sustainable development goals. I believe, too, that going forward there has to be more open and transparent dialogue involving CXC, the Ministry of Education, and stakeholders to ensure that nothing of this nature takes us by surprise.”

After Tuesday’s meeting, CXC said it will continue to offer syllabuses for CAPE green engineering and electrical and electronic engineering technology, as well as CSEC agricultural science (double award) and industrial technology — mechanical engineering.

Wesley said that CXC has rolled out a menu of new-generation technology and science syllabuses.

“Some are not yet in desired demand. Governments will work with CXC in building demand for these new programmes to enable their cost viability,” he pointed out.

According to Wesley, Tuesday’s deliberations with the ministers reinforced the need for a collective regional marketing thrust to promote the priority subject areas in science, technology, engineering, art, and mathematics (STEAM) education and climate-smart agriculture, which are considered critical for the economic growth and sustainable development of the region.

The ministers, he said, were forthright in their positions, pledging support for CXC and requesting more direct lines of communication. As such, Wesley said CXC is committed to ensuring its communications protocols afford the ministers of education greater line of sight of high-level policy recommendations for decision-making.

Welcoming the development, Minister Williams said, “We are happy to report that the subjects will continue for the benefit of our students and our respective countries. We will continue to focus on upskilling teachers in these subject areas and building awareness of our students to the opportunities in these subject areas.”