We take the wins from wherever we can get them. And one area in which we, as a nation, love to celebrate is in education.

Recent conversations about recognising positive educational outcomes have, however, not been met with vuvuzelas and confetti. In fact, one St Catherine school principal earned the ire of many for the method selected in recent graduation exercises to acknowledge varying degrees of success. Nonetheless, the underlying conversation continues to be that the success of our students should always be appropriately honoured.

And so, whether the performance improvement, year on year, is single or double digit, it is trumpeted for its achievement value.

A big thing is occurring in the high school exit tests being administered by Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC).

In what has been described as a bold transformation in Caribbean education, the CXC has been piloting the Caribbean Targeted Education Certificate (CTEC).

Its raison d’etre is to make learning more flexible for students; hence, improving the level of positive educational outcomes; that is, even more cause for celebration.

Built on the modularisation of Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) and Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination (CAPE) subjects, CTEC represents a significant shift from traditional testing towards a system that emphasises continuous learning and competency development.

It is a similar school of pedagogy and testing that informs the multi-year Primary Exit Profile that culminates that level of learning.

Unlike the traditional examinations, which require students to sit a comprehensive assessment at one time, the CTEC model divides the syllabus into manageable modules. Students can complete assessments incrementally, earning credentials along the way while working towards the full CSEC of CAPE qualification.

“At the heart of CTEC is the TARGET Framework, a set of guiding principles aimed at ensuring that every learner benefits from a more inclusive and adaptable educational experience,” reads a news report from the Jamaica Information Service (JIS) covering a presentation by pro-registrar and deputy chief executive officer of CXC Dr Eduardo Ali during a recent visit to Dinthill Technical High School in St Catherine, participating in the pilot of the CTEC Mathematics Foundations Module.

Educators offered feedback on the implementation of the new assessment model.

Principal Anthony Garwood shared that the approach aligns well with how many students learn today.

Said he: “These chunks and bites of the examination appeal to them. This is right up their avenue in terms of matriculation and excitement with the examination.”

Dinthill’s Mathematics Department head, Petrona Hemans-Mighty, shared: “They are excited… Over the years, getting students to complete the entire examination at once has posed challenges. Being able to do it in smaller parts makes a lot of sense to them.”

Many of us know the perennial battle with CSEC mathematics pass rates. In the 2025 sitting, 44 per cent of students passed mathematics. For 2024, it was 39 per cent.

CTEC promises to be a game-changer.

Senior manager at CXC Norlette Leslie-Yearde answered resolutely the obvious question.

“Once they achieve competence, competence is competence. It doesn’t matter how long it takes to achieve it,” she said as she explained that the modular approach does not lower standards but, instead, provides multiple pathways to demonstrate competence.

Soon we will have more to celebrate, even as we await the result of the 2026 sitting.

No doubt, educators and parents are at the ready.