the cxc examiner - celebrating 30 years of csec

The Caribbean Examiner

www.cxc.org MAY 2009 3

IN THIS ISSUE

THE CARIBBEAN EXAMINER is a publication of the CARIBBEAN EXAMINATIONS COUNCIL (CXC)EdITOR-IN-CHIEf: dR dIdACUS JULES • EdITOR: CLEVELAND SAM • LINE EDITOR: MAUREEN GRAZETTEPlease send your comments to: THE CARIBBEAN EXAMINER, CXC, THE GARRISON, ST. MICHAEL, BARBADOS

E-mail: [email protected] • YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oFDDmH7oHzg

CSEC 30TH ANNIVERSARY: 1979 – 2009

05 Celebrating 30 Years of CSEC

THE 1979 EXPERIENCE

08 The Registrar’s Perspective

14 The Class Of 1979

16 30 Years of CSEC Mathematics

CSEC CLASS OF 1979

18 Where are they Now?

CXC NEWS

26 Selecting English B Texts for 2012 – 2017

27 CXC Joins JAMCOPY

28 Visual Arts Exhibition

29 CSEC January 2009

30 CAPE Qualification

34 Made for Mathematics

36 Knowledge CruiseP16

P41

P30

P38JordannaDeane

P08P36

CXC NEWS

38 Top CAPE Students

40 CSEC Top Awards

41 Teach a Computer to Learn

42 In Their Own Words

44 Yana-Marisa Edwards

45 e-Learning Jamaica

46 Progress Towards a New Vision

53 “Air CXC”



CSEC 30TH ANNIVERSARY: 1979 – 2009

Celebrating 30 Years ofCSEC Examinations: 1979-2009

By Cleveland Sam

The year 1979 was a turbulent one for the Caribbean region in general and the world in particular. It was the year Maurice Bishop carried out a blood-less coup in Grenada; there was the Union Island uprising and the eruption of the La Soufriere Volcano in St Vincent and the Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan.

But 1979 is perhaps one of the most significant years in the history of regional education development. It was during May/June 1979 that for the first time Caribbean secondary school students wrote an examination prepared by Caribbean people, for Caribbean people and marked and graded by Caribbean people!

Thirty thousand, two hundred and seventy-six (30 276) candidates from the region were part of this historic occasion as they wrote the first sitting of the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate, CSEC, commonly called CXCs.

Though the operation experienced some challenges, it signaled the entry of the Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC) unto the global examination landscape, and more importantly the beginning of the region’s break from the UK examination boards. It was a proud moment in Caribbean history.

For this first sitting, the Council offered five subjects for the CSEC; four at the General and Basic Proficiencies and one at General Proficiency only. The five subjects were English Language, Geography, Caribbean History and Mathematics at General and Basic, and Integrated Science as a pilot at General only. Fifty-eight thousand, seven hundred and eight (58708) subject entries were received. The breakdown by subject was:

• English Basic ............................... 14747• English General .......................... 12056• Geography Basic ........................... 4866• Geography General ...................... 5409• History Basic .................................. 942• History General ............................ 1571• Mathematics Basic ..................... 12844• Mathematics General ................... 5822• Integrated Science .......................... 451

Thirteen of the then 14 Participating Territories submitted entries for those examinations. The registration process was far from smooth. “A number of entries were submitted long after the closing date for

registration,” wrote then CXC Registrar Wilfred Beckles in his Report to Council. “The reasons for the late entries were understandable, but the dislocation in the schedules inevitably increased pressure on the Registry to complete each phase on time and affected the entire process.”

There was good news with respect to the shipping and clearance of the scripts at the various ports of entries. This was as a result of discussions the Council held with airlines, customs and airport authorities in the Participating Territories.

Beckles reported, “CXC materials were handled with expedition and the Registry was able to ship materials to Local Registrars in good time for the administration and to have the scripts returned to Headquarters and the Western Zone Office for the marking exercise to begin on schedule…”

The marking was conducted in Barbados and Jamaica, the two territories in which the Council

has offices. English and Integrated Science were marked in Jamaica and Mathematics, History and Geography were marked in Barbados.

Some three hundred and thirty-seven (337) markers participated in the exercise. They were selected from all the Participating Territories and marked for a two-week period starting on July 16. However, a lot of preparations went into getting the process to that stage.

Members of CXC staff went on study visits to examinations boards in Scotland and England.

Then Assistant Registrar, later Senior Ass i s tant Reg i s t rar for Examinat ions Administration, Baldwin Hercules, benefited from such visits. “I was privileged to go to the major examination boards in the UK, Cambridge, London and the Joint Matriculation Board (JMB) in Manchester to observe the practises,” he said. “In fact, that certainly helped me to perform the duties in the Examination Division. We

CSEC Mathematics markers in the early years pose outside Short Wood Teachers’ College in Jamaica.L to R: Leslie Clouden (Grenada/Barbados), Ronan Antoine (Trinidad and Tobago),

Terry Bodkin (dominica), unidentified, Judith defour (Trinidad and Tobago),Cynthia Anderson (Jamaica), and Clement Derrell (Guyana/Barbados)


6 MAY 2009 www.cxc.org

Celebrating 30 Years of CSECborrowed a lot of their best practices,” Hercules pointed out.

Elma Licorish, one of the Council’s first employees also recalled visiting examination boards in Scotland and England, including Cambridge. “Cambridge provided assistance to ensure that the standard of the examinations the Council was offering was maintained,” she stated.

In addition to the study visits, training was a significant aspect of the Council’s work prior to the 1979 examinations.

“We had a lot of training courses in Guyana, Trinidad and Barbados,” she said. “People applied to be markers and we trained them.” Additionally, consultants from overseas examination boards visited CXC to train staff and resource persons.

“Those were very exciting times,” quipped Mr Hercules. “We were determined to make it happen because there were a lot of people on the outside who doubted that we could do it and they were very sceptical.”

Scepticism aside, the team at CXC pressed and delivered the first examinations.

The marking exercise was not as smooth as the examination administration.

“I remember we did the first marking at Windsor Hotel (Barbados) and I was in charge of Maths Basic,” Bernadine Parris recalled. “The first morning we went there like pigeons without heads,” Mrs Parris joked. It took them some time before they figured out the routing of the scripts and this caused a back up of scripts she recalled.

“ We were told to route these scripts to these tables, you would know to yourself that you had to get a finished folder or get the scripts marked fast, so you had to design a pattern for routing, and we got it done.”

Ms Licorish said they underestimated the number of people needed to complete the operation. “At first they had been marking at Windsor Hotel and they had envisaged having a couple people up there grading these mark sheets but it didn’t work… “It was a Sunday morning when we had to gather everybody who could see and hold a pencil to come and set up this operation and then they were shipped to Examination Testing Service (ETS) in New Jersey, USA.

For Ms Licorish, the ETS story is one she will not forget! The Council had not yet established an examination processing system and an arrangement was made with ETS to process the results for CXC. She was charged with going to ETS and bringing back the results. When ETS was finished the processing of the results Ms Licorish had 29 boxes to contend with. “Twenty-nine boxes of it!” she exclaimed.

“The plane had been delayed and I got a lot

of hassle from BWIA staff at JFK Airport about why I was carrying so many boxes,” she said as she recounted the experience. She explained to the staff that the boxes contained CXC examination results, but nobody knew of CXC at that time. However, Ms Licorish and the boxes were eventually allowed on the flight. But the greatest drama with the results was yet to come.

“The way ETS had packed the results, they were all jumbled up,” she stated with a sigh. “I have vivid memories of people like Prunella King (former staff member) sitting down on the floor in the vault at 2:00 am trying to sort out these things,” she continued.

The cause of the mix up? Think 1979, 30 years ago; there were no faxes, no e-mail and certainly no Internet facilities, far less cell phones. In those days cables were used to communicate changes to ETS. As it turned out, the final set of

changes which CXC sent never reached ETS. “I had to check every one of them manually,” Ms Licorish said.

And if you thought no fax and e-mail sound stone-age, there were no computers either, only typewriters and Gestetiner machines. The provisional certificates had to be typewritten and that task also fell on Ms Licorish. With a good laugh, she also remembered that the date was left off the certificates and a rubber stamp was used to put it on.

“It is amazing now to see that everything is computerised,” remarked Mrs Parris. “You can just press buttons and get things out, but I remember the days when I use to do the examiners’ tickets with my hand. I use to write all those names (markers) for tickets by hand.”

E-tickets were light years away.

“The students who took those first examinations

in 1979 are the managers of companies today,

your doctors, principals of schools, Ministers of Government, lecturers at universities, lawyers, leaders of nations and are making their mark

not just in the region, but around the world.”

Archaic technological aside, “we came through; the results were late, but they came out nevertheless,” Mr Hercules said. The results were issued on September 15th that year, one week behind the scheduled date. These days results are issued a month ahead of this 1979 date.

The students who took those first examinations in 1979 are the managers of companies today, your doctors, principals of schools, Ministers of Government, lecturers at universities, lawyers, leaders of nations and are making their mark not just in the region, but around the world.

HONOURING THE CLASS Of ‘79To celebrate the milestone CXC will be

honouring the CXC Class of ’79 in July this year during the marking exercise. The Class of ’79 includes all the staff who worked at the Council in 1979 to make the first examination administration a success; the members of the five Subject Panels; members of the five Examining Committees; members of the Final Awards Committee and markers who marked then and are still marking in 2009. Two awards ceremonies will be hosted; one in Barbados on July 10th and the other in Jamaica on July 15th.

CXC will also be featuring the 30 in 30 years- a look at 30 persons from across the region who, through their contribution to CXC has significantly influenced the development of CSEC in its 30-year history. These persons will be profiled in CXC’s Caribbean Examiner magazine and on www.cxc.org throughout the year.

Ministries of education will also be publishing a newspaper supplement in June to commemorate the historic milestone.

MOVING fORWARDOver the last 30 years, CSEC has seen major

improvements and increases in all aspects of the examination. Candidate entries have grown from just over 30,000 candidates in 1979 to almost 150,000 now; subjects entries increased from 58,000 in 1979 to over half a million today.

From offering only five subjects in 1979, CXC now offers 33 CSEC subjects.

Critical to any examination board is the acceptance of CSEC by universities in the region and abroad. Caribbean students get into universities with their CSEC qualifications and many schools do not require them to take SAT or any other entrance test, except for scholarship or advanced placement purposes.

The Council’s new Strategic Visions calls for the review of all its examinations and “ the recognition of the utility of CXC examinations in relation to knowledge and competence certification as well as applicability to the world of work.”



At two sittings of large scale examinations in 2008, the Caribbean Examinations Council offered a

total of 102 examinations across three levels: CAPE, CSEC and CCSLC. These examinations

comprised a total of 178 written papers (i.e. excluding multiple-choice, practical and oral papers)

which generated 662,000 subject-entries and approximately 1,300,000

scripts. These scripts were manually marked by 4,800 teachers from the 16 Participating

Territories: Anguilla; Antigua and Barbuda; Barbados; Belize; British Virgin Islands; Cayman Islands;

Commonwealth of Dominica; Grenada; Guyana; Jamaica; Montserrat; St Kitts and Nevis; St. Lucia;

St. Vincent and the Grenadines; Trinidad and Tobago; Turks and Caicos Islands; and two External

Territories, Saba and St. Maarten. Approximately 94% of the 1,300,000 scripts

from the two 2008 sittings were marked over a five week period in June/July and necessitated

the transporting and accommodating of 2,100 teachers to a total of eight marking centres

across four territories: Barbados, Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago and Guyana.

DID YOU KNOWC X C E X A M I N A T I O N S S T A T I S T I C S



1979 CSEC EXPERIENCEThe Registrar’s Perspective

By Wilfred Beckles

I am grateful to CXC for the invitation to

join in celebrating the 30th Anniversary of the

Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate

(CSEC) and am happy to respond. In what

follows I have tried to be faithful to the remit

of recounting “the 1979 experience from the

Registrar’s perspective” including fact and

anecdote. I must thank the CXC Records and

Human Resources staff for material which helped

to confirm some of my recollections. Some

former colleagues, to whom I am also grateful,

gave me the benefit of their recollections and

allowed me to check mine against theirs.

The success of CXC’s first examinations was,

to many across the region, a welcome surprise.

To the staff of CXC, whom I had the privilege of

leading at the time, it was no surprise. Taken in

perspective 1979, was, after all, the culmination of

several years of activity under the policy-making

guidance of the CXC Council and its Committees,

and the distinguished Chairmanship, firstly of Sir

Roy Marshall, Vice Chancellor of the University

of the West Indies (UWI), and then of Dr Dennis

Irvine, Vice Chancellor of the University of

Guyana. Four of the five years since the start of

full operations in 1974 had been spent in active

preparation. The final year was therefore one of

reviewing progress, assessing deficiencies and

weaknesses and of putting in place what would

be necessary to clear the final hurdle.

CXC had recruited a core of competent

full-time staff under Major Rudolph Daniel, its

first Registrar based at Headquarters (HQ) in

Barbados, Mrs Irene Walter, Pro Registrar based

at the Western Zone Office (WZO) in Jamaica,

and for a few short months early in 1978, Mr

J Urqhart who served as interim Consultant

Registrar until I assumed duties in June, 1978

with Dr Irvine as Chairman.

THE 1979 EXPERIENCE

Mr Wilfred Beckles in earlier times



Soon after the start of operations, CXC took

two crucial steps by:

1) forging links with a number of well

established examining bodies in the United

Kingdom (UK), notably the Cambridge

University Local Examinations Syndicate, the

University of London Schools Examination

Board and the Joint Matriculation Board (JMB),

and with Educational Testing Services (ETS) of

Princeton, New Jersey in the United States of

America ( USA) to provide training for staff,

2) entering into partnership with funding

agencies such as the Canadian International

Development Agency (CIDA) and the

Commonwealth Fund for Technical Cooperation

(CFTC) to secure much needed developmental

assistance, and to obtain the services of a number

of consultants with technical expertise in

assessment, who would work along with CXC’s

less experienced staff.

CXC thereafter laid the groundwork

towards the first five subjects to be written in

1979. In a series of careful steps the Council

proceeded to:

1.) appoint Subject Panels which, after

extensive deliberation and interaction with a

School Examinations Committee, prepared

and issued syllabuses and specimen question

papers;

2.) appoint Examining Committees of

experienced academics and senior teachers who

were not involved in the school system to prepare

question papers and mark schemes;

3.) mount item-writing workshops for

teachers across the region to prepare draft items

(multiple choice) and essay questions which were

then pretested in the schools;

4.) train, with the help of Chief Examiners

from the Cambridge Syndicate, a sufficient cadre

of markers. That training involved marking

“live” GCE O’ Level scripts written by Caribbean

students in the fifth form – CXC’s target age

group;

5.) secure the services of Caribbean and

British Moderators to vet its question papers

the Caribbean to ensure the relevance of the

questions to the region, the British to ensure

the quality of the examining processes and

comparability with similar examinations at age

16 plus; contract with ETS to supply services in

areas in which the Council was deficient until

it made its own arrangements – i.e., question

paper printing, statistical and data processing

services. These would be specific to the 1979

examinations while the Council prepared for its

own future capability.

In mid-1977, the Council also commissioned,

from an experienced official of the Scottish

Certificate of Education Examination Board, an

external assessment of its work, of progress made

on the groundwork referred to above, and of the

steps remaining for its first examinations. The

report of that assessment expressed satisfaction

with the procedures established and progress

made. It concluded with cautious optimism

that with some additional work and attention

to certain areas, CXC could look forward

with a measure of confidence, to successful

examinations in 1979.

At my interview for the post of Registrar,

I had expressed concern that little was known

about CXC across the region. That concern was

obviously present among CXC stakeholders and

clients in early 1978. When the likely candidate

entry for 1979 was considered, it emerged that

only about 60 percent of the candidates in

the region who would normally have entered

for O’ Levels had registered to write CXC’s

examinations. The Council’s first offerings

were likely to be optional in most contributing

territories and might not be offered by two of

them. Clearly, there was a crisis of confidence

in the examination across the region.

That external lack of confidence in the CXC

product was not reflected internally by the CXC

staff nor did they doubt their ability to deliver

the examinations. That was my impression when

I took up office. Major Daniel’s contract had

ended in December, 1977 and the Council’s 1977

Consultant had returned as Consultant Registrar

for a part of the period between Major Daniel’s

tenure and mine. The Consultant, on his earlier

visit, had found staff morale to be ‘surprisingly

good considering the difficulties under which

they worked.’ – a finding which suggested to me

that staff did have a problem of confidence, but

of a different kind from that which prevailed

externally.

CXC’s first order of business when I

assumed duties was therefore one of building

confidence both externally and internally. The

Council abandoned its earlier idea of a costly

public relations campaign by a professional firm.

CXC now began an intensive public relations

effort to promote its product externally. This

included information targeted to educators

in the region, to encourage them to embrace

new ideas in assessment. For the first time,

CXC explained and discussed publicly and in

detail, concepts such as: criterion-referencing

instead of norm-referencing, utilising profiles

to indicate student strengths and weaknesses,

School Based Assessment, Basic as distinct from

General Proficiency and finally table, rather than

individual marking.

The homegrown CXC public relations

campaign included wide dissemination of a Fact

Sheet aimed at prospective users and holders

of the CSEC and the general public, as well as

regular publication of information bulletins

to governments and the media. Two teams of

Committee members undertook promotional

visits to territories where there had been little

publicity previously. Members of National

Committees, the Chairman, Registrar, Pro

Registrar and staff of both Headquarters and

“At my interview for the pOST Of REGISTRAR, I had expressed concern that LITTLE WAS KNOWN ABOUT CXC across the region. That concern was obviously present among CXC

STAKEHOLdERS ANd CLIENTS in early 1978.”

The Registrar’s Perspective



Western Zone Office engaged in radio and

television presentations and discussions. In one

major territory a specially designed Publicity

Committee worked with the Government

Information Services in a CXC promotion

campaign. One example of the impact of this

PR campaign was the comment by a Barbadian

resident on the effort by Headquarters staff that

“CXC seemed to want to be famous in a few

short months.”

CXC also acquired its distinctive logo in

1978. It had been developed by a Barbadian

firm which had intended to bid for CXC’s PR

campaign. An approach to the firm suggested

a measure of frustration with CXC and a

willingness to part with the logo if the Council

was indeed financially unable to meet the cost

of a professional campaign. After some candid

discussion about the Council’s finances, brief

negotiations, and an exchange of letters, the

head of the firm decided to release the logo and

copyright to the Council for a token “piece of

silver”, that is, one Barbados silver dollar. I am

convinced that in the end it was his sympathy

rather than his frustration with CXC which

influenced the head of the firm to make the final,

generous decision in CXC’s favour.

Internally, we concentrated on providing

additional resources and reviewing what needed

to be done towards success in 1979. We also took

steps to win the confidence of Council and its

Committees by a level of service that commanded

attention, by thoroughness in preparation

and presentation, and by punctiliousness in

following up and reporting on decisions. It was

accepted that even if we made mistakes we were

responsible for managing the organization and

were therefore accountable. Four recollections

have stayed with me:

1.) a remark by Dr Irvine that we seemed to

know precisely what to bring to the Council and

its Committees and when;

2.) the comment of a CFTC visitor on

the thoroughness, conviction and passion of a

presentation by the Pro Registrar;

3.) a heated discussion on an issue and a

committee member’s interjection to the effect that

‘if we substitute our opinions for theirs we can not

hold them accountable when things go wrong;’

4.) a staff meeting in late 1978 and an

assessment by our newest recruit that “there are

many who think CXC is going to fail but we will

prove them wrong”.

A review of our resources towards 1979

found favour with Council which agreed to add a

substantial number of staff. CXC’s establishment

was increased by 17 in one year – seven senior

and eight supporting staff at HQ and two senior

staff at WZO. The matter of adequate space for

the marking also had to be addressed. In both

instances, considerations of time rather than

CXC’s long term needs influenced the decision. At

HQ, refurbishment of Block A, The Garrison, was

preferred to relocating elsewhere and steps were

taken to ensure that a first phase of refurbishment

was completed by the host government by

December and the second phase by April1979.

The relocation of WZO from West Kingston to

the Jamaica Teachers Association building in

Church Street of downtown Kingston, subject

to some minor refurbishing and partitioning,

was accepted in the circumstances, but was

less than ideal. In both instances the decisions

were expedient and reflected CXC’s continuing

need for custom-built accommodation at both

HQ and WZO. By October, 1978, the Report

to Council and the School Examinations

Committee for the period November, 1977,

to September, 1978, reinforced “the optimism

expressed in the last two reports by the Registrar

that CXC will conduct examinations of which we

can be reasonably proud.”

Eventually there were signs that the

external crisis of confidence was lessening and

a compromise decision could be reached on

the matter of candidate entries. I would like

to believe that when that decision was made,

it too was influenced both by the diplomatic

skills of our Chairman and the policy makers’

growing confidence in CXC, but I am unable to

recall the exact timing of the decision. While

one major territory provided its full candidate

population, another decided that its students

would be prepared for and would register to write

both the Cambridge O’ Levels and the CSEC in

the five subjects offered. These decisions alone

represented a minimum entry of some 23, 000

candidates. Council willingly agreed to timetable

its administration so as to avoid clashes with the

overseas Boards in the CXC subjects and was thus

assured of a significant population for 1979.

Long before it became a buzzword, ‘multi-

tasking’ was part of CXC’s stock in trade.

While the focus in late 1978 and early 1979

was on the coming examinations, the normal

work of the Council in syllabus development,

item production, pretesting, paper setting and

marker training for subsequent administrations

continued. In addition, two key activities for

1980 were in train. The first was the development

THE 1979 EXPERIENCE

CXC Headquarters in earlier times



colleague, resident in Guyana, that CXC appeared

to have placed the overseas Moderators in more

commodious accommodation than its own

Examiners! I noted that in future we should not

only be, but be seen to be, evenhanded.

Marking centres usually operate on three

principles:

1.) that no matter how apparently good and

careful the planning, there will be times when

Murphy’s Law will prevail and solutions will have

to be found,

2.) that every problem is simply a solution in

search of a finder and

3.) that at marking, the organization is

virtually turned on its head and all available

resources and bodies, from the Chairman to

the most junior staff member, are pressed into

service.

All three principles applied to both CXC

centres in 1979 and we had the benefit of both

Chairman and Pro Registrar at the Headquarters

Centre, the latter when the marking at the

Western Zone centre had been completed. The

presence of the Chairman proved to be invaluable

since he helped to clarify a policy decision which

in turn resolved a major difficulty encountered

in one subject.

At Headquarters we experienced a full range

of teething problems and I have no doubt that

the Western Zone Office centre did the same.

There were modifications to previously agreed

schedules. This had started with an earlier

decision to accept a number of late registrations.

In that case, a joint effort by Local Registrars,

CXC and ETS to deal with the amendments

of CXC’s own data processing system, acquisition

of software and training of staff in the use

of scanning equipment towards the 1980

examinations.

The second key activity was highly

developmental and related to building the

confidence of schools, teachers and potential

markers in CXC’s offerings. Beginning in

1978, CXC, in consultation with Pro Vice

Chancellor Rudolph Goodridge at the UWI

Cave Hill, assisted in drafting a major regional

project in Primary and Secondary Education

for submission to the United States Agency

for International Development (USAID). The

CXC subproject was the Secondary component

and focused on supporting CXC syllabuses and

training teachers to make better use of them.

The subproject was essentially in the area of

curriculum development: That is not normally

the business of an Examinations Board, but the

Council recognized the likely benefit to CXC and

gave its blessing to the effort. The result was a

four-year project which was funded by USAID in

the amount of US$2.6 million and which proved

its worth to the region in both curriculum and

materials development in subsequent years.

Thirteen of the 14 contributing territories

eventually presented some 30,000 candidates

and just under 59,000 subject entries in the five

subjects (English, History, Geography, Integrated

Science, and Mathematics) for the 1979 marking.

For reasons of security and confidentiality

Council decided to implement a “residential

marking system” and to establish marking centres

in hotel accommodation at both Headquarters

and Western Zone. Two subjects (English and

Integrated Science) were marked in Jamaica, and

three (History, Geography, and Mathematics)

were marked in Barbados. One experienced staff

member from the Examinations Administration

Division at HQ was assigned to the WZO for the

duration of the marking. The marking itself lasted

for two weeks beginning on 16th July. It was a

sustained effort by the CXC resource persons

made up of Examining Committees appointed

since 1977, markers drawn mainly from the cadre

trained between 1975 and 1978, and British

Moderators who were chief or senior Examiners

from British Boards. These Moderators had been

invited to attend the marking so as to assist the

Council’s Examining Committees in setting and

maintaining standards deemed comparable to

GCE O’ Level standards.

To deal with the sheer volume of material,

CXC recruited a number of clerical assistants

(called “aides” in 1979) to assist the full-time

staff. A 1978 marker training and pretesting

exercise had identified three persons at HQ and

two at WZO to serve as chief aides. These helped

to supervise the new recruits who had been

selected on the basis of recommendations from

senior staff who could attest to their reliability

and confidentiality.

The 1978 exercise had also served as a

simulation for the “live” 1979 examinations and

had taught us a number of valuable lessons.

It had revealed delays in both postal and air

communications, so regional cooperation

was sought from airlines, customs and airport

authorities and the scripts and other materials

from the various territories reached HQ and

WZO offices in good time for the marking to

begin on schedule. Marker accommodation

arrangements in 1978 had also proved to be

unsatisfactory and had caused dissatisfaction.

Council therefore decided to accept the cost

implications and to house all 1979 resource

persons in individual hotel accommodation.

CXC made no attempt, as it did in succeeding

years, to encourage resource persons to share

accommodation.

In Barbados, sequestered hotel marking

maintained security of the examinations but

did not isolate us from public curiosity. It did

not prevent some resource persons from feeding

back information to friends outside on our

accommodation arrangements. I experienced

the speed of the regional grapevine and the

power of perception when I was told by a former

The Registrar’s Perspective

Reflections - L to R: professor George Maxwell Richards, a former UWI Representative on Council, Honourable Erskine Sandiford, a former Minister of Education in Barbados, listen to the late dr dennis Irvine, then CXC Chairman



solved the difficulty, but time had still been

lost. There were problems with equipment;

provisions for space proved inadequate and

had to be adjusted; operations apparently well-

planned for the Marking Centre (e.g., completion

or “gridding” of the OMR sheets) had to be

shifted to the Headquarters Office; bottlenecks

in the flow of information developed and had

to be unclogged. One of them developed into a

situation that was serious enough to require me

to cut what was in danger of becoming a Gordian

knot. There were the usual mopping up exercises

requiring extra effort, but all concerned at both

centres worked long and unsociable hours to

complete their tasks.

Scores from the marked question papers

were captured using Optical Mark Reader (OMR)

or scanner technology. ETS had been contracted

to read the OMR sheets completed by clerical

staff; to collate the candidates’ marks; feedback

statistical information and to provide grades

in keeping with grade boundaries approved

by the Council’s awarding committees in

was kept in subsequent years and has been

improved upon each year.

One former staff member has already

recounted in an earlier issue of the Caribbean

Examiner, her role in accompanying the final

examination results which had been processed

by ETS. They came from Princeton to Barbados

by air in some 29 boxes and she had to sort them

all over again on her arrival. She also recalled the

famous CXC decision to resort to a rubber date

stamp for the 1979 Certificates since the printed

Certificates had no date. That stamp alone must

have rendered each 1979 certificate a priceless

collector’s item!

The 1979 results were first issued to

candidates by way of preliminary results slips.

Despite the rubber stamp, we had spent some

time on the design of the Certificate but omitted

to do the same for the results slip. The slips

produced by ETS were small in size and a far cry

from the present-day slips which contain many

features of the Certificate. The inadequacy was

soon picked up by one influential school principal

2.) Dr Dennis Irvine, of blessed memory, for

his superb expertise and skills and his stature in

regional and international education circles which

he put to CXC’s use while serving as Chairman.

3.) the academics, administrators, educators

and government representatives, appointed or co-

opted, who believed that the time had come for the

region to take charge of its own examinations and

who ably gave of their knowledge, experience and

guidance on the Council and its Committees.

4.) the CXC full-time and part-time clerical

staff, the CXC consultants and all those resource

persons who, whether as Subject Panellists,

Examiners, Moderators, Workshop Participants,

Item Writers, Markers, National Committee

members or Local Registrars, took pride in being

associated with CXC’s early development and

operations and worked unstintingly to ensure the

delivery of valid, reliable and secure examinations

and results.

5.) The UK Examinations Boards which

helped to train CXC staff and Markers and

organizations and international donor agencies

THE 1979 EXPERIENCE

Mr Wilfred Beckles was the Registrar of

CXC when the first CSEC examinations

were administered in 1979.

“...that no matter how apparently GOOD AND CAREfUL the planning, there will be times when MURPHY’S LAW will prevail and solutions will have to be found.”

consultation with the British Moderators. The

flow of this information between CXC and ETS

was maintained in several ways. The initially

completed OMR sheets were collected by the

ETS representative from the marking centre in

Barbados and added to those collected in Jamaica

on his way back to ETS. CXC had also acquired

its own set of scanners from National Computer

Systems (NCS) of the USA and appointed and

trained staff in their use toward self-sufficiency

in 1980 and beyond. These too were pressed

into service to supplement the ETS effort.

Inevitably, after quality control checks had been

made, additions or amendments were necessary.

Transfer of these was done where possible by

cable or telex. In at least one instance, it was

necessary for a Headquarters staff member to

carry by hand materials and data from the CXC

scanners to ETS in the United States.

Teething problems and delays in the data

processing schedules between CXC and ETS

resulted in the results being issued late, one week

behind the planned schedule, on 15th September,

1979. That too was noted for remedial action and

a promise was made to issue results in future by

the end of August each year – a promise which

who wrote to the Chairman, with a copy to the

Registrar, rightly complaining that the quality

of the results slips was below CXC’s standard. It

therefore fell to me as Registrar to recognize the

compliment underlying that reproach, i.e., that

CXC had set high standards and was expected to

live up to them in all respects. I replied, with a

copy to the Chairman, that we had indeed erred

but would do better in future.

CXC has clearly been doing better from year

to year: I must congratulate the Council and all

the staff since the first marking for improving on

the 1979 standard over the years. I am grateful

to Registrar, Dr Jules and his staff for allowing

me this opportunity to say thanks publicly

once again to all staff who were involved in the

inaugural effort.

The Council itself owes a considerable

debt of gratitude to a number of persons and

organizations to whose service the successful

launch of the 1979 examinations should be

attributed:

1.) Sir Roy Marshall and the CARICOM

Secretariat for their sterling work in getting the

Council established and for the preparatory work

leading up to 1974.

such as CFTC, CIDA, ETS, and USAID who

supplied the funding and the resource persons

in assessment and data processing to assist and

supplement CXC’s own technically trained

manpower.

6.) the contributing governments who

supplied the finances, made the initial regional

commitment to the examinations and provided

support through their officials in a variety of

ways, thereby providing the Council with the

opportunity to demonstrate to all the world that it

was capable of developing and administering new

and innovative examinations.

On a final, personal note, my own gratitude

must go to my former colleagues at CXC and to

one former colleague and mentor at UWI, Mr

Rudolph Goodridge, also of blessed memory.

He persuaded me to consider a stint at CXC

that became much more – but that is another

experience and another story which falls outside

my remit.

ARTICLE TO STRETCHTO FILL THIS SPACE



THE 1979 EXPERIENCE

THE CLASS Of 1979PRE-TESTED! TESTED!

PROVEN!By Astrid Waterman

When I walked up the steps of the Caribbean Examinations Council on that first day of November 1977, I knew what I was going to do. I knew how it was going to be. After all, I had taken the decision that after spending over ten years in a position where I had responsibility

and accountability for a work unit comprising ten persons in an office, an additional twelve in the field on some days, and which interfaced with some other eleven persons working both in office and the field, all of whom were involved in a project with very tight to almost impossible deadlines, that I would now be taking on a job where I would just be one of the operatives; responsible for my own output only. Here at CXC I would prepare camera-ready copy for publications as directed by my supervisor. This task would have specific guidelines and procedures which I would follow.

But, didn’t I get the shock of my life! It didn’t take me long to come to grips with the stark fact that the organization was on a mission. There was a task to be accomplished. It had to be accomplished. There could and would be no missing of that deadline of the administration of examinations in five subjects in 1979, and everyone concerned seemed committed to achieving that goal, despite

the personal sacrifices that had to be made; and there were many.

Wow! What was I to do? Well I knew that too. I had to get on board. After all, working to tight schedules and impossible deadlines was not new to me; and on hindsight I should have realized from the time I was interviewed for a position at CXC: a post which was advertised to be filled at either the Junior Assistant or Assistant Registrar level.

During the interview, I had indicated that I was interested in the Junior level, and had been bold and I suppose brazen enough when asked to give my reason for wanting to leave what was a senior post in the government service, to respond that the major attraction was the salary level and less responsibility.

With this response, I was sure that I had blown it, so one can imagine my surprise when in less than five hours after the interview, I received a telephone call offering the post at the higher level. I should have known that more was expected than I had envisioned.

But as I said, the atmosphere was one of commitment and determination. One that said, we are going to get it done. We will do it for the Caribbean. So, I definitely was not going to be the odd man out. I caught the 1979 blast-off fever.

My first three days were spent rather quietly. First I had to provide some personal data and then I was given some literature about the organization to read. I had read and understood the documentation

from day one, but pored over it again and again on days two and three, because no one brought me any other tasks on those days. But when day four came, I was not prepared to sit on the sidelines anymore, so, I suppose, being bold and brazen once more, I approached the then Registrar and asked why had I been taken on at that time, if there was nothing for me to do.

Well, to borrow a line from Paul Keans Douglas, ‘Who tell me to ask he dat‘? Being the man of action that he was, within a couple of hours he had made contact with Educational Testing Services (ETS) in Princeton New Jersey and arranged an attachment for me so that I could have a firsthand look at their question paper production and printing procedures and undergo some relevant training.

Little did I know how valuable this experience would be, for on return I found myself thrown in at the deep end with; (i) the preparation of pretest forms for a region-wide exercise which was to be conducted in a few weeks time and (ii) the preparation of draft question papers and marking schemes for the 1979 administration: both of which were already well behind schedule. And you know those specific guidelines and procedures that I spoke about earlier? They didn’t exist. So we literally had to develop them from scratch and on the trot. Fortunately, as it is always said some good comes out of every problem. I can certainly state that we were able to develop procedures and guidelines specific to the CXC which, with tweaking and revision as became necessary when demands and technology changed, saw us through those first years and many more to follow. I recall a Past Chairman saying to me one day, “You know Mrs Waterman, you have made our Production function what we never thought it could be in the Caribbean.”

But did I say Production? Between 1977 and 1978 there was no Production Unit. These functions were allocated to the Examinations Division and to all intents and purposes much thought did not appear to have been given to how differently the preparation of camera-ready copy for the examination papers was to be handled from that of the general typing functions in the organization. Consequently, to ensure that my tasks got done, I found myself taking decisions and making recommendations which really belonged in the purview of the Divisional Head.

Little did I know that this was being observed and soon, a decision was taken to take the Production function out of the Examinations Division by the establishment of a small Unit. So here was I, that person who was going to be accountable and responsible for no one’s output but her own, back with the responsibility for a work-unit, and one which would be handling the most secure and confidential documents - the examination papers.

It was time to prepare those numerous pretests forms with accompanying manuals and other administrative documentation as well as draft 1979 papers, and in the case of 1979, the Multiple Choice Paper was not just one question paper. Each subject

Mrs Astrid Waterman



and in at least one case, each proficiency had at least five test forms, because in addition to being the examination question paper, each of these MC papers contained a pre-testing section aimed at providing more MC items for the item bank.

The demand was great, staffing was minimal and equipment was problematic. There was an old typewriter and a first model Selectric composer, each of these with minimal memory capacity. Another of the same composers was on order and I had to agitate swiftly and forcefully to get that upgraded to one with maximum memory storage capacity which would make it easier to handle the numerous revisions and amendments that were being done to the documents. That took some doing, with even the supplier becoming very irate and demanding to come himself to CXC to see who was this Mrs Waterman that wanted to have a machine which was not yet released for the Caribbean market. But in the end good judgment prevailed and we got it; not as expeditiously as we would have liked, but we did.

Meantime, there was a task to be done and we were determined to get it done. We worked assiduously, many times well into the night. Much midnight oil was burnt, and even though we were actually packaging the final pretest forms while the staff members travelling with them were either on their way to the airport or actually boarding their flights out of Barbados, we made it.

The final 1979 examination papers too were not without the pressure of a late start, indecision about

questions and all those unexpected things which create apprehension and delay, but we managed to reach our revised deadline for the dispatch of the camera-ready copy in all five subjects.

Hey, wait, did I say all five? Well I guess I could say so now, but an incident with the Integrated Science Papers comes readily to mind. This had to do with Copyright permission for use of stimulus material in question papers. Given training which I in Copyright Law as it relates to publications, which I had undergone in my previous job, I had sought to advise the Examining Committee when they submitted a question in which they were using a clip from the famous comic strip PEANUTS, that permission would have to be sought for its use, but they were adamant that since it was being used in an examinations paper, they did not have to do so. The paper was developed, produced, completed and dispatched to be printed. Then along came Mr Ian Urquhart of The Scottish Examinations Board who was brought on to act as Advisor to the Registrar for the first administration. On the first day he visited the Production Unit, one of the first questions he asked was whether all stimulus material had been cleared for Copyright use. Of course he was told about PEANUTS. He immediately advised that permission be sought. This request was sent off post-haste and the reply was received post-post-haste, as follows. ‘NO! Permission will not and cannot be granted for use of anything from PEANUTS. PEANUTS carries special Copyright use restrictions. We, however, enclose for your consideration, some clips from six other cartoons which in our view are based on a similar theme to that of the PEANUTS one you submitted with your request. You are free to use any of these if you so decide but not PEANUTS.’

Well, Well, Well. At this time Elma Licorish was on her way to ETS in the US to collect and bring the question papers back. So you can guess the mad scramble to get hold of the Chief Examiner who was at this time out of the region, to have the paper revised; ETS to put a hold on the packaging of that question paper which has already been printed. O Carambo! Stress and more stress. However, more midnight oil, determination and commitment saw us through.

In respect of the question papers, another incident stands out in my mind. This has to do with the impact that late registrations and last minute switches of subject and proficiency entries by candidates had on our capacity to ensure that there were adequate numbers of question papers available. The order quantities were based on the preliminary registration figures with what was thought to be a sufficient percentage of extras. But when the final figures were in, it was immediately recognized that there would have been a significant shortfall in both proficiencies. A quiet unannounced, internal solution was found and some additional papers and OS maps were produced. When the problem was officially realized it was possible to respond – ‘already addressed.’

There were also some hiccups when persons

“There was an old typewriter and a first

model Selectric composer; each of these

with minimal memory capacity...I had

to agitate swiftly and forcefully to get

that upgraded to one with maximum

memory storage capacity which would

make it easier to handle the numerous

revisions and amendments that were

being done to the documents.”

identified as couriers for confidential materials sometimes did not notify us that due to a change in schedule they could not accommodate us as agreed. This resulted in delays and necessitated re-scheduling, but despite the fact that Murphy’s Law was very evident, the examinations were duly administered in 1979 as planned.

Then came the marking exercise. How did I get involved in this? We were all involved. It was a collaborative effort of all CXC personnel, region-wide. But for me it was more than just general commitment. It was a responsibility. By this time I had been promoted to the position of Senior Assistant Registrar, Examinations Division (inclusive of the Production Function). Yes, this is the same person who was looking for no responsibility other than for her own output.

We were now interfacing with other divisions and external agencies on all sorts of issues including the recruitment of markers and marker aides; the movement of people and materials throughout the region; identifying and securing suitable making venues and appropriate furniture; developing and producing relevant manuals and other administrative documents; making arrangements for marker accommodation; catering and local ground transportation. Of course Murphy was present, but we showed him that where there is a will there is a way. Yes, we were Pre-tested, Tested, and almost CERTIFIED, but we were PROVEN to be up to the task.

The exercise was not without its bleeps and blunders, nor was it without its very tense moments, but seldom, if ever, was there any finger-pointing or temper-flaring. Instead, the spirit of determination, goal-centredness and cooperation pervaded every action.

In 1977-78 there was no Production

Unit. These functions were allocated

to the Examinations Division and to

all intents and purposes much thought

did not appear to have been given to

how differently the preparation of

camera-ready copy for the examination

papers was to be handled from that

of the general typing functions in the

organization.

The Class of 1979

At a marking centre in earlier times:Mr Baldwin Hercules and Mrs Edwina Griffith



In 1979 a group o f M a t h e m a t i c s teachers were invited by Mr Leo Owen to assist in compiling a Mathematics Syllabus for the Car ibbean Secondary Education Certificate examination in Mathematics. We

made our contribution and it was presumably submitted.

Subsequently, three of us from Guyana were invited to participate in a series of workshops, two of which were held in Trinidad and one in Guyana at the Cyril Potter College of Education. There we interacted with teachers from other Caribbean territories. In Trinidad I met Irene Walter, who was the Pro Registrar and who later became the Registrar. I also met James Halliday, who was a Measurement and Evaluation Officer. There was also Cecil Caruth, from Tobago, who always insisted that Trinidadians at the workshop introduce themselves as from Trinidad and Tobago. He

and I became good friends and we roomed together at subsequent marking exercises.

Marking in 1979 at the Windsor Hotel in Hastings, Barbados was traumatic. The activity was new to all and the planners certainly did not anticipate the problems which were created with the marking procedures. Suffice it to say that lessons from the first marking were learnt very quickly and today relatively efficient marking procedures have evolved.

In 1980 I left Guyana to mark in Barbados. My family joined me in 1981.

In 1981 marking was taken to Jamaica. What a gratifying experience that was! There, I renewed acquaintances (not seen since 1962) and made new ones from all over the Caribbean. This is one of the great ‘plusses’ coming out of CXC.

Someone, somewhere, recognized talent, of which I was unaware, and I was promoted from Table Leader, now known as Examiner, to be a member of the Examining Team. As an Examiner you were required to be thoroughly familiar with the Mark Schemes of the two questions being marked at your table. As Team

Assistant this was extended to all fourteen questions on the paper. WOW! In addition, you select questions for standardisation, assign Examiners and Assistant Examiners to tables, assist in rewriting Mark Schemes and teach the same to the Examiners. Further, you supervise a Marking Centre not only in your home territory. The supervision requires monitoring the rates and quality of the marking and ensuring that the marking is completed within the allotted time.

The Mathematics Syllabus too has evolved. I look back in awe comparing the demand from candidates then and now. Today’s question papers and marking have moved in the right direction as they seek to identify and reward all mathematical knowledge of candidates.

I look on my involvement as a contribution to the Caribbean. While the marking exercise is often very demanding since unlike an Examiner, the team member invariably has ‘homework,’ I have always been happy to participate.

30 YEARS Of INVOLVEMENTWITH CSEC MATHEMATICS

By Clement Derrell

THE 1979 EXPERIENCE

“In 1981 marking was taken to Jamaica. WHAT A GRATIfyING

EXPERIENCE THAT WAS! There, I renewed acquaintances (not seen since 1962) and made new ones from all over the Caribbean. THIS IS ONE Of THE GREAT ‘pLUSSES’ coming out of CXC.”

Mr Clement derrell



Where are they now?CSEC CLASS OF 1979

DEBBIE GURLEy-RIVERSST VINCENT GIRLS’ HIGH SCHOOL

In a blink of an eye 30 years have gone by! 1979 conjures up images of the eruption of La Soufriere Volcano, CXC and of course the silver lining – graduation!

I am so honored to have been part of this impressive Class of 1979 and to be one of the first Girls’ High School students to have participated in the CXC examinations.

dIANE SPENCER ST JOSEPH’S CONVENTST LUCIA

I am one of the students from St Joseph’s Convent, St Lucia who sat CXC’s first CSEC examinations in 1979.

This year was a milestone for me because there was a significant event occurring in St

Lucia and I was fortunate to have been selected as a liaison aid to overseas dignitaries attending St Lucia’s Independence celebrations.

Over the past 30 years I have been employed in the Civil Service as a Secretary (after leaving Morne Technical College now Sir Arthur Lewis Community College in 1981) for approximately 11 years and a further 12 years as an Administrative Secretary at St Lucia Air and Sea Ports Authority.

As an employee, I continued to educate myself on a part-time basis in preparation for university acceptance. During 1995 to 1997, I pursued a BSc in Management Studies at UWI, Mona Campus. After a break, I embarked on attaining an MBA in Project Management with Henley Management College/University of Reading and was awarded the MBA in Project Management in January 2009.

From 2004, I have been self-employed and partner with my husband in running an autobody repair business –Mauricette’s Auto Repairs Inc. I am a proud mother of two boys, ages six and 10 years.

I feel honoured to be a member of the Class of ‘79. Many of us are still in contact with each other and look forward to every occasion to mingle and reminisce and we are well advanced in preparations for celebrating our 30th Anniversary.

My thanks to CXC, for including the Class of ‘79 in celebrating CSEC’s 30th Anniversary. I view CXC as our own examination board advancing the cause for edifying and moulding the Caribbean’s young minds.

Although it has been 30 years, I can vividly remember getting the news that CXC examination was introduced in the Caribbean and I was slated to be one of the guinea pigs to write the first exams. I had conflicting feelings about this , thinking why bother about writing exams that may never materialized, so with those thoughts in mind I remembered deciding to do a double header to write both examinations, CXC and GCE in similar subjects just in case one phased out I will still have a bird in the hand .

It was nerve racking – La Soufriere spurting ash and lava all over our beautiful Island of St Vincent and the Grenadines and me, secretly wishing that the exams would be postponed as I kept procrastinating studying for CXC; wishful thinking.

Nevertheless the exams were on schedule and even with all the misgivings and apprehensions of writing CXC I managed to score a Grade I in

Caribbean History, II in Geography and III in Mathematics and English.

In retrospect, I wish I had taken the exam more seriously and had prepared myself more diligently, than merely just writing it as a supplement to GCE. I would have gained better grades.

To all our young brilliant Caribbean students, please remember what ever mission you undertake to do, be dedicated and discipline your mind to persevere.

The CXC should be very proud to have maintained such a high standard of these exams with growth and diversity.

I now reside in Edmonton, Alberta Canada, working as a Senior Independent Travel Counselor with the most prestigious Canadian Virtuoso Travel company – Vision 2000 Travel group – winner of the Atlas Travel Agency of the year award. I have achieved the number one position with Holland America Cruise line as a LBD.



sort of grade they might receive. The English Language component was challenging, and from what I recall some persons felt it was more difficult than the GCE paper.

Thereafter, in 1982 I pursued A’Levels at Barbados Community College, and then completed my Honours Degree in Biology at UWI Cave Hill in 1986. I felt it was important to have a different student experience, which required that I study abroad. I had developed an interest in applied marine sciences and fisheries while at Cave Hill and considered this to be an expanding area of interest for the island. So, I applied for a Student Revolving Loan to study Fisheries Biology and Management at the University College of North Wales – Bangor, Wales UK. I also received a partial scholarship from the British Council to assist with my studies. That programme was highly enlightening and provided me with direct hands-on exposure to mariculture studies and opportunities. I returned to Barbados with keen ideas of working in the Fisheries Division as this was my main interest – especially the field of mariculture and aquaculture.

I started to work at the Coastal Conservation Project Unit in 1989 as the Marine Biologist, and truly found my niche. I was fortunate to experience the expansion and development of the Unit over the years. In 1996, I was promoted to

the post of Deputy Director and also took on the challenge to be the Project Manager for the Coastal Conservation Programme Phase 1 Study of the East Coast. This project resulted in the development of the Integrated Coastal Zone Management Plan for the island. I have been able to see the office develop into the Coastal Zone Management Unit in 1996, as well as the passage of the Coastal Zone Management Act in 1999.

In 2000, I received a National Development Scholarship to pursue Doctoral Studies in Coastal Zone Management at Cardiff University in Wales, UK. That has been one of the greatest educational experiences of my professional career. I was able to complete my research and return to work in 2003, and graduated in 2005. I have been the Director of the Unit since 2004 and am glad to know that Barbados has a coast to be proud of!

I wish to commend the Caribbean Examinations Council on its anniversary and its continued success especially as it branches out into different CXC and CAPE courses as well as CVQ courses.

MADGERIE JAMESON ST JOSEPH’S CONVENTST LUCIA

I graduated from the St. Joseph’s Convent in July 1979. I was one of the first students to write CSEC General English examination in 1979. It was a different experience for me because we prepared for Cambridge English examinations

as well as CXC English. The two examinations were different so we had to approach the subjects differently. I remember the examination was a difficult one because we had to change the ‘normal’ way of doing things to cater for the ‘the new exams’. We were not very receptive students because we thought that it was extra work. CXC has evolved over the 30 years and the standard of the examination is reputable.

After my secondary educaton I became a trained Mathematics and Science Teacher. I worked as a primary school teacher for 14 years and a secondary teacher for eight years. I pursued a BSc in Psychology at the Univerisity of the West Indies, St. Augusitne. I was among the first students who graduated with a BSc in Psychology from the University of the West Indies. I was also among the first graduates of the Masters of Education offered by the University of Sheffield Caribbean programme in St. Lucia. Currently, I am on a Commonwealth Scholarship at the University of Otago, New Zealand. I have recently completed a PhD in Educational

dR LEO BREWSTERHARRISON COLLEGE – BARBADOS

It was some 30 years ago, as a student at Harrison College, that I sat the Caribbean Examinations Council’s examinations as part of the first cohort of students across the island taking GEC O’ levels and CXC examinations. At that time, I remember it being a rather daunting and unnerving experience –as we were the first! The three subjects I sat at that time were History, English Language and Maths. I had a keen interest in Caribbean History and found that subject totally enjoyable. Maths had never been a favourite of mine so that proved a bit challenging, especially as there were no past papers to practice on. As a result, the class spent a lot of time going through the traditional GCE O’ Level papers for practice. I do remember that the paper was like granite! Even those class mates, who were very maths competent, left the exam questioning what

Psychology. I submitted my thesis and am awaiting the result. The focus of my PhD is learning and instruction in higher education. My research interests are assessment for learning in higher education, high-stakes testing, lifelong learning, the first year univerisity experience, and transition issues in higher education.

During my stay at the University of Otago, I had the opportunity to work as a research assistant at the Educational Assessment Research Unit (EARU). My tenure at the unit was valuable as I gained a working knowledge of assessment procedures under the guidance of Professors Terry Crooks and Jeffrey Smith.

I returned to St Lucia at the end of April 2009. I intend to use the experiences I gained to help enhance learning and instruction in the region.




PORTIA COMPTON-JAMESST JOSEPH’S CONVENTST LUCIA

1979 and the CXC exams, a year I will never forget for many reasons. The final year of high school; the transitional year from childhood to womanhood; leaving the hallowed walls of our learning and sheltered institution; a time for decision making, do we go straight to work? Do we continue along our academic paths to higher learning? Do we remain in St Lucia or migrate overseas? Regardless of our dilemmas, the CXC exams were a jump-start for all that we hoped to achieve.

On receiving the news that we the students of Form five, graduating May 1979, would be the pilots for a new exam, there were mixed feelings. Some of us were upset that there would be yet another set of

CECILE MCKIEST VINCENT GRAMMAR SCHOOL

Life is but a continuum of opportunities and challenges; it is our ability to turn the challenges into opportunities that will determine the degree of success/accomplishment of each individual.

If one is to use this simple premise in one’s approach to life and living, then life may not turn out to be the complicated process that we sometimes make it.

The opportunity to have followed the CSEC Curriculum and sit the inaugural examinations in 1979 provided me with the

exams; the over-zealous test takers were excited to get the opportunity to showoff the fruits of their obsessive labour; others hoped that these exams would be easier than the traditional GCE; yet others like myself thought this was a revolutionary move for the Caribbean to have its own exams. It was a very exciting time, something new and we saw in this the start of great possibilities for Caribbean students to reach higher levels within our own arenas.

However, one of my concerns at the time was whether or not these exams would be recognized overseas, in the UK or in the United States. Would I need to be tested all over again if I decided to pursue my schooling outside of St Lucia? This brought about minor fears; can we really stand on our own? Therefore, I was especially happy to have the best of both worlds; a bigger part of the old and a little of the new, something to fall back on and something to look forward to in the future.

I believed at that time, like any normal teenager, that the CXC was just an exam, a test to study for, pass and move on. It produced additional stress, as the objective in proficiency was vital and a lot depended on our ability to cope. The CXC exams focused on core knowledge content and skills that would assist in diagnosing these tests to determine which features needed be further developed and modified. It is quite evident that the CXC exams have remained on the path towards success on standardized exams and our students have nothing to worry about when it comes to excelling.

CXC exams were motivational and helped

shape my development. I am extremely proud to have been given the opportunity to set the stage, for the pioneering of a Caribbean exam, truly reinforcement of our abilities and capabilities as a Caribbean people.

platform of choice and the wisdom of analysis to choose this simple premise to accomplish and to be success oriented.

This platform allowed me to enter the field of Banking, a sojourn which occupied my time and energies from 4 June, 1980 to 31March, 2000 with the National Commercial Bank (SVG) Limited. During that period, I was able to progress through the ranks from a Teller to a Loan Officer, to Branch Manager for the Grenadines (Bequia, Union Island and Canouan) and finally to Manager of the Halifax Street Branch, Kingstown.

This sojourn then allowed me to make the transfer from a Banking career to a Management position in the insurance field. This was effected on 17 April, 2000 when I joined the team at the St. Hill Insurance Company Limited, which I have managed from that time to present (March 2009), currently holding the position of Managing Director. Both attachments allowed me the opportunity for training in the particular fields (Banking and Insurance) and in the important area of Management. These included local and regional training programmes and certification seminars. This extended to the Diploma Programme in Management at the Barbados Institute of Management and Productivity (BIMAP) in Barbados, the

Association of Insurance Institute of the Caribbean (AIIC) Programme in Principles of Insurance and Legal Aspects of Insurance and exposure to the workings of the Re-insurance Markets in London (particularly Lloyds). I was called to do community and humanitarian work even prior to leaving school; this in preference to advancing my obvious outstanding skill in track and field, football and cricket.

My Curriculum Vitae in this field includes: President of the Arnos Vale Educational Sports and Cultural Organisation (AVESCO), Vice President of both the SVG Athletics Association and SVG Football Federation, Chairman of the West St. George Area Council, Chairman of the National Sports Council, Member of various other national boards and President of the Rotary Club of Bequia as well as Rotary Club of St Vincent South. I am also the sitting President of the Insurance Association of St Vincent and the Grenadines (2nd year).

Combined, these experiences in the world of work and in service have allowed me to be a rounded individual with a positive attitude and approach to all endeavours and a deep will to achieve and advance whatever the cause.

Being a part of the ‘Class of ’79’ would, no doubt, have prepared me for this life of service.

THANKS CSEC/CXC.



dR CAMILLE NICHOLLSST VINCENT GIRLS’ HIGH SCHOOL

The Girls’ High School Class of 1979 wrote both the GCE examination and the inaugural CXC examinations simultaneously. This was done at a time when the entire

ORMONd WILLIAMSST VINCENT GRAMMAR SCHOOL

Ormond Williams was one of the first batch of students attending the St Vincent Grammar School to sit the CXC CSEC examinations in 1979. Following his success at these exams, he went on to pursue his A’Level studies at his Alma Mater.

In June 1981 he joined the staff

country was thrown into a state of uncertainty and near panic as the La Soufriere Volcano sprang into life. Mock exams were written with volcanic ash falling on the papers even as students attempted to satisfy the examiners. During this period, the Girl Guides were required to be on duty at various centers to assist evacuees from Sandy Bay (a community in the north of the island) and surrounding areas. With cauliflower clouds of ash overhead, and balls of fire traversing the skies, we still continued with our preparation for exams.

The fact that so many students of the class of 1979 were successful in both examinations despite trying conditions remains a testament to the sound basic education offered at the Girls’ High School 30 years ago.

Dr Nicholls wrote A’Levels at the St Vincent Grammar School. After A’Levels, she spent one year at the University of the West Indies - Cave Hill Campus in the Faculty of Natural Sciences. In 1984 she proceeded to St Georges University

School of Medicine and graduated in 1989.Upon graduation, Dr. Nicholls returned to

St Vincent and the Grenadines and served her five-year bond. During that time she completed her internship programme and worked as a District Medical Officer in Chateaubelair and Bequia.

In 1996, she left for the United Kingdom to pursue post graduate studies in Obstetrics and Gynaecology. Dr. Nicholls was successful in her exams in 1998 and became a Member of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (MRCOG). She again returned home in 2000.

In 2007 she was inducted as a Fellow of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (FACOG).

Today, Dr. Nicholls serves as a Consultant Obstetrician/Gynecologist at the Milton Cato Memorial Hospital – a post she accepted in 2001 – and has a successful private practice at the Victoria Medical Centre.

of Barclays Bank Plc in St Vincent and the Grenadines and made his way up the ranks to being selected to join the Barclays Management Development Programme (MDP) designed to fast track employees with high potential to senior management. To continue his MDP training, in 1994 he was transferred to Barclays’ Regional Headquarters in Barbados where he spent two years in various areas including Offshore Banking, Information Technology, Operations and Administration and Credit Risk Management. Whilst on the MDP in St Vincent & the Grenadines, Mr Williams completed his Certificate in Business Administration with the University of the West Indies and his Banking Certificate with the Chartered Institute of Bankers (CIB) in the United Kingdom.

To provide him with international experience, Mr Williams was seconded in 1996 to several of Barclays’ operations in the United Kingdom for 12 months. Areas covered included Human Resources, Operations, Retail Banking and Offshore Banking. During his stint in the UK, he completed his Diploma in Banking from the Chartered Institute of Bankers (now Institute of Financial Services, School of Finance) and was awarded his Associateship (ACIB).

Mr Williams was transferred to Belize in 1997 to become Barclays Deputy Country Manager and Senior Corporate Manager. In 2000 he was transferred back to Barbados as Head of Offshore Banking and occupied a seat on the Bank’s Barbados Country Management Committee.

In 2002 he resigned from Barclays and took up the post of Executive Vice President of Cayman National Bank (CNB). In 2003 he became President of CNB and continues in this role at present. He is also a Director on the Bank’s Board.

Ormond is a Fellow of the Institute of Financial Services and Fellow of the Chartered Management Institute in the UK. He holds a Certificate in Management Studies from University of Manchester, UK. He is Chairman of the Board of Directors, Children and Youth Services, Cayman Islands; Director – Caribbean Association of Indigenous Banks, St Lucia; an Accredited Lay Preacher in the Methodist Church in the Caribbean and Americas and Elder in the John Gray United Church, Cayman Islands.

He is married to Rachel, a Belizean national and they have one child, Joshua.




JENNIfER HOAD-KINGQUEEN’S COLLEGEBARBAdOS

Queen’s College was every bit a wonderful girls’ school and by fourth form we started serious preparations for our GCE O’levels. I chose Languages over Sciences. It was at this time that we were told we would be taking, for the first time, History at CXC (CSEC) level, taught by Mrs Roseanne Perkins.

In 1979, on completion of my GCEs and CXC I was awarded an American Field Scholarship which afforded me the opportunity to spend a year in the small mid-western town of Strongsville, Ohio in the United States. I became part of a family who has remained just that to this day – family. It was an interesting, exciting and educational year that I will treasure always.

On returning home in 1980, I immediately went to work in the computer division of an insurance company prior to taking a secretarial course at the Academy of Commerce and Technical Studies. My secretarial diploma led me to a position at a printing organization as Secretary to the Managing Director. It was during this time that an opportunity opened in the

tourism field – an area that I was very interested in, and I went to work as Group Manager for a destination management company.

Following my position with the destination management company, I immigrated to the United States and spent the next 10 years there. I worked with an import/export organization, in Miami, as Executive Secretary to the President and Vice President. This organization turned out to be a ‘home away from home’ as it was owned and operated by West Indians making ‘big city’ life a bit ‘smaller’.

On returning to Barbados, I worked some six years with a diverse company group, initially with the administrative division, which evolved to management of the Beverage Systems Division. It was during this time that I spent one year with the Centre for Management Development of the UWI and completed an Executive Diploma in Human Resource Management.

In 2002, an opportunity opened for me to return to the area of tourism, albeit in a very different capacity and for the past seven years I have worked in villa management for a privately owned property on Barbados’ beautiful west coast.

On the personal side, my interests continue to focus around my family, keeping physically healthy and my deep love for animals which is reflected in our dogs and our pet bird - all rescued in one way or another, and all very much a part of our family and truly sources of great joy. My faith in God and my personal relationship with my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ play a paramount role in my life. It is here that I find strength and courage for the challenges of life, grace and peace that truly pass all understanding in the midst of life’s storms and thankfulness for the many blessings in my life.

CSEC Classof 1979



EARL BENNETTEST VINCENT GRAMMAR SCHOOL

1979 is a year that has gone down in the annals of St Vincent and the Grenadines history as one of the most memorable for several significant events.

The three major events that stuck in my mind were the eruption of La Soufriere, the introduction of CXC examinations in the Caribbean and the Uprising in Union Island (a Grenadine island). And then there was the overthrow of the Gairy Government in Grenada by the Maurice Bishop-led New Jewel Movement.

My colleagues and I were ‘preparing’ for the inaugural CXC examinations and had to contend with these two traumatic events, which did our preparation no good, particularly yours truly. Our minds certainly were preoccupied with the La Soufriere eruption which had disrupted our lives and our main concern was survival.

The CXC examinations were thrust upon us in 1978 when the Ministry of Education advised

the nation of the introduction of a Caribbean-oriented examination.

I was in all honesty not too enthused; in fact, my attitude was one of indifference. For the truth be told, I like most of my contemporaries, that the English- based GCE examinations were of a far superior standard especially as it was coming from a highly reputable university.

On the other hand, we were at best skeptical of the CXC examination and deemed it to be an experiment, with us being the ‘guinea pigs.’ We were afraid that the examinations would not stand the test of time and as a consequence we would have been involved in a futile exercise.

The manifestation of my indifferent position was borne out by the fact that subsequent to registering for my lone offering - Geography- I stopped attending Mrs Martin’s Geography classes much to her charging.

Mrs Martin, however, did not give up on me and was relentless in her efforts to convince me to sit the examination, even if it meant that I had to do it on my own, as she firmly believed that I was doing an injustice to my mother, my teacher, my alma mater and myself.

Her urgings coupled with that of my closest friends led me to sit the examination albeit armed with the unnerving knowledge that I was inadequately prepared. I had done so with one condition, that if I found the examination beyond me, I was not going to do it as I was not willing to suffer the indignity, humiliation and embarrassment of failing .

On D-Day, I equipped myself with the necessary tools and journeyed to the school to be one of many persons across the Caribbean to sit

the historic CXC examinations. On perusing the paper I was confident that I could attain a passing grade, so I remained in the room and did the Geography paper and obtained a Grade II much to my relief and the delight of my mom, teacher and friends.

After graduating from school, I worked with the Central Water and Sewerage Authority [CWSA]. My association with this institution lasted for six years.

I next entered the teaching profession where I was assigned to the Calliaqua Anglican School. During my long stint at this school I pursued and attained the Teaching Certificate at the Teachers’ College. I was then transferred to the Sion Hill Government School where I worked for two years.

My next port of call was the JP Eustace Memorial Secondary in 2006 where I am currently assigned as a Social Studies Teacher.

Apart from my working life, I have been and still am a community activist, a sport administrator and a cultural organizer and participant.

I have also had the distinct pleasure of serving in several positions on the St Vincent and the Grenadines Football Federation of which I am currently General Secretary.

My worst fears about the inaugural examinations were unfounded, as evidenced by the fact that the Council has grown from strength to strength and 30 years after stands tall in the Caribbean landscape.

Happy 30th Anniversary and long live CXC and CSEC!

KATHY-ANN WALKES NEE CADOGANQUEEN’S COLLEGE - BARBADOS

I had the privilege of being one of the first persons to write a Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC) exam. This was in 1979 and the subject was History. It was somewhat

challenging and different since we were not accustomed to having our assignments (School Based Assessment) count towards our final exam marks. But at the same time, I thought that this was a big plus since, unlike the General Certificate of Education (GCE), which is a one-shot exam, you had the chance to go into the examination with marks. Therefore, if you were having an off day on the day of the exam, but you had a good enough grade going into the exam, then you would stand a good chance of success. I think this has contributed to the success of CXC examination over the years.

Since completing my studies at Queen’s College in 1981, I entered UWI Cave Hill where I pursued a degree in Accounting with Computing,

completing this programme in 1984 with Honours. In June 1985, I started work at Texaco where I held the position of Marine Clerk for six months. In August 1985, I was offered a position at IBM where I am still currently employed. I have held various positions at IBM including Distribution Specialist and Systems Engineer. I am also an Accredited Certified Novell Administrator (CNA) and Certified Novell Engineer (CNE).

I have two children, Lisa aged 12 and Christopher aged 9. My hobbies include swimming, karate and squash.




PAULINE WOLffST JOSEPH’S CONVENTST LUCIA

1979 for us marked a year of freedom; freedom from the walls of St Joseph’s Convent Secondary School where we spent five long years (of course looking back now it was indeed short) compared to now since we are celebrating 30 years of leaving these walls which shaped who and what we are today.

I recall being in form five when our dearest Principal Sr Claire addressed us about

CXC and the English exam. She went through the grading system of I and II being passes for General Proficiency.

One student blerted out “why are we the ‘guinea pigs?’ What happens if we fail? How it will affect us?” But these concerns were soon abated since we were still doing the GCE subjects which we were prepared (through the syllabus) to do.

I cannot recall all our grades, but I can safely say that we did exceptionally well or we would have recalled some negative reports in the newspapers.

Today, because of my first daughter who sat CSEC, I was introduced to a lot of the other subjects such as Agricultural Science and Information Technology and I was able to appreciate, realize and recognize the direct impact that CXC has on the Caribbean.

Comparing the days prior to CXC, I vividly recall having to study European History (boy!! do I remember how I tried to cram instead of understanding). I was also able to compare the subject areas that both she and I did like Geography (oh what a difference!).

CXC has brought the Caribbean much closer and has been able to fulfill its mission and vision. The transition from GCE to CXC from my limited knowledge looked like a smooth one and

LAVERNE VELOXST VINCENT GIRLS’ HIGH SCHOOL

Time really does fly. Thirty years have elapsed and it seems like it was just yesterday that I wrote the first CXC exams

under less than ideal conditions. The eruption of the La Soufriere volcano on April 13, 1979 had disrupted the completion of the syllabus. I remember having gone to St. Lucia to stay with relatives for a while and missing classes.

Apart from that, the thought of a new exam by Caribbean educators for Caribbean students was not readily embraced by me. I worried about whether the results would be accredited by Colleges and Universities outside the region. I also was apprehensive about the format – essay and multiple choice questions.

I did not see myself as a pioneer charting the course for future generations. I thought we were guinea pigs for CXC being used for the ‘trial run’. Consequently, many of us wrote the same subjects at CXC and GCE concurrently – just in

the event that CXC was not accredited. Back then, a Grade III was not recognized as a pass! We had to work hard for Grades I and II passes.

Thirty years later, CXC is alive and well having metamorphosed into CSEC that my son will write in 2010 but which I do not recognize as the same exams I wrote in 1979.

All my initial fears about CXC were without merit as it is now touted as one of the few successes of Caribbean people working together for the intellectual enrichment of the region.

In 1981 I joined the First St Vincent Bank as a Savings Clerk and worked there until 1986 when I moved to NBC Radio 705. I spent two years at NBC Radio. In 1988 I returned to the First St Vincent Bank and moved through the ranks to the post of Manager, the position I currently occupy.

was embraced by all.The Class of ‘79 from St Joseph’s Convent

continues to re-unite ever so often. We celebrated our 25th Anniversary with a Church Service and breakfast and we had the honor and pleasure of having most of our teachers and families with us.

This year, like CXC, we are planning quite a number of activities to celebrate our 30th Anniversary. In our midst we have a cross section of professionals, ranging from doctors, lawyers, nurses, bankers, business owners, agriculturists, teachers and the list goes on.

CXC has empowered us to be more independent and self reliant. It is through that medium that programmes such as Young Leaders which emerged from Trinidad came into being. I had the honor and privilege of serving as the Coordinator for St Lucia where we saw young minds being positively shaped into future leaders.

My colleagues and I wish to take this opportunity to congratulate the Registrar and the entire CXC for reaching this milestone. May God continue to be your guide.

Happy 30th Anniversary CSEC!



TRUdY LEONCE-JOSEPHST JOSEPH’S CONVENTST LUCIA

This was truly a historic year in my life as I had the privilege of witnessing the raising of our national flag at midnight on February 22, 1979 during the ceremony on our attainment of Independence. There were some memorable events in my life during 1979 that included the celebrations and fireworks on Independence night in February, turning sweet sixteen and immediately obtaining my driver’s license, and writing the GCE O’ Level examinations and the CSEC examinations offered by CXC for the first time.

I particularly appreciate the significance of being able to write the CXC examinations in 1979. Academically, one of the top students during my five years at the St. Joseph’s Convent, I excelled in all subject areas (except Art and Cookery). My subjects in Form Four were English Language, English Literature, History, French, Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry and Biology. Since this was the first year of CXC, we also had to write the English Language. Usually I never worried about writing examinations; however, inevitably the results of these exams at the end of form five do determine a student’s future irrespective of the performance during the past five years of secondary school. I was nervous for my very first GCE examination which was the English Language. After that examination I had a nagging feeling that I almost blanked out while writing the essay and in general I knew my nerves had gotten the better of me. There was no time to dwell on that subject and I tackled the other

subjects over the next few weeks and did not have any nerves or problems. I remember writing the CXC English examination and I felt great after and knew this was a better examination than the GCE English.

My worse fear was confirmed with the release of the GCE results a few weeks later. I obtained one A, five B’s and one C in my other subjects. For English Language I obtained a D. This meant that despite my proven academic ability, I did not have the required entry mark in English Language to register at the Sir Arthur Lewis Advanced Level College. I was mortified and in shock. For about one to two weeks my whole future was a blur. My future studies now depended on my CSEC English Language Grade. Finally the CXC results were released- I obtained a Grade One. My family and I were so thankful that CXC was introduced that year. I registered for the Science courses at the Sir Arthur Lewis College.

My tertiary education was completed at the University of Guelph in Canada when I graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Microbiology in 1985. I pursued a career in Clinical Microbiology and entered the field of Medical Laboratory Technology. I worked in the private sector as a Microbiology Medical Technologist at Medical Laboratories in the Greater Toronto region from 1985 to 1993.

In May 1993, I returned to St Lucia and was appointed as the Acting Laboratory Superintendent (Manager) of the Ezra Long Laboratory at the Victoria Hospital. During my three years supervising this laboratory, I registered with the University of the West Indies

Challenge Programme and obtained a Certificate in Public Administration. After three years in the public sector I got the opportunity to manage a laboratory in the private sector. I accepted the position of Laboratory Manager at Laboratory Services and Consultations Ltd.

I am currently in my 12th year as Manager at Laboratory Services and Consultations Ltd. During this period I have attained a Graduate Certificate of Achievement – Clinical Laboratory Quality and Operational Management from The Michener Institute for Applied Health in Toronto Canada and a Postgraduate Diploma in Business Administration from the University of Leicester in England.

I have had an interesting and challenging career while balancing a well-rounded social and family life. I am currently actively involved in planning activities to celebrate the St Joseph’s Convent’s Class of 1979 30th Anniversary. I was therefore thrilled when we were invited to provide our profile for The Caribbean Examiner magazine and CXC website.

In particular I felt this was a fitting time for me to write as my 16-year-old son is preparing to write his CSEC examinations this year. In particular I commend the CXC for the inclusion of the School Based Assessments towards the final grading, as based on my experience the consequence of a nervous examination day can result in a disappointing result.



The revised English B Syllabus for 2012 to 2017 examinations reintroduces the comparative (Type B) question on two short stories. It also replaces the comparative question on West Indian and non-West Indian novels with a (Type A) question on a single novel. Most teachers would welcome this development, as successive School Reports have bemoaned the fact that candidates performed less than expected on the comparative or theme questions. Realistically, this task required candidates to apply higher order skills: analysis, evaluation and synthesis to their knowledge of two novels in approximately 40 minutes. These were quite advanced skills for the 16-year-old age cohort. The new format for testing students’ knowledge of Prose offers exciting opportunities for extending the study of English Literature to a wider cohort of our students and honing their skills in literary appreciation. Principals and the staff of English Departments should plan from now to exploit these opportunities.

Moreover, the Revised Syllabus and Specimen Mark Scheme suggest overt encouragement of diverse interpretations – a feature which runs counter to the popular ‘one correct interpretation’ of set texts. They acknowledge the influence of readers’ feelings as a significant component of literary interpretation and appreciation. These new developments should lead us to reorganise the school’s Literature programme.

These syllabus changes should encourage more vicarious recreations, greater discussion and differing interpretations of how artists try to influence our feeling. These discussions, based on the carefully selected prescribed texts will, over time, expand our vocabulary of feelings and foster the development of our emotional intelligence, ultimately leading to the affective skills and values expected of ‘the Ideal Caribbean Person.’ Controversial texts have the greatest potential to foster these outcomes, but it is the school and the teacher’s careful choice and treatment of texts that have the greatest impact.

Some schools have avid readers as students,

who may want to read all prescribed texts and then make a choice of what they will study for examination. There are other schools with struggling readers whose teachers select the text for the students. There we have an obligation to read all the novels and make a determination after considering the characteristics of our learners. Such students may even need to hear our repeated dramatic oral reading to understand what is involved in reading for pleasure. We must select the text that is most appropriate for our students to display their skills in literary appreciation.

We must gauge the text’s potential to excite our students, and should be wary of the belief that we do students a favour by selecting ‘easy’ texts with which they do not connect. Fostering the intimate connection between student and text is our goal.

Class discussions with subsequent projects and assignments generate this personal connection. These discussions and assignments must go way beyond the anticipated examination questions and marking schemes. Rather, in the sacred space of our classrooms, we must be open minded, confident and mature enough to encourage students to offer personal interpretations and responses to the events of the texts and challenge them to provide textual and experiential evidence in support of their interpretations. Authors relate many crucial events not through direct explanation but through inference. Argument over the different interpretations forces students to closely read the texts and gain intimate knowledge of it, which is eventually reflected in their examination responses. Using this strategy with the short stories first will pay significant dividends.

Studying short stories prepares students to understand the writer’s craft in a novel, and in general it has the potential to heighten our students’ sensitivity to how writers manipulate words and form to influence our feelings and achieve their effects.

In planning the scheme of work, we may

recognise that we just do not have the time to devote a session to each story. If so, we need to select the short story that we can gain the maximum benefit from close study so that students can apply the skills and competencies to their independent reading and study of the other selections. Individual teacher style and interest will be the major determinant in this choice. Thereafter, we need to consider how the students can use the time to show their emerging mastery in application of these competencies. In doing so, students will chart the comparisons and contrasts in authors’ treatment of technique and theme.

We should be wary of using merely logical or common sense criteria for the sequence in the text, World of Prose. The editors warned that they did not have any organising principle in their sequencing of the stories. Stories for sophisticated readers are placed before those which are accessible to wider audiences. It would also be dangerous to assume that the shortest stories are the easiest.

Some teachers or departments may decide to link the stories to events in the calendar, for example, to introduce ‘Septimus’ around Christmas time, or ‘The Boy Who Loved Ice Cream’ around Harvest time. Others may see and use the potential of Literature to make a direct contribution to the lives of the students, through bibliotherapy.

The stories may also be sequenced according to formal elements of the short story form. There are stories where the point of view from which they are told carries the weight of their meaning.

We may also select from, these approaches in sequencing the set poems from A World of Poetry. In the final analysis, our Literature programme should excite our students and foster appreciation and understanding of writers’ craft that adroitly manipulate our minds and feelings. The prescribed texts for 2012 -2017 give us ample resources to do this (see pages 28-30 of the syllabus, CXC 01/G/SYLL 09).

We must gauge the text’s potential to EXCITE OUR STUdENTS, and should be wary of the belief that WE DO STUDENTS A fAVOUR By SELECTING ‘EASy’ TEXTS with which they do not connect. Fostering the intimate connection BETWEEN STUDENT AND TEXT IS OUR GOAL.

CXC NEWS

SELECTING TEXTS fOR 2012 – 2017 ANDSEQUENCING THE SHORT STORIES fOR TEACHING

THE REVISED ENGLISH B SyLLABUSBy Martin Jones



TEXTS PRESCIBEd fOR THE2012 - 2014 EXAMINATIONS

dRAMAfour Questions will be set

A Midsummer Night’s DreamWilliam Shakespeare

Old Story TimeTrevor Rhone

POETRY Two Questions will be setSelections from World of Poetry (New Edition) Hazel Simmons-McDonald and Mark McWatt

PROSE fICTION Novelfour Type A questions will be set.West Indian Songs of SilenceCurdella Forbes

The Wine of AstonishmentEarl Lovelace

Short StoryTwo Type B Questionswill be set from the ten named short stories A World of Prose for CXCDavid WilliamsHazel Simmons-McDonald

TEXTS PRESCRIBEd fOR THE2015 – 2017 EXAMINATIONS

dRAMA four Type A Questions will be setJulius CaesarWilliam Shakespeare

The Lion and the JewelWole Soyinka

POETRYTwo Type B Questions will be setSelections from World of Poetry (New Edition) Hazel Simmons-McDonald and Mark McWatt

PROSE fICTIONNovel – four Type A questions will be set.Frangipani HouseBeryl Gilroy

Things Fall ApartChinua Achebe

Short Story - Two Type B questionswill be set from the ten named short stories.A World of Prose for CXCDavid WilliamsHazel Simmons-McDonald

The Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC) is now an Affiliate of the Jamaica Copyright Licensing Agency (JAMCOPY). Mr Glenroy Cumberbatch, Pro Registrar of CXC signed the Affiliation Agreement 23 April at a ceremony hosted by JAMCOPY at the Jamaica Trade and Invest Office in Kingston. JAMCOPY is a Collective Rights Agency which manages the reproductive rights of its members and issues licences to third parties to copy the work of right holders.

JAMCOPY also acts on its rights holders’ behalf to prevent infringements of their rights, including taking legal action against violators. In 2005, CXC registered its logo, its name and its abbreviation, and the names of all its examinations as Trademarks to protect the integrity of the Council and its examinations. Last year, to further assert its ownership of the Trademarks, CXC published an Intellectual Property Policy which governs the use of the Council’s Trademarks.

“The Counci l i s systematical ly considering the steps required for protecting,

managing and enforcing its IP so as to avoid confusion in the market, ensure quality, and realize commercial results from its IP ownership,” the CXC IP Policy states.

“The move to become an Affiliate of JAMCOPY re-enforces the Council’s seriousness about protecting its Intellectual Property and preventing violations of its copyright works.,” explained Dr Didacus Jules, CXC Registrar. “This will also protect the Council by ensuring that its name and image are not falsely associated with unauthorized products and services.”

As a member of JAMCOPY CXC will enjoy several benefits. These include better management of the amount of copying that is done so that sales of its published works are not jeopardised by extensive illegal photocopying; CXC is assured of remuneration from the licence fees collected from users; and CXC also benefits from international protection of its works through JAMCOPY’s bilateral agreements with licensing agencies in other countries.

CXC JOINS JAMCOPY

Mr Glenroy Cumberbatch, CXC pro Registrar (centre) signing JAMCOpy Affiliation Agreement as Ms Carol Newman Manager of JAMCOPY (left) and Ms Shirley Carby, Chairman of JAMCOPY (right) look on



“When the opportunity was offered to us by CXC to host the Visual Arts Exhibition we could not say no.” These were the words of Mrs Laura Browne, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Education in St Vincent and the Grenadines as she addressed the opening ceremony of the 2009 CSEC Visual Arts Exhibition on March 23.

“We could think of no better way to celebrate the 30 years of CXC offering examinations in the region, examination having started in 1979,” said Mrs Browne.

And what a celebration it was as Vincentians turned out in their hundreds to visit the five-day exhibition at the Methodist Church Hall in Kingstown. In some cases entire classes turned up, while in other cases entire families visited. Their comments in the visitors’ book speak for themselves.

“Out of this world,” “extraordinary,” “excellent!” “ awesome,” “…a taste of the possibilities of the mind,” “an excellent display of talent,” my expectations for the future generations have been enhanced,” “we have a wealth of talent in the Caribbean,” “beyond my expectations!” “It’s amazing to see such strong pieces at this age group,” “they all spoke to me”.

“Excellent display of Caribbean talent. I am impressed. Was very impressed by the many displays, especially the imaginative composition ‘Upside Down’”

These are but a few of the comments visitors wrote. The most popular comments were “very good,” “excellent,” “very talented” and “wow”.

Ms Amanda Vanloo, a young Vincentian artist whose works already adorn the walls of hotels in Barbados and the Grenadines visited the exhibition several times during the week. Why?

“I am truly impressed by the work here,” Ms Vanloo told CXC Youtube site. “It is truly a motivation for me an artist.”

Ms Vanloo expressed the view that the students will continue to pursue art as not just a hobby but as a career. “I hope the students continue to do it and not just see it as a hobby, but I hope it is something they will pursue and make a living.”

The exhibition opened on Monday March 23 with a brief ceremony, which was addressed by Mrs Laura Browne, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Education; Dr Didacus Jules, CXC Registrar and remarks by Ms Ayana Baisden, an Art Teacher and the local coordinator of the exhibition and Mr Cleveland Sam, Assistant Registrar, Public Information.

Honourable Girlyn Miguel, Minister of Education cut the ribbon to officially declare the exhibition opened. The ceremonial cutting was followed by a brief tour of the exhibition by a party which included the Minister, the Registrar and the Permanent Secretary.

The exhibition was well attended and received by the Vincentian public. Hundreds of students, teachers and members of the public visited the exhibition over the five-day period. One of the interesting observations was the number of queries about the cost of the pieces on display and peoples’ interest in purchasing the pieces on display.

The works on display were selected from all ten options in the CSEC Visual Arts syllabus and included several Regional Top Award winning pieces over the last four years. More than 300 pieces were on display; in addition, a multi-media presentation with an additional 75 pieces was also shown.

A new feature of this year’s exhibition was the use of music prepared for CSEC Music examination as background for the exhibition.

Ms Baisden, who took the exhibition from ‘page to stage’ for the Ministry of Education said the exhibition was especially welcomed since art exhibitions are not held regularly in St Vincent and the Grenadines.

“Members of the public were of the opinion that perhaps this is the beginning of something that can be done on a monthly basis and they are looking forward to having more art exhibitions on a regular basis.”

An Art Teacher as well as an artist, Baisden said “the exhibition has shown the students where the benchmark is for the work they need to submit to CXC.”

ST VINCENT AND THE GRENADINES

Celebrates with Visual Arts Exhibition

CXC NEWS

Honourable Girlyn Miguel, Minister of Education cuts the ribbon to officially open the exhibition. Looking on are L to R - Mr Luis DeShong, Mrs Laura Browne, dr didacus Jules and Mrs Susan dougan

Ms Ayana Baisden, an Artist and Art Teacher speaks to students about the art on display



There was a seven percent increase in the number of candidates who wrote the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) examination at the January sitting. This year 26, 093 candidates took the examinations, compared with 24, 371 candidates in 2008. However, the number of subject entries declined by 12 percent this year, dropping from 49, 567 in 2008 to 43 910.

Spanish and Office Administration were the subjects with the best results this year; both with 75 percent of the entry achieving Grades I to III. These were followed by Social Studies with 65 percent and English Language 59 percent.

This performance in English Language is a ten percent improvement over that of 2008 when 49 percent of the entry achieved Grades I to III.

Performance in Mathematics which saw an improvement last year declined this year. Forty-nine percent of entries achieved Grades I to III compared with 56 percent in 2008.

INCREASEd CANdIdATE POPULATIONFOR CSEC JANUARY 2009 SITTING

The Mathematics Examining Committee cited the areas of Geometry, Measurement, Trigonometry and Vectors as posing the most challenges to candidates.

Performance also declined in the three Science subjects this year. The Examining Committees concluded that candidates seemed to be inadequately prepared for this examination. With specific reference to Chemistry, the Examining Committee said that the results reflected inadequate coverage of the organic section of the syllabus; the Examining Committee for Biology described as “disappointing”, candidates’ performance on questions dealing with genetics.

Information Technology saw a slight decline in the number of candidates achieving Grades I to III; 57 percent gained acceptable Grades this year compared with 59 percent in 2008. In accounting for the decline, the Examining Committee noted that while performance continues to improve in the areas of word processing and spreadsheet, “the database management and programming questions continue to yield the

weaker performances.”Overall performance declined slightly when

compared with 2008; 55 percent of entries achieved Grades I to III this year compared with 57 percent last year.

CXC offered 12 subjects at the January sitting this year.



CXC NEWS

More Credits and Exemptionsfor CAPE Qualification

The words of Katherine Mayhew, Senior Admissions Officer at McGill University in Canada in response to correspondence from CXC inviting the prestigious Canadian university to enter into an articulation agreement.

In noting that McGill does not enter articulation agreements with universities or examination boards, Ms Mayhew stated, “the CXC CAPE qualifications are treated similarly to the UK Advanced Level qualifications.”

“Arts students who have been accepted on a competitive basis for admission and who have completed three CAPE Unit 1 and 2 subject examinations with good results, as outlined, will receive a full year (30 McGill credits) for their studies,” Ms Mayhew explained.

She added that if only two CAPE Unit 1 and 2 subjects, plus Caribbean Studies and Communications Studies are successfully completed, then the student receives almost a full year’s worth of credits.

“For Science and Management students, as they should have prerequisite studies in Mathematics and Science subjects (Math for Management) amongst their CAPE level subjects, in addition to having completed previous studies in such subjects at CSEC level, they too would usually receive one full year advanced standing, or very nearly so,” the university official further explained.

For students enter ing to study Engineering, Nursing and Architecture, however, they receive credits and exemptions only from courses equivalent to their freshman programme requirements and are not likely to receive a full year’s worth of credits. However, they will receive a number of exemptions which lightens their first year workload.

“We feel that students

who have achieved strong

results in their CAPE Unit

1 and 2 examinations are

well-prepared for entry

to McGill University, for

advanced standing credits

and exemptions towards

our degree programmes,

and for successful studies

with us.”

McGill University



Johnson anD WalEs Uni CaPE CoUrsE EqUivalEnCyJOHNSON ANd WALESUNIVERSITY

Since October last year, CXC has been involved in discussions with Johnson and Wales University on an articulation agreement for CAPE. Earlier this year, CXC received an equivalency chart from the university outlining the credits being offered for CAPE Units.

The university has expressed a keen interest in working with CXC. “We are very interested in supporting CAPE and working on a strong partnership between CAPE and Johnson and Wales,” said Fred G. Johnson Jr., Director of Caribbean and Latin American Relations.

In the coming months, CXC and Johnson and Wales will be working to conclude an agreement before year-end.

OGLETHORpEUNIVERSITY

Another university with which CXC has been in discussion in recent months is Oglethorpe University in Atlanta, Georgia. Currently, there is a draft agreement which both institutions are revising with a view to concluding in the coming months.

The agreement provides for a “student attaining an Associate’s degree from CXC to be granted 28 semester credit hours in major or minor subject areas offered at Oglethorpe University.”

It also makes provisions for students who have taken CAPE Units but not qualified for the CXC Associate Degree. “A student who has successfully completed any of the CAPE examinations mentioned in this Agreement and who has not obtained an Associate Degree will be awarded four semester credit hours for each examination completed,” the draft agreement states.

Johnson and Wales University

CaPE UniT JWU CoUrsE JWU CoUrsE TiTlE CrEDiTAccounting Unit 1 ACCT1002 OR Accounting I 4.5 ACCT1021 OR Business Accounting I 4.5 ACCT1011 Hospitality Accounting I 4.5Accounting Unit 2 ACCT1002 OR Accounting II 4.5 ACCT1022 OR Business Accounting II 4.5 ACCT1012 and Hospitality Accounting II 4.5 ACCT3020 Managerial Finance 4.5Applied Mathematics Unit 1 (Option A) MATH1002 College Mathematics 4.5 MATH2001 Statistics 4.5Applied Mathematics Unit 2 MATH3020 or Discrete Mathematics 4.5 ASCI3999 Arts & Sciences Elective 4.5Art and Design Unit 1 ASCI3999 Arts & Sciences Elective 4.5Art and Design Unit 2 ASCI3999 Arts & Sciences Elective 4.5Biology Unit 1 SCI4999 and Science Elective 4.5 ASCI3999 Arts & Sciences Elective 4.5Caribbean Studies HIST4999 History Elective 4.5 Social Science or Sociology I or Introductory Psychology 4.5 ASCI3999 Arts & Sciences Elective 4.5Chemistry Unit 1 SCI1021 and General Chemistry I 4.5 ASCI3999 Arts & Sciences Elective 4.5Communication Studies ENG1030 and Communication Skills 4.5 ENG1020 English Composition 4.5Computer Science Unit 1 FIT1012 Digital Technology for Business 4.5Computer Science Unit 2 CSIS1020 Fundamentals of C Programming 4.5Economics Unit 1 ECON2002 and Microeconomics and 4.5 ECON1001 Macroeconomics 4.5Economics Unit 2 ECON3060 or Economic Geography OR 4.5 CAR3999 Career Elective (Business) 4.5Electrical & Electronic Technology Unit 1 ENGN1000 Digital Electronics I 4.5Electrical & Electronic Technology Unit 2 ENGN1010 Introduction to Circuit Theory & Lab 4.5Environmental Science Unit 1 SCI3010 Environmental Science 4.5Environmental Science Unit 2 ASCI3999 Arts & Sciences Elective 4.5Food and Nutrition Unit 1 NUTR2001 or Introduction to Nutrition 4.5 FSM2085 or Hotel Food and Beverage Operations 4.5 FSM2065 Essentials of International Food & Beverage 4.5Food and Nutrition Unit 2 HOSP3999 Hospitality Elective 4.5 FSM2045 or Menu Planning & Cost Control 4.5 FSM2025 Food & Beverage Cost Control 4.5 French Unit 1 FREN1001 and French I 4.5 FREN1002 French II 4.5French Unit 2 FREN1003 French III 4.5Geography Unit 1 SCI3010 and Environmental Science 4.5Geography Unit 2 Social Science Introductory Psychology or Sociology I 4.5Geometrical & MechanicalEngineering Unit 1 CAD1001 Computer Aided Drafting I 4.5Geometrical & MechanicalEngineering Unit 2 CAD1L01 Computer Aided Drafting I Lab 4.5History Unit 1 HIST4999 History 4.5History Unit 2 ASCI3999 Arts & Sciences Elective 4.5Information Technology Unit 1 FIT1000 and Information Technology for Business Professionals I 4.5 FIT1020 Information Technology for Business Professionals II 4.5Information Technology Unit 2 MGMT3030 Managerial Technology 4.5Law Unit 2 LAW2001 or Legal Environment of Business I 4.5 LAW2010 Hospitality Law 4.5Literatures in English Unit 1 ENG1001 Introduction to Literary Genres 4.5 LIT3015 Food In Film And Literature 4.5Literatures in English Unit 2 ASCI3999 Arts & Sciences Elective 4.5Management of Business Unit 1 MGMT1000 and Foundations of Business 4.5 MGMT2001 or Human Resources Management 4.5 HOSP2030 Hospitality Human Resource & Diversity Leadership 4.5Management of Business Unit 2 ENTR1001 and Introduction to Entrepreneurship 4.5 MGMT1001 Principles of Management 4.5Pure Mathematics Unit 1 MATH1002 OR College Math 4.5 MATH1020 OR College Algebra 4.5 MATH1009 Fundamentals of Technical Mathematics 4.5Pure Mathematics Unit 2 MATH1013 and Mathematics II 4.5 MATH1040 Calculus I 4.5Physics Unit 1 SCI2011 Physics I and Lab 4.5Physics Unit 2 SCI2012 Physics II and Lab 4.5Sociology Unit 1 SOC1001 Sociology I 4.5 SOC2002 or Sociology II 4.5 PSYC2001 Introductory Psychology 4.5Sociology Unit 2 SOC2060 Deviant Behavior 4.5 ASCI3999 Arts & Science Elective 4.5Spanish Unit 1 SPAN1001 or Spanish I 4.5 SPAN1011 and Conversational Spanish 4.5 SPAN1002 Spanish II 4.5Spanish Unit 2 SPAN1003 Spanish III 4.5Statistical Analysis MATH1002 and College Math 4.5 MATH2001 Statistics 4.5

More Credits and Exemptions for CAPE



UnivErsiTy oF arkansas CaPE CoUrsE EqUivalEnCy

The University of Oglethorpe awards credits for Grades I to IV.

UNIVERSITY Of ARKANSAS After initial discussions with the

University of Arkansas last year, the Graduate and International Recruitment and Admissions Office published a Transfer Course Equivalency Chart for CAPE in October. The chart outlines the CAPE Units and its equivalencies to University of Arkansas courses.

In some cases, the CAPE Sciences Units receive substantial credits. For example, students with Biology Unit 1 will be exempted from two first year Biology courses, Principles of Biology and Biology Lab. However, in the cases of Chemistry

EXTErnal EXTErnal EXTErnal U oF a U oF a U oF asChool sChool sChool sUBJECT CoUrsE DEsCriPTionsUBJECT CoUrsE CoUrsE nUMBEr DEsCriPTion

ACCT 1 ACCOUNTING 1 ACCT 199T ACCT TRANSFER COURSEACCT 2 ACCOUNTING 2 ACCT 119T ACCT TRANSFER COURSEBIOL 1 BIOLOGY 1 BIOL 1543 PRINCIPALS OF BIOLOGYBIOL 1 BIOLOGY 1 BIOL 1541L PRINCIPALS OF BIOLOGY LABBIOL 2 BIOLOGY 2 BIOL 199T BIOL TRANSFER COURSECARIB 1 CARIBBEAN SOCI 299T SOCI TRANSFER STUDIES COURSECHEM 1 CHEMISTRY 1 CHEM 1103 UNIVERSITY CHEM ICHEM 1 CHEMISTRY 1 CHEM 1101L UNIVERISTY CHEM I LABCHEM 2 CHEMISTRY 2 CHEM 1121L UNIVERSITY CHEM II LABCHEM 2 CHEMISTRY 2 CHEM 1123 UNIVERSITY CHEMISTRY IICOMM 1 COMMUNICATIONS 1 COMM 1313 FUNDAMENTALS OF COMMCOMM 2 COMMUNICATIONS 2 COMM 199T COMM TRANSFER COURSEECON 1 ECONOMICS 1 ECON 2023 PRINC OF MICROECONOMICSECON 2 ECONIMICS 2 ECON 2013 PRINC OF MICROECONIMICSGEOG 1 GEOGRAPHY 1 GEOG 1123 HUMAN GEOGRAPHYGEOG 2 GEOGRAPHY 2 GEOG 199T GEOG TRANSFER COURSEMATH 1 PURE MATHEMATICS MATH 2554 CALCULUS IMATH 2 PURE MATHEMATICS MATH 2564 CALCULUS IIMGMT 1 MANAGEMENT 1 MGMT 199T MGMT TRANSFER COURSEMGMT 2 MANAGEMENT 2 MGMT 199T MGMT TRANSFER COURSEPHYS 1 PHYSICS I PHYS 2011L COLLEGE PHYSICS I LABPHYS 1 PHYSICS I PYS 2013 COLLEGE PHYSICS IPHYS 2 PHYSICS II PHYS 2033 COLLEGE PHYSICS IIPHYS 2 PHYSICS II PHYS 2031L COLLEGE PHYSICS II LABSOCI 1 SOCIOLOGY 1 SOCI 2013 GENERAL SOCIOLOGYSOCI 2 SOCIOLOGY 2 SOCI 2233 SOCIAL PROBLEMS

and Physics, students receive credits and exemptions from four university first year courses.

Students with Chemistry Unit 1 are exempted from University Chemistry 1 and University Chemistry 1 Lab and students with Chemistry Unit 2 are exempted from University Chemistry II and University Chemistry II Lab.

However, in the case of Physics, students receive credits and exemptions from two courses for both Units 1 and 2. For Unit 1, students are exempted from College Physics 1 and College Physics Lab 1, while for Unit 2; they are exempted from College Physics II and College Physics II Lab.

The University of Arkansas awards credits for Grades I to III.

University of Arkansas

Monroe College



oGlEThorPE UnivErsiTy CaPE CoUrsE EqUivalEnCy

MONROE COLLEGE CXC and the New York-based Monroe

College are also in the process of finalizing a draft agreement.

While the agreement provides for students presenting the CAPE Associate Degree, it also makes provisions for individual CAPE Units. “Students not completing the associate degree will be evaluated for transfer to Monroe College on a course-by-course basis,” the draft agreement states.

“This articulation agreement between Monroe College and CXC focuses on the procedures to be observed by graduates of CXC who have successfully completed the Associate Degree at CXC and who plan to continue through Monroe College’s baccalaureate programme,” another clause adds.

The Monroe College agreement will benefit students who wish to pursue studies in Business Administration, Business Management and Information Technology.

Visit McGill’s website to read morewww.mcgill.ca/student-records/transfercredits/

CXC - CaPE ConDiTion(s) oGlEThorPE UnivErsiTy CoUrsE

Foundations of Grade 4 or higher Studio Art Elective Credit

Art & Design in CAPE Exam 4 Hours

Applications of Grade 4 or higher Studio Art Elective Credit

Art & Design in CAPE Exam 4 Hours

Communications Grade 4 or higher Communications Elective Credit

in CAPE Exam 4 Hours

Economics Grade 4 or higher ECO 121

in CAPE Exam Introduction to Economics

Literatures In English Grade 4 or higher English Elective Credit


Caribbean Studies Grade 4 or higher Latin American History Elective


Caribbean History Grade 4 or higher Latin American History Elective


Chemistry Grade 4 or higher CHM 101 & CHM 101 Lab

in CAPE Exam CHM 102 & CHM 102 Lab

General Chemistry I & II w/Labs

Electrical & Electronic Grade 4 or higher PHY 232 & PHY 232 Lab

Technology Labs in CAPE Exam Fundamentals of Electronics w/

Physics Grade 4 or higher PHY 101 & PHY 101 Lab

in CAPE Exam PHY 102 & PHY 102 Lab

General Physics I & II w/Labs

French Grade 4 or higher FRE 101 & FRE 102

in CAPE Exam Elementary French I & II

Spanish Grade 4 or higher SPN 101 & 102

in CAPE Exam Elementary Spanish I & II

Applied Math Grade 4 or higher MAT 111

in CAPE Exam Statistics

Pure Math Grade 4 or higher MAT 131 & 132

in CAPE Exam Calculus I & II

Sociology Grade 4 or higher SOC 101

in CAPE Exam Introduction to Sociology

Oglethorpe University

More Credits and Exemptions for CAPE



Between 2004 to 2005 I conducted a s tudy main ly based in Antigua and Barbuda which sought, amongst other things, to determine factors w h i c h m a y b e associated w ith

students’ attainment in mathematics. The background to the study was the perceived poor performance of students in mathematics. This was a concern both within the Caribbean region, as well as being a local concern in Antigua and Barbuda. There were many laments about this poor performance, often borne out in newspaper headlines, usually following the release of the CSEC results. The following were some of these:

Poor regional pass rate in CXC maths (Jamaica Gleaner, August 30, 2001); Mathematics Paralysis (Antigua Sun, October 13, 2003); Why are so many of us not good at maths? (Jamaica Observer, February 15, 2004); Math remains CXC’s weakest link (Antigua Observer, August 31, 2005)

The participating student group in the study were fourth form students in 11 of the then 13 main secondary schools in Antigua and Barbuda in 2004-05. The student subsample comprised approximately one quarter of students who sat

‘Made for Mathematics’: Implications for the Teaching and Learning

of Mathematics in the CaribbeanBy Dr Patricia George

the CSEC examinations in May/June 2006. The study used a variety of data collection methods in an attempt to understand what could be contributing factors and processes to students’ attainment in CSEC Mathematics. This article will look specifically at responses by students and teachers to the open-ended questionnaire item: Do you think every secondary school child can do maths to CXC level?

Of the 265 students who responded to the question, 125 or 47 percent said yes; 51 percent of those saying yes were boys and 44 percent girls. Put another way, more than half of students destined to write the examinations in a little over a year’s time thought that mathematics could not be done by all students to CSEC level. What was also an interesting result here was that schools in which the students had traditionally done well in mathematics had a smaller percentage of students responding yes, and girls in particular. The question was asked in a general way, so the students could well have been referring to others of their classmates, as well as referring to themselves. Students were also asked in an open-ended question to provide a reason for their response. The following are some of their responses for those who had responded No:• not everybody has the aptitude;• everyone is not mathematically inclined;• some people just can’t; • everyone is not one smart in that subject area.

For e.g. me;

• some students were not made for maths;• maths uses a lot of common sense and some of

us just lack it. Most students seem to fail maths most of the times;

• not everyone has the brains for it.

A sample of teachers of mathematics at the secondary level had also been asked the same question on their questionnaire. Of the 27 teachers who responded to the question, 14 or 52 percent responded yes. The following are some of the reasons given by those who responded no:• somestudentswerejustnotmadeformaths;• some students will never be able (no matter

what) to handle mathematics at CSEC level because of their interests and ‘make up’;

• mathematical abilities are not uniformlydistributed throughout the population;

• Noteveryoneismathematicallyinclined.

Five teachers also gave as a reason for their responding no, that mathematics was being poorly taught, some identifying or implying in particular, the primary stage of education and or a poor foundation in the fundamentals. One teacher for example said, “based on the fact that most students do not receive a solid foundation in the concepts or in some cases are taught incorrectly (misconceptions) largely contribute to this.”

A striking feature in responses to this question was the similarity in the quantitative

CXC NEWS



and qualitative findings of both students and teachers. It would seem whether explicitly or implicitly given, students had taken on the beliefs of their mathematics teachers as to the “do-ability” of mathematics, and just whom mathematics was for. It may be unfair to hold teachers solely responsible for these beliefs of their students. These impressions run through society and that may also explain why students thought as they did. But it would seem that a main responsibility of the mathematics teacher would be to eradicate any such belief or misconception from the student and creating an environment in the classroom where all students come to believe and demonstrate that they can do mathematics. This is a crucial starting point for teaching, and especially the teaching of mathematics, if that teaching were in any way to effect learning.

Gates and Vistro-Yu (2003) ask the poignant question, ‘Is mathematics for all?’ That question needs to be thoughtfully considered and answered by every teacher who would step into a classroom to teach mathematics. If the answer is anything other than yes, then the danger is that the teacher will teach mathematics ‘accordingly’ that is, making it so that the mathematics taught is not accessible by all students. Then, one could concur with Gates and Vistro-Yu (2003, p53-54) that the perceived poor performance of some students in mathematics is ‘more apparent than it is real’, that is, that the ‘apparent’ poor performance of some students in mathematics has been in some ways contrived to be so. Poor grounding in the fundamentals, the structure of the education system to include the existence of types of schools, what becomes the ways things are done within these systems, e.g. the ‘fact’ that ‘ability’ re-grouping practices are routinely carried out and especially so in mathematics supposedly to make teaching (and not learning) easier, etc., all contribute to a set of circumstances so that students’ performance in mathematics is not a ‘real’ reflection of an inability to do mathematics.

If one accepts these set of circumstances as the status quo, then one could argue that students’ mathematics performance is low, but not necessarily poor.

It is my belief that being able to do and make sense of mathematics is not a gift nor something one ‘inherits’ from their parents (although parental support is key in student educational success), nor do students have to be mathematically inclined or ‘made for mathematics’ in order to be able to do it and enjoy some level of success in it. If taught properly, students and especially those who have persisted and survived to write CSEC level mathematics should be able to do it. It may be the case that mathematical abilities are not uniformly distributed throughout a population, but then, what is? If mathematics is taught in such a way that it is made accessible to all students, then students will be able to learn it. There cannot be a ‘one-size fits all’ mathematics, as is commonly the case in classrooms. What is needed is more equity, rather than equality, in the way mathematics is taught. And it is clear that a sound foundation would help to ensure better results. However, it is arguably the case that too often the foundation is weak, and the structure of our education system is to shore up the end, which of course means that many of our students are pre-destined to fail in mathematics.

It is important that the issue of the low mathematical attainment of our Caribbean students be addressed. It is my argument that our education system in the Caribbean is doing our students a dis-service in this matter. In many schools, mathematics is compulsory up to the CSEC level and in Antigua and Barbuda every secondary school student must write English A and Mathematics when they register for CSEC. Yet, despite this perceived importance of the subject, its teaching, and importantly learning, continue to suffer in our classrooms, a situation which is at best paradoxical. Global advances in technology have further increased

the importance of mathematics in the school’s curriculum and given the subject’s much valued currency in the world beyond school. There is also research which suggests that qualifications in mathematics increase an individual’s earning potential. Thus increasingly an individual’s life and life chances after secondary school, be this tertiary education and or the world of work demand both a level of numeracy as well as literacy. Qualifications in mathematics can serve to offer a more unrestricted worldview to an individual beyond school. Students’ access or lack thereof to quality mathematics education and the qualifications that may result from it, often come to stand in the way of their life chances. Moses, in Moses and Cobb (2001) in writing about the low mathematics performance of black students in the USA, has argued that access to quality mathematics education is a civil rights issue, so that it is no longer ‘enough’ to highlight the poor performances of this student group in the subject area. It is time to move beyond this juncture to further investigate possible contributing factors to this observation, and to invest in intervention strategies which would mitigate the loss in human resources we are suffering in this area, making mathematics accessible for all students rather than students for mathematics. In essence, it is time.

Dr Patricia George works in theMinistry of Education in Antigua and Barbuda

REfERENCESGates, P. & Vistro-Yu, C. (2003) ‘Is Mathematics for All?’ in Bishop, A.J., Clements, M.A., Keitel, C., Kilpatrick, J. & Leung, F.K.S. (Eds.) Second International Handbook of Mathematics Education. Part One. Kluwer Academic Publishers, Dordrecht, The Netherlands

Moses, R.P. & Cobb, C.E. (2001) Radical Equations: Civil Rights from Mississippi to the Algebra Project. Beacon Press Books, Boston, USA

Made for Mathematics



knoWlEDGE CrUisE iTinErariEs

CARNIVAL VICTORY SERENAdE Of THE SEAS

Sunday San Juan, Puerto Rico San Juan, Puerto Rico

Monday St Thomas, USVI Tortola, BVI

Tuesday Dominica St Maarten

Wednesday Barbados Antigua

Thursday St Lucia St Lucia

friday Antigua Grenada

Saturday St Kitts Cruising

Sunday San Juan, Puerto Rico San Juan, Puerto Rico

ESTIMATE BBd$1,651-$2,328 BBd$2,028-$2,705

KNOWLEDGE CRUISEPlans Sailing Ahead

By Emsy Walkes-Sealy

Plans are afoot for the CXC Knowledge Cruise either for the period March 28 to April 4, 2010 aboard the Carnival Victory or for the period March 27 to April 3, 2010 aboard the Serenade of the Seas (we’re keeping our options open to get the best price). After completing site visits on both vessels, the committee can happily report that whichever ship is selected, CXC cruisers should be comfortably accommodated in attractive surroundings (with Victory all blues and greens to give the feeling of being underwater; Serenade is light and bright and open with wood panels and vibrant but not overwhelming colours). Both vessels provide adequate meeting room facilities for large receptions, settings for large meetings with audiovisual equipment provided and smaller areas for breakaway meetings or smaller sessions.

Business aside, Victory is all about fun, with a humungous, open air movie screen; poolside entertainment day and night; a large splash zone that is not just for kids, huge, exciting video gaming facilities and all night parties in clubs of every type for all tastes. Serenade is about the outdoors with miniature golf and an impressive rock climbing wall. Both ships have state-of- the- art gym and spa facilities so you can keep in shape

and pamper yourself at the same time. Casinos? Yes! Food? 24 hour buffets, a-la-carte dining and on Serenade, two specialty restaurants, one for steak lovers the other for Italian cuisine aficionados!! Free ice cream all day anyone?

THE VISIONCome, bring your families and loved ones

and take a week away to refocus, work hard

and play hard. Think of it as a retreat, a chance to brain storm, to take a step away in order to re-evaluate and rededicate the direction of the Council and our commitment to the cause. Meet with resource personnel in a different setting. Hear their views, help make ours known. Spend time with your friends and families (afterall,it’snot all about work) in the evenings and party the nights away.

CXC NEWS



Jordanna’s performance of ten Grade Is with all As in the Module grades earned her the Dennis Irvine Award. The award is for the Most Outstanding Performer in the May/June Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination (CAPE).

The aspiring Environmental Engineer achieved Grade I in Caribbean Studies, Chemistry Units 1 and 2, Communication Studies, Geography Units 1 and 2, Physics Units 1 and 2 and Pure Mathematics Units 1 and 2.

“The depth and breadth of the material covered in each syllabus and the wide range of assessment methods have ensured that deep learning took place,” commented the winner of the President’s Medal and the Open Scholarship in Science in Trinidad and Tobago last year. “I believe that the CAPE examinations have more than adequately prepared me for higher level courses at any university in the world.”

While Jordanna was the first female, she was also the third student from Trinidad and Tobago to win the award since it was introduced in 2006. She follows in the footsteps of Jansen Seheult of Naprima Boys College in 2006 and Akash Maharaj of Presentation College, Chaguanas in 2007.

TRINIdAd STUdENTS dOMINATE Four other students from schools in

Trinidad and Tobago also won awards in Business Studies, Modern Language, Mathematics and Natural Sciences.

The award for outstanding performance in Modern Languages went to Jennisa Nandoo of Naparima Girls’ High School. Jennisa achieved

Grade I with all As in the Module grades in Caribbean Studies, Communication Studies, French Units 1 and 2, History Units 1 and 2 and Spanish Units 1 and 2.

Jennisa described the two years of CAPE as the most challenging in her life thus far.

“I remember questioning myself, wondering why I had even chosen to register for CAPE examinations,” said Jennis who has her eyes on a career in international diplomacy, “however, as a person who enjoys taking on new challenges and of course, overcoming them, I persevered, shedding both sweat and tears along the way (thankfully no blood!), in pursuit of my goal – excellence.”

The award for the most outstanding performance in Natural Sciences went to another student from an all-girls school in Trinidad and Tobago. Shradda Kamath of Holy faith Convent, Couva copped this award with Grade I in 10 Units, all with As in the Module grades. Shradda achieved Grade 1 in Biology Units 1 and 2, Caribbean Studies, Chemistry Units 1 and 2, Communication Studies, Physics Units 1 and 2 and Pure Mathematics Units 1 and 2.

Kyle Hutton of Hill View College, Trinidad and Tobago received the Business Studies Award with Grade I in eight Units, including six Business Units. He achieved Grade I in Accounting Units 1 and 2, Caribbean Studies, Communication Studies, Economics Units 1 and 2 and Management of Business Units 1 and 2.

Jovial by nature, Kyle lists one of his hobbies as making people laugh; however, underneath this jovial persona is a serious study and business ethos. He intends to be an Investment Analyst for

a Fortune 500 Company one day and to manage his own business in Trinidad and Tobago.

Adrian Maraj of Presentation College, San Fernando, copped the Award for the Most Outstanding Performance in Mathematics. Adrian achieved Grade I in ten Units with all As in the Modules grades, with the exception one B in Caribbean Studies. He achieved Grade I in Applied Mathematics Units 1 and 2, Caribbean Studies, Chemistry Units 1 and 2, Communication Studies, Physics Units 1 and 2 and Pure Mathematics Units 1 and 2.

“My CAPE experience was most memorable,” noted the aspiring Doctor. “The CAPE exams were challenging and ultimately rewarding. The comprehensive syllabuses and in-depth exam questions inspired me to work hard and helped develop my thinking skills.

Adrian added that the CAPE courses “encouraged further research and fostered an appreciation for Mathematics and Science.”

Two students from Jamaica and one from Barbados share the other three awards.

Vincent Taylor of Munro College, Jamaica received the award for the Most Outstanding Performance in Computer Science. Vincent, a Computer whiz kid, achieved Grade I in Caribbean Studies, Communication Studies, Computer Science Units 1 and 2, Physics Units 1 and 2 and Pure Mathematics Units 1 and 2.

Jervian Johnson of Holy Childhood School, Jamaica, won the award for the Most Outstanding Performance in Technical Studies with Grade I in nine Units and Grade II in one Unit. Jervian achieved Grade I in Accounting Units 1 and 2, Biology Units 1 and 2, Caribbean Studies,

JORdANNA dEANEFirst Female Top CAPE Student

CXC NEWS

Jordanna Deane of St Joseph’s Convent, Port-of-Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, last year became the first female student to top the Regional Awards for the Most Outstanding

PerformanceintheCaribbeanAdvancedProficiencyExamination(CAPE).



Chemistry Units 1 and 2, Food and Nutrition Units 1 and 2, and Grade II in Communication Studies.

Jervian is a consistent high achiever, having been the school’s Salutatorian in 2006 and also winner of the Jamaica Female Scholar in 2008.

The prize for the Most Outstanding Performance in Humanities went to Barbadian Chloe Walker of Harrison College. Chloe achieved Grade I in eight Units – Caribbean Studies, Communication Studies, History Units

1 and 2, Literatures in English Units 1 and 2 and Sociology Units 1 and 2.

Of the CAPE she said, “I thoroughly enjoyed the courses, particularly Sociology and Literatures in English Unit One, and History Unit Two, perhaps due to my genuine interests in the area.” Now a Law student at UWI Cave Hill, Chloe added, “fortunately, the CAPE programme not only afforded me an Associate Degree in the area of Humanities, but made me well prepared for university-level education.”

St Joseph Convent, Port-of-Spain, Trinidad and Tobago receives the award for CAPE School of the Year for producing the Most Outstanding Candidate in the 2008 examinations.

The prizes for the CAPE Regional Awardees include a cheque for US$2000.00 for the Most Outstanding Performance Overall and US$1000.00 for the Most Outstanding Performance in the subject categories. The awardees also receive an all-expense-paid trip to wherever the awards ceremony is hosted and other prizes from sponsors.

Regional Top Awardees are all smiles as they pose with Professor Nigel Harris, CXC Chairman and Honourable Ronald Jones, Minister of Education and Human Resource development, Barbados

Mr Adrian Maraj receives his prizes Most Outstanding Candidate in CAPE Mathematics from Honourable Ronald Jones, Minister of Education and Human Resource development, Barbados

Ms Jervian Johnson receives her prizes for Most Outstanding Candidate in CAPE Technical Studies from Mr Osmond Petty, CXC deputy Chairman



Yana-Marisa Edwards was the latest QC student to add her name to the list of distinguished students from the Georgetown-based institution to cop the Regional Top Award.

Yana-Marisa achieved Grade I in 15 subjects and a Grade II in one subject all at one sitting in May/June last year. She achieved Grade I in Agricultural Science (Double Award), Biology, Caribbean History, Chemistry, Electronic Document Preparation and Management, English A, English B, French, Human and Social Biology, Information Technology (General), Mathematics, Physics, Social Studies, Spanish and Technical Drawing and Grade II in Music.

Despite this heavy study load, Yana-Marisa is a well-rounded student who finds time for sports, music, dance, drama, choir and the school’s Bible Club.

Yana-Marisa follows Wainella Isaacs in 2007 and Shivarnie Persaud in 2006 as the top students in the region from Queen’s College, Guyana in the last three years.

Not only did Queen’s College top the awards again in 2008, the school also provided two other awardees - Aaron Haralsingh and Suraj Mattai.

Aaron Haralsingh received the award for the Most Outstanding Performance in the Sciences. He achieved Grade I in 12 subjects and Grade III in one subject. He achieved Grade I in five Science subjects – Agricultural Science (Double Award), Biology, Chemistry, Physics, and Information Technology (General). He also achieved Grade I in Human and Social Biology, English A, English B, Electronic Document Preparation and Management, Geography and Mathematics, and Grade III in Spanish.

Suraj won the award for Most Outstanding Performance in Business Education. He achieved Grade I in 12 subjects and Grade II in one. He achieved Grade I in five Business Education

subjects – Economics, Electronic Document Preparation and Management, Principles of Accounts, Principles of Business, Office Administration and Information Technology (Technical). He also achieved Grade I in English A, Integrated Science, Mathematics, Social Studies, and a Grade II in English B.

Another Guyanese student, Rahul Lall of Anna Regina Secondary School won the award

QC Students Continue dominationof CSEC Top Awards

for the Most Outstanding Performance in Technical/Vocational Education. Rahul achieved Grade I in 14 subjects and Grade II in two subjects. He achieved Grade I in four Technical/Vocational subjects – Agricultural Science, Electrical and Electronic Technology, Home Economics Management and Informational Technology. He also achieved Grade I in Biology, English A, English B, Human and Social Biology, Integrated Science, Mathematics, Physics, Physical Education and Sports, Principles of Business, and Social Studies and Grade II in Chemistry and Spanish.

JAMAICA Three students from Jamaica copped

awards in the Humanities and Visual Arts. The award for the Most Outstanding Performance in Humanities went to Lori-Ann Vaz of Wolmer’s Girls School. Lori-Ann achieved Grade I in 11 subjects, including five Humanities subjects – Caribbean History, English B, Geography, Social Studies and Spanish. She also achieved Grade I in Biology, Chemistry, English A, Information Technology, Mathematics and Physics.

Tesha Chai of Campion College won the award for the Most Outstanding Performance in Visual Arts, 2-Dimensional work, while Calvin Morgan from Manchester High School, received the award for the Most Outstanding Performance in Visual Arts, 3-Dimensional work.

denise denette Westfield of Girls’ High School, St Vincent and the Grenadines won the prize for the Best Short Story submitted in the English A General Proficiency examination. The story was based on a photograph of a lady in a dramatic presentation.

The prize package for the awardees includes a full scholarship to the University of the West Indies upon completion of CAPE or an associate degree; and a monetary prize, plaque and other gifts from sponsors.

For the third consecutive year, a student of Queen’s College,Guyana won the Most Outstanding Candidate Overall in the Region in the

Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) examinations.

CXC NEWS

Ms Yana-Marisa Edwards, Most Outstanding Candidate Overall in the region in CSEC receives prizes from Professor Nigel Harris, CXC Chairman

Professor Nigel Harris, (2nd left) makes a point to some of the Regional Top Awardees as Mr Osmond petty (3rd left) and Mr Glenroy Cumberbatch (right) listen



There I saw it. The machine that fate was to let me fall in love with. A machine that does only what you tell it to do. It doesn’t like or dislike you. It doesn’t have a bias against you. It functions improperly only if you tell it to do so. It cannot make a mistake; only you, the programmer, can. How can one not love this closeness to perfection?

I started computer classes at preparatory school at about age eight. We were taught to type and used the computer for educational games. I was far from liking it because nothing about it appealed to me at that time. Things took a turn for the better at age eleven when all of that changed. I had always heard about computer programming, but I never really knew exactly what it was about. I happened to take up one of my older sister’s Information Technology textbooks and then I saw this code:

“LET A = 4; LET B = 5; PRINT (A+B)”If that code were run, the number nine

would be printed on the screen. How could anyone not be fascinated with that? Why weren’t we being taught programming instead of how to type? Why am I going to be doing this in more than four years time? All these questions were racing through my mind, but I decided that I could not wait. I fired up my computer, which I had recently gotten, and downloaded a copy of the language it used. QBASIC they called it. Soon I finished the CSEC core syllabus in programming using QBASIC, at age eleven. This can’t be it! I told myself. I then tried to master the language. I went about it just as any other person who wanted to master a language would

have done. I read what the masters wrote and I wrote some more of my own.

Soon I was manipulating simple graphics. I then realised that if I could make the user control one graphic and let the computer control one, I would have achieved what everyone, in my eyes at that time, should be trying to achieve: building a computer game. That was soon accomplished and I wrote a remake of “Space Invaders”. Not very long after I remade “Pong”; all this time being forced to learn about sines, cosines, and tangents in order to render graphics properly. I was learning that which would be taught officially in Mathematics class in high school three years later, and I was enjoying it!

QBASIC came and went, so did Visual Basic and JavaScript. I touched assembly and then studied PHP, Java, Haskell, C, and most recently C++. They are all very different ways of talking to the computer, but the principle remains the same. It is said that English is a universal language; I think the same can be said about programming languages. Programmers can understand code written by someone whose native tongue is unintelligible to them and that makes programming a powerful means of communicating a problem and its solution.

Computers can do only what humans can do, except that it does it billions of times faster. The possibilities are endless - from weather forecasting to nuclear explosion simulation, to atomic structure simulation. Computers are able to solve complex mathematical problems that were once impossible to solve. To put things into perspective, I wrote a programme to generate

all the prime numbers up to 650,000,000. It ran on an average- powered laptop and completed this task in less than one minute. Imagine what a scientist could do with a supercomputer that is a million times faster than mine. I see the technology reaching a point where the microprocessor is directly attached to the human brain. It might sound crazy but if it were to happen all technology would receive immediate exponential growth. Scientists would now be able to think at computer speeds and would no longer have to rely on expensive programmes to do “simulated thinking”.

The future for Computer Science is extremely bright. Processing power roughly doubles every two years. I want to be a part of the new era. I want my name to be a household name. I want to develop my own language to talk to a computer. I want to be the first to teach a computer to learn. I want to make an operating system that is powerful, yet not bloated; tricky to use but intuitive. I guess it is true what they say: Computer Science is the only science where the possibilities are not limited by the laws of nature, only the imagination of the programmer.

“I want to bethe first to Teach aComputer to Learn”By Vincent Taylor

Vincent Taylor is the 2008 CAPE Regional Top Award winner in Computer Science and is studying the subject at UWI Mona Campus.

I see the TECHNOLOGy reaching a point where the MICROPROCESSOR is directly attached to the HUMAN BRAIN.



part of the hotel not known to the other awardees. We carried them there and talked, laughed, and said goodbye as we would all be leaving at different times early the following morning. We retired to bed one last time for the few hours we were to get before our trip back home. We left Barbados with more than what we came with. We left with prizes. We left with new experiences. But most importantly, we left with new friends.

KYLE HUTTON Most Outstanding CandidateCAPE Business StudiesHill View CollegeTrinidad and Tobago

My three-day visit to Barbados for the Caribbean Examinations Council’s Annual Top Awards Ceremony, materialized the statement “Hard-work Pays Off in the End.” After the many months of preparation, sacrifice and the heartache resulting from a postponement of examinations, my experience at the Hilton Barbados definitely compensated for these burdens. Upon my arrival, I was immediately captivated by the luxurious surroundings and first-class atmosphere that engulfed the area. I wished this fantasy would never end. Simply put; I felt like a king amongst other kings and queens, in a castle with amazingly picturesque views of the beach and exquisite dining. It was a privilege to interact with the other top awardees from around the Caribbean, and I was amazed to observe that most were not the typical “nerds” one would have expected to envision being there. I saw images of myself in many ways through each and every individual, and the time spent with them was exhilarating and unforgettable. In addition, travelling from Howard University in Washington D.C, the warm weather of Barbados was unreservedly welcomed, and I took advantage of using the pools on the premises. The climax came almost immediately at the end, with the awards ceremony which my father came from Trinidad to attend. I was filled with extreme jubilation as this honour truly represented the pinnacle of all of all my academic achievements thus far.

VINCENT TAYLORMost Outstanding CandidateCAPE Computer Science Munro College, Jamaica

I arrived in Barbados with four other Jamaicans for the event. A Council official who would later carry us to the Barbados Hilton Hotel met us at the airport in Barbados. When we reached it was time for dinner so the awardees had a chance to talk. Mr Sam, ‘our father’ for the event, was showing me a free seat at the end of the table. He was too late, as I had already seen a lovely Trinidadian awardee that had caught my eyes. I found a single seat at the top of the table. We introduced ourselves to each other and were soon learning about each other’s culture. We all had roommates to make this cultural exchange even easier, which, in theory should have worked, provided that we spent any time in our rooms. Rooms, as I soon came to realise, were only for sleeping.

We spent some hours after dinner in a room that would soon be known as “The 559” where we would spend some of every remaining night. Hours passed as we quickly became friends by talking, playing games and watching the television. That first night was enough to get us completely comfortable with each other.

The next two days were for shopping, meeting government officials and an island tour. We were carried into beautiful Bridgetown and each given spending money. We entered a store together and the girls soon got carried away in their excitement. I didn’t see them again, except for treasured glimpses, until the bus came.

The government off ic ia ls were ver y accommodating to us and we each introduced ourselves to them and chatted a bit. We also saw the picturesque side of Barbados on our island tour. We met some local students who joined us on our trip. Friends were again quickly made as we drove around the island stopping to visit the museum and Harrison Cave.

The evening of the awards ceremony then came, and was the last time we would all be together as a group. We received our beautiful plaques, books, and cash prizes. I was silently glad for my cash prize as I knew what I wanted- a laptop! Many pictures were taken and we had dinner together for the final time. My roommate and I planned a beach tour to a

I must express my heartfelt thanks to the Caribbean Examination Council for a well organized event.

SURAJ MATTAI Most Outstanding CandidateCSEC Business EducationQueen’s CollegeGuyana

If one experience was to be singled out of my life as being the most memorable, it would definitely be the one in which I received the award as the Best Business Student of the Caribbean for CSEC.

The joy of this award can be split into two different occasions; receiving the good news from Mrs Freidel Issacs (Headmistress of Queen’s College Guyana) and the trip to Barbados for the awards ceremony.

On Friday, November 14th, 2008, while I was in my classroom looking onto the field, awaiting the arrival of the form teacher to mark the morning register, another student came into the class and told me that the headmistress wanted me. I quickly started to think about the possible trouble I could be in, and almost instantaneously, started to think of excuses. I was told that we had to go and collect another student, Yana Edwards and meet the headmistress in ten minutes. So we collected Yana and together we worried about the possible trouble we could have been in.

On arrival at the office of the headmistress, we were greeted by a slight smile by Mrs Issacs since she was on the telephone. After a few anxious moments of waiting for her to put down the telephone, she broke the news to us. I was at a loss for words. A sense of excitement followed by a bigger sense of relief overwhelmed me. In the following moments, we were congratulated by our parents, teachers and friends. It seemed that the years of studying, hard work and dedication had finally paid off.

On December 2, 2008, the awardees from Guyana left for Barbados. Once we landed in Barbados and settled in the Hilton Hotel, a quite spectacular hotel located on the south coast of the island, I met with other awardees and CXC

IN THEIR OWN WORdSThe 2008 Regional Top Awardees’ Experience

CXC NEWS



officials, and over dinner it was easy to get along with everyone. Everyone was in high spirits. The differences in accents and the slight variations in cultures did not seem to matter as there was instant chemistry among everyone.

Over the next few days, the group paid courtesy calls to the Deputy Prime Minister of Barbados and Minister of Education and toured the beautiful island of Barbados, where we visited Gun Hill, a museum and Harrison’s Cave. There was much to do and see over this short period, but we managed to accomplish everything that was set on our itinerary.

The award ceremony was held at the Hilton Hotel on the 4 December, 2008 and it was a memorable occasion. After the ceremony, the awardees mourned over the fact that we all had to leave the next day and go back to our boring lives, but we made the most of the night by touring the hotel and enjoying the amazing beach.

This was truly a memorable experience. It is

clear that CXC ensures that the students are well rewarded for dedication to hard work and I am proud to be one of the beneficiaries of 2008.

dENISE WESTfIELd Best Short Story in the CSEC English A ExaminationGirls’ High SchoolSt Vincent and the Grenadines

When I first found out I’d won my award I was completely stunned! I was totally speechless. Then I was absolutely thrilled! Everything got a bit jumbled afterwards because of my enthusiasm to get prepared in time for the trip to Barbados.

When I finally got to Barbados the island was so beautiful! I still couldn’t believe that I was in Barbados. I felt a bit lost in the huge airport, but a CXC official soon picked me up and took me to the Hilton Hotel. At the hotel, after all arrangements were sorted out, I went to my room to check out the view. It was simply breath-taking. I explored the entire room and excitedly flicked through the channels on the television and impatiently waited to meet my roommate and other awardees.

The following three days were amazing and I enjoyed every single minute of them. The other awardees were wonderful and I grew to love them a great deal over those three days. On our last night, we exchanged e-mail addresses and phone numbers. I went home the next morning with a heavy heart. Leaving was very sad, but I’m very glad that I was able to get such a great opportunity and a chance to meet such brilliant people; both awardees and members of CXC. I will always hold memories of CXC and Barbados dear.

“in their own words”



Special invitees, parents, fellow awardees – a pleasant good evening to you all! Muy buena noche para todos! Bonne nuit a tous.

John Henry Jowett once said: “Life without thankfulness is devoid of love and passion. Hope without thankfulness is lacking in fine perception. Faith without thankfulness lacks strength and fortitude. Every virtue divorced from thankfulness is maimed and limps along the spiritual road.” And Gilbert K. Chesterton, a 19th century essayist, novelist and poet, maintained that thanks are the highest form of thought, and that gratitude is happiness doubled by wonder.

Therefore, it is indeed, my distinct pleasure to move the vote of thanks this evening. The Bible says in everything give thanks for this is the will of God. The Holy Qu’ran says: Thank God for all the favours he has bestowed in you. Similar thoughts are also expressed in other Holy Books. As such, I must thank God because great is His faithfulness.

I would like to extend heartfelt gratitude to the Honourable freundel J. Stuart, Deputy Prime Minister of Barbados, the Honourable Ronald Jones, Minister of Education and Human Resource Development and, and the Honourable Patrick Todd, Minister of State within the Ministry of Education and Human Resource Development for taking a break from the hectic schedule of government to meet with us awardees.

On behalf of the awardees and on my own behalf, I would like to thank the Caribbean Examinations Council for rewarding our hard work and for allowing us to have arguably the best time of our lives. Our hard work and dedication to our studies did not go unrecognised.

This award ceremony is testimony to the fact that CXC as a regional examining body is committed to providing the region with a cadre of students of all ages and interests who have outstanding ability and accomplishments.

Were I to rewrite the Mission Statement of CXC, I would add that this august body, apart from providing the region with syllabuses of the highest quality and valid and reliable examinations and certificates of international repute for students, also fosters regional integration and academic

and vocational excellence. I believe that we, the awardees as well as

other students within the Caribbean exemplify that fact by our sterling performances. To use the words of President Barack Obama, “This is our chance to answer the call, this is our moment, this is our time…”

We the students of the 16 Participating Territories of CXC, reaffirm the fundamental truth that out of many we are one; … and for those who tell us we can’t, we will respond with that timeless creed that sums up the spirit of a people:

“Yes we can!”It is said that gratitude, appreciation or

thankfulness is a positive emotion or attitude in acknowledgement of a benefit that one has received. We the recipients of the very many awards wish to express our sincere gratitude to the Caribbean Examination Council for the benefits we have received as well as opening doors of opportunities for us.

CXC, your kind gestures have served to inspire us and to give us hope as we soar to greater heights. You have not only invested in the future of each awardee, but in the future of the entire Caribbean. For that, we are eternally grateful.

I must salute Mr Glenroy Cumberbatch on his eloquence and the ease with which he guided this evening’s proceedings. professor E. Nigel Harris, thank you for your words of inspiration. I can confidently say that each awardee here will play an integral role in our region’s development. Honourable Ronald Jones, Minister of Education and Human Resource Development, your timely words of advice have left indelible impressions on our minds and hearts. We promise to be the leaders of tomorrow, we promise to be the persons who will never have a limit on how much we will achieve and we promise to be all that we can be and more.

Words cannot fully express how grateful we are to our teachers-the angels with invisible wings. They have toiled so that we may succeed. They gave of their time, their effort and every fibre of their being to ensure that we not only achieve, but that we achieve everything imaginable under the sun.

Vote of Thanks by Yana-Marisa EdwardsMost Outstanding Candidate Overall in the Region, CSEC 2008

Yana-Marisa’s speech was given at the Regional Top Awards Ceremonyat the Barbados Hilton Hotel in December.

Of course, we can never forget our parents – both biological and surrogate who have been our pillars of strength. Thank you parents for making sure that we ate properly and took our vitamins. Thank you for staying up with us until the wee hours of the morning. Thank you for dropping us to and from school and thank you for just being there when we needed you. Our successes would not have been possible without you. We know that we can never repay you for the sacrifices made.

We must, however, recognise and applaud a special ‘father’ – Mr Cleveland Sam. Even though at times we tested your patience, we are very appreciative of all that you have done for us.

To the awardees, I thank you for being so hard-working. You have run a good race, and you have fought the good fight. I thank you for being an inspiration to not only your generation, but also generations to come. Though you may not know it, you have begun a domino effect that will cause an insatiable thirst for success to rise up in the youths of the Caribbean. I know that our children, their children, and their children’s children will know that there is nothing under the sun that they cannot achieve because excellent students like Lori-Ann Vaz, Tesha Chai, Calvin Morgan, denise Westfield, Aaron Haralsingh, Vincent Taylor, Jenessa Nandoo, Suraj Mattai and Rahul Lall as well as yours truly did it and so can they. Can they do it? Yes they can.

Melody Beattie penned the words: “Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow.” And Cicero, the Roman Philosopher and orator sums it up this way: “Gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues; it is the parent of all others.”

Finally, to everyone present, whatever has been your contribution, like William Shakespeare said, “I can no other answer make, but, thanks, thanks and thanks.

Je vous remercie. ! Les agradezco mucho! Dank u wel. Abrigada. Thank You!

CXC NEWS



e-Learning Jamaica Company Limited (e-LJam) is a limited liability company established as an agency of the Ministry of Mining and Telecommunications (MMT), to implement the e-Learning Project, a joint initiative of MMT and the Ministry of Education (MOE). The project will utilize information and communication technologies to assist in the enhancement of teaching and learning in Jamaica’s high schools. The ultimate aim is to improve the level of achievement at the CSEC examinations. The e-Learning Project is funded by the Universal Access Fund Company Limited (UAFCL), which is also responsible for providing broad-band access to the schools.

The project is being implemented in 186 educational institutions as follows: 166 high schools, 6 special high schools, one independent high school, eight teachers colleges that train high school teachers and five community colleges.

Over 11,000 teachers and lecturers and 260,000 students will benefit from the project.

The project targets 11 CSEC subjects; English Language, Mathematics, Chemistry, Biology, Information Technology, Physics, Building Technology, Spanish, Integrated Science, Social Studies and Geography.

The six main deliverables of the project are:high quality instructional materials to teachers 1. and students, including educational software, video lectures and a question bankcomputers, networks and audio-visual 2. materials to the schoolsestablishment of a Central Repository for all 3. content at the Ministry of Educationtraining of teachers and lecturers in ICT skills 4. and how to integrate the technology into instructional deliveryassistance to existing remedial interventions 5. with educational software and special equipmentinstitution of standard examinations at each 6. grade, so that student and school performance can be tracked and project performance objectively assessed.

Phase 1 of the project is a pilot being implemented in 28 high schools and three teachers colleges including one special high school and one independent high school. The pilot project commenced in September 2006 and is scheduled for completion by August 2008. The pilot focuses on five subjects in grades 10 and 11.

e-LJam has the administrative capacity to implement the standard examination across the high schools according to the planned implementation modality. However, CXC will provide an experienced Examination Manager to provide overall guidance and direction to e-LJam

personnel. Dr Doreen Faulkner was contracted in February 2009. She is well qualified and very experience and knowledgeable in the administration of the CXC/CSEC Examination. Her office is at the e-Learning headquarters, where she provides e-LJam personnel with technical assistance and guidance in the implementation of the examination in thirty pilot schools at grade nine in six subject areas in the first year.

“As the regional body with responsibility for examinations and accreditation, CXC’s alliance with e-Learning Jamaica is both desirable and useful,” explained Dr Didacus Jules, CXC Registrar. “It offers CXC the opportunity to test the knowledge, skills and attitudes which are the pre-requisites for CSEC, engage more teachers in the preparation and administration of tests and provide students with the opportunity to understand the language and requirements of CXC examinations.”

CXC brings its tried and tested quality assurance mechanisms to the assessment process. This will be done through the use of qualified persons, tried and tested procedures, and the

use of technology. The assessment must also add value to the teaching and learning activity in the classroom and the students learning experience. The assessment must be continuous with its main focus on student development.

Bearing the overall objective in mind, to improve the level of achievement at the CXC CSEC examination, students should be given essential, immediate feedback; be exposed to tests prepared outside of the school environment and be evaluated by their performance on a set of approved standards.

The tests at Grade nine and lower would put teachers in a position to identify the need for any remedial action early and compare students’ performance against established standards.

The results of the test can help the administrators to mobilize and provide essential resources to the schools which need them most and challenge students, teachers and parents to improve standards at their school.

Overall, the tests would prepare students for standardized tests by the time they reach CSEC level, help teachers improve the diagnosis and teaching and learning activity in their classes and help students to improve their test-taking capability.

“CXC is very pleased to participate in this activity and to help teachers to improve the tests, the diagnosis, the teaching learning/activities and the reporting of tests results,” said Glenroy Cumberbatch, CXC Pro-Registrar. “This activity also provides an opportunity for CXC to try new approaches to testing, marking and reporting results. The highly technological environment provides an excellent opportunity for the exploration of computerized testing, electronic marking and utilizing information and communication technologies to distribute the results.”

CXC Partners with e-Learning Jamaica

Mr Glenroy Cumberbatch, CXC pro Registrar (L) and Ms Avril Crawford (2nd L), CEO/project Manager of eLearning Jamaica Company Limited (eLJam) signing the contract for the project. Looking on are, Mr Ransford Braham, Chairman eLJam and Ms Marcia forbes, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Mining and Telecommunications

dr doreen faulkner

pROGRESS TOWARDS THE

NEw ViSioN



The new vision for CXC seeks to reposition the organization as the leading certification body for the region and its new mission is to assure the global intellectual competitiveness of the Caribbean. The following are the main elements of the emerging strategic plan:

ACCOMPLISHMENTS TO dATEThe CXC in 2008 embarked on a Strategic

Repositioning process aimed at contributing to the global intellectual competitiveness of the Caribbean by making CXC a world class brand. The three main components of the new strategic plan cover staff development & engagement,

organizational development, and products and services. A summary of the accomplishments under each head follows.

Staff development & EngagementCXC continues to support staff development

through attendance at professional conferences and short-term training. During 2008 four professional staff members were targeted for development, with one each attending the Conference of the Association of the Commonwealth Examinations and Accreditation Bodies (ACEAB) in Pretoria, South Africa; the joint Conference of the American Educational

Research association (AERA) and the National Council on Measurement and Education (NCME) in New York; the Modern Archives Institute in Washington DC; and a seminar entitled ‘Moving from an Operational Manager to a Strategic Thinker’ in New York. For 2009 two senior Finance officers attended training in business case development and financial analysis in Boston, USA. A senior Examinations Administration staff member was exposed to advanced administration procedures through staff exchanges with our secure printers and DRS in the UK. Other professional staff members are expected to attend annual meetings of AERA/NCME, ARMA International and to make visits to international examining bodies. CXC intends, through these means, to keep its professional staff abreast of best practices in their respective fields and to build awareness of the organization and its work in the international arena.

Specialized training was held for staff in the Production Division in pre-press operations and desktop publishing. Two staff members provided consultancy to the St Vincent & the Grenadines Item Bank Project. CXC continues to encourage and provide assistance to several staff members pursuing tertiary education by granting study leave and making provision for flexible working hours.

Staff engagement in the transformation process is continuous and actively encouraged. In 2008 retreats were held for staff in Barbados and Jamaica to examine the CXC Strategic Framework and undertake a detailed SWOT analysis to identify the critical changes considered necessary. Staff attendance as observers at the major meetings of Council and its Committees in 2008 generated positive responses on both sides and will be a continuing feature. Staff Union

The new vision for CXC seeks to expand its scope of operations to the parameters originally conceptualized from its inception. Its founding charter mandates the organization to offer any examinations that it deems appropriate and to award certificates and diplomas on the results of these as well as to work with other external examining bodies.

dR dIdACUS JULESRegistrar, Caribbean

Examinations Council



representatives were constituted into an HR Audit Committee to exercise oversight on HR issues and to be a mechanism for formal staff input on Council policy (the HR Audit Committee is taking the lead role in the revision of staff rules, review of the Council Pension Plan and re-design of the performance appraisal process). Regular meetings are held between management and the Unions to proactively address human resource issues in the organization.

Team building activities focus on developing the whole staff in a holistic way. In 2008 annual fun days were held at both offices and Office Professionals Day was commemorated. Monthly staff meetings, divisional meetings and ad hoc meetings are held. Small team and individual exercises are held and regular e-mail communications are sent out to keep staff plugged into the pulse of the transformation effort. At headquarters quarterly holistic presentations are organized by staff such as Health Fests, Employee

Self Development and Money Management. Workshops in Emotional Intelligence are being conducted across the organization and have already resulted in more sensitive and respectful employee relations.

Underpinning the notion of staff engagement is employee empowerment and several staff members have embraced this concept. A CXC Buyers Club has been instituted by staff which has realized economies of scale on purchasing basic domestic items. Special financing arrangements to provide highly concessionary rates are being pursued with commercial banks. A self formed Committee is organizing the first ever CXC

Knowledge Cruise to take place in 2010, involving CXC stakeholders throughout the region and presenting the opportunity to socialize, learn and share knowledge in an informal setting. The team has placed video footage of their work to date on the CXC YouTube portal http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ofDDmH7oHzg

CXC external stakeholders are also integrally engaged in the strategic transformation process through a wiki-approach consultative process. To date over 2,500 responses have been received from stakeholders in education and other sectors on the strategic plan. The word cloud below summarizes the feedback received to date:

Human Resource Management Professionals from CARICOM institutions during their meeting in Barbados

CXC YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ofDDmH7oHzg



Organizational developmentOrganizational development involves

the re-engineering of CXC to build capacity and repositioning the organization for a more responsive, efficient way of working. Two major elements are the development of strategic alliances and making CXC an IT-intelligent organization.

The building of strategic alliances to create synergies and deepen functional collaboration is critical to the success of CXC’s new strategic vision. In 2008 such alliances led to the introduction of three new awards to outstanding students. These were the CARDI Award for Outstanding Performance in Agricultural Science; the US Embassy/CXC National Award for Outstanding Performance in CSEC presented to the most outstanding candidate in Barbados, Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada, St Kitts and Nevis, St Lucia and St Vincent and the Grenadines; and the Eric Williams Memorial Collection History Book Prize presented to the most outstanding candidate in CAPE History.

CXC is now an active member of the CARICOM institutional matrix and the organization has just been restored to the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas. CXC spearheaded and co-hosted the inaugural CARICOM HR Managers Meeting which seeks to harmonize human resource management policy across CARICOM institutions. A meeting was convened with the Caribbean Association of Publishers and extra-regional publishers to discuss publishing of the CXC examinations and implications for CXC’s Intellectual Property. An Intellectual Property Policy has been adopted and action

initiated for membership in various regional and international copyright organizations. This should be a major source of future income for CXC.

CXC remains committed to forming strategic alliances that will bolster its work and image. For 2009, discussions on partnerships have been held with the University of the West Indies, Cambridge Assessment and CAPNET. Memoranda of Understanding (MOU) are in

draft with Barbados Business Machines to audit and consolidate print production services and introduce managed document services that should bring an annual operational saving of BBd$315,000, and the US Embassy in Barbados, to assist with staff exchanges for training and development through scholarships and attachments to US institutions. Talks will also be explored through this body with other US Embassies operating in the region to extend the US Embassy/CXC National Awards to cover all

CXC territories.The second key element in the transformation

of CXC is the re-engineering process to become an IT-intelligent organization leveraging computer and internet technologies to work smarter, more efficiently and more cost-effectively. To this end, a refresh technology plan has been prepared for the entire organization.

In 2008 major business applications were modified to provide greater support, increase efficiency and generate savings. Implementation of Registration for Internal Assessment and School-based Assessment saw 99% of candidates submitting registration electronically across territories, and resulted in improved efficiency in data collection. Redeployment by mid-2009 of a web-based online registration and SBA system (ORS) will allow schools and ministries across the region to more easily register, amend and view data on student registrations in real time and should bring an estimated savings of BBd$104,876 per annum. Enhancement of an examining personnel system (EXPERTS) to a web-based version will allow for real time processing of examiners at base and at marking centres across the region and savings are anticipated in terms of processing time, staff overtime and mailing costs to over 4,000 examiners as email contact can be facilitated from the system. A regional stakeholders’ database is being compiled that will allow for the creation of virtual communities of pedagogical practice through which teachers can improve teaching and learning to achieve meaningful improvement in examination performance; blogs for students,

Progress Towards The New Vision

Mrs Sandra Thompson of the Examinations Administration division and Ms Marjorie Lewis of the Secretariat and Office Management division at WZO chatting at the Change Team Retreat

The Log-in screen for the new E-Registration programme



parents and researchers; and other initiatives. In 2008 the CXC website was relaunched

with a new home page. Re-development work is ongoing and should be completed in 2009. this –will enhance functionalities and increase security. The enhanced website will allow for simpler, more practical interface with links to all key stakeholders; continually refresh using flash technology; allow for a Virtual Art Gallery in which digital photos of original artwork by students can be displayed and auctioned; and have e-commerce capabilities. This should bring an estimated savings of BBd$164,000 per annum and change the business process through which CXC manages requests for services such as reviews and requests for transcripts, increasing response time and lowering processing costs.

New technologies currently being implemented include a Unified Communications System (UCS) embedding the use of information and computer technology to facilitate virtual networking, web-based interaction, IP communication and video conferencing, which should bring an estimated return on investment (ROI) of 9% on net present value; or a savings of BBD$351,000. The introduction of blackberries for all professional staff in 2008 provides 24-hour accessibility to travelling officers, facilitates real time connectivity to the office and enables responsiveness to decision-making. These will be integrated with the UCS.

In 2008 a Records and Information

Management Policy was approved and an electronic records management system – Versatile Enterprise – is currently being implemented. This should bring tremendous savings realized through better management of paper and electronic records under one system including retention and disposition, space and equipment savings, research and routing time, staff costs and vastly improved records center and warehouse management. It will also provide the framework for much of the business process re-engineering

and assist with the establishment of a CXC Archive. Currently proposals for a human resource management system are being evaluated which should assist with strategic human resource management, planning and development to help take CXC to the next level.

Products and ServicesIt is necessary to undertake comprehensive

review and improvements to products and services offered. Accomplishments to date

dr didacus Jules, Registrar presents a copy of the Strategic Plan to Honourable Evans Rogers, Minister of Education, Anguilla, in the presence of Mrs Chanelle Petty-Barrett, Permanent Secretary and Mr Worrel Brooks, Education Planner

Mr Rodney Payne, Network Administrator connecting the UCS in the Records division



will prepare CXC to help shift the examination paradigm away from pure “academics” to seek to assess the whole person and provide pathways to global excellence for Caribbean youth. Efforts are focused on syllabus revisions, collaboration with institutions to build capacity and rigour of syllabuses and examinations. The security of the examinations process is being comprehensively reviewed and new measures have been instituted regionally for 2009.

Memoranda of Understanding are in draft and should be signed off by May 2009 with:

1.) the UWI Institute of Critical Thinking, to conduct a pilot review for 11 subjects offered for examination by CXC. It will make recommendations for the redesign and reconfiguration of the examinations and evaluation system for each subject with a view to ensuring that pedagogical approaches to preparation for examinations are infused with critical thinking.

2.) the UWI School of Education, Mona, to collaborate on the development of a research agenda for graduate students on the Master of Education programmes to build capacity in Measurement and Psychometrics.

Discussions and demonstrations have also been held with organizations interested in partnering with CXC on e-marking, statistical compilation and reporting, and detailed discussions on the applicability of an e-marking solution is being pursued.

An aggressive PR strategy has been adopted to build the CXC image and brand throughout the region and internationally. The redesigned

website was launched with positive feedback and CXC publications underwent a re-branding. A sustained advertising campaign utilizing radio, television and print media for CCSLC in Jamaica peaked interest, and candidate entries for that examination increased in 2009. CXC continues to broaden its participation in regional promotional activities such as Expos, Career and College Fairs. The marketing and distribution of CXC resource materials continues to expand and is a growing source of income. Colleges and universities in the USA, Canada and the UK are being aggressively targeted and some articulation agreements have been reached. The CXC has created a presence on YouTube called “CaribbeanExams”.

The Registrar continues the important task of driving the transformation agenda and

building awareness of CXC’s new vision through meetings with key stakeholders in contributing territories including Prime Ministers, Ministers of Education, education officials, principals, teachers, students, publishers and professional associations. The pro-active approach adopted in 2008 to communicate openly and directly with regional media has led to appearances on leading television and radio programmes and regular articles and features in regional newspapers.

ConclusionCXC’s new strategic direction involves

a number of concrete initiatives necessary to transform the organization. The leadership has committed to raising these resources through grant and philanthropic support from various donor sources. Every initiative is analyzed through a business case proposal to ensure individual contribution to either the financial sustainability or efficiency requirements of CXC. Many of these initiatives have commenced on a small scale utilizing internal resources. This will enable CXC to realize significant operational savings in 2009.

An important element of the transformation is to move CXC to a different business model that will remove dependence on government subventions and enable the organization to become financially self-reliant. CXC is also committed to the goal of reaching ISO 9001 certification standards within a five-year period and to becoming a global hallmark of excellence.

In today’s fiercely competitive and uncertain economy, manpower planning and development is critical to the sustainability of any organization. The unique nature of CXC’s operations denotes the need for a well-trained and trusted cadre of staff. Staff development initiatives will encompass staff exchanges, professional attachments and study tours to allow for knowledge-sharing


Mrs Greta forde (left) of the production Division and Mrs Ingrid Kelly (right) of the Examinations Administration Division, WZO attending the AfC meeting in April

Representatives of UK publishing companies at the meeting with CXC in November



and standardization of processes and to expose staff to new learning and best practices; a staff engagement fund for development exercises to build the attitudes necessary to deliver world-class products in a dynamic environment; and staff development and training to build a cutting edge workforce that can take CXC to the next level.

CXC’s transformation is predicated on ICTs for organizational development. Various

technologies that CXC is in the process of acquiring or redeploying will enable it to work more efficiently and cost effectively while being more participatory, and web-based modules will enable travelling officers and plugged-in stakeholders to have real time access to information. The Unified Communications System (UCS), records management system and enhanced CXC website form the nexus of the business process re-engineering that will transform the way business is now conducted.

Review and consolidation of existing products and services must be conducted if CXC is to become a world-class brand. A vigorous marketing and brand development initiative through a region-wide sensitization, public relations and marketing campaign targeted at parents, schools, employers and government agencies on the forms of certification available through CXC and its currency worldwide is ongoing. CXC proposes to undertake a comprehensive syllabus review of all subject domains with the objectives being to modernize the curriculum and establish new syllabuses, embed critical thinking/problem solving skills in all subjects, ensure convergence between the world of work and the preparation of school (this will be further facilitated by the use of the web technologies to involve all subject teachers across the region as well as private sector and civil society entities), engage all teachers in every subject domain in the process of syllabus review and to provide orientation to them on the new requirements. Quality assurance and the establishment of standards and certification of CVQs across the region will greatly enhance the mobility of Caribbean nationals and provide necessary certification for adult learners. Refinement of articulation between CXC and collaborating institutes and effective mechanisms for implementation, including school audits and systematization of CARICOM standards, is vital.

A key priority for CXC is ensuring more frequent communication and more consistent outreach to its key stakeholders. This we hope to achieve by extending initiatives already in existence such as the biennial meeting of Local Registrars to include a biennial meeting of Chief and Assistant Chief Examiners and periodic colloquium of Panel members. More frequent publication of this magazine and a Registrar’s Blog on the new website will facilitate this objective.

We remain open to new ideas and constructive feedback from teachers and educators at all levels. The plan is a dynamic and evolving process that needs your critical input – please send your feedback to me at [email protected].

MarkErs PEr TErriTory

TErriTory MArkErs

ANGUILLA 24

ANTIGUA & BARBUDA 64

BARBADOS 677

BELIZE 96

BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS 16

CAYMAN ISLANDS 37

DOMINICA 44

GRENADA 78

GUYANA 413

JAMAICA 1971

ST. KITTS 80

ST. LUCIA 219

MONTSERRAT 5

SABA 7

ST. MAARTEN 2

TURKS & CAICOS 41

TRINIDAD & TOBAGO 1860

ST. VINCENT & THE GRENADINES 134


dr Jules speaking at an Education Conference in Trinidad and Tobago

Mrs donna Walker, Senior Assistant Registrar HR and Mr Earl Seale, Senior Assistant Registrar ISd, actively participating in the Emotional Intelligence workshop



“AIR CXC” takes to the SkiesThese flights are expected to realise considerable cost savings, in excess of BD$250,000.

To ensure deadlines are met, and after an in-depthresearch on US-based charter companies, CXC chose

to collaborate with Miami Air International.

The Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC) as a CARICOM institution places greatest emphasis on the development of the region through its people. It was therefore with considerable reluctance that CXC took the decision to engage an extra-regional partner to provide air transportation to support the intensive four-country, 3,000 teacher-strong annual summer exercise that is required for the timely release of CSEC and CAPE results.

To ensure deadlines are met, and after in-depth research on US-based charter companies, CXC chose to collaborate with Miami Air International. Miami Air was founded in 1990 with one goal in mind – to create the ultimate charter airline that is committed to only the highest standards of safety, reliability, and customer service. Currently, Miami Air operates

a fleet of nine aircraft that includes both state-of-the-art Boeing 737-800’s and first class configured Boeing 737-400’s which fly all over the world.

The CXC-Miami Air service, dubbed “Air CXC” by staff (see artist’s impression) will operate four flights between Kingston, Barbados and Trinidad. These flights are expected to realise considerable cost savings, in excess of BD$250,000.00, along with improved flexibility as the flights will operate during convenient times for both passengers and staff, with enhanced in-flight services including movies and a planned CXC feature. CXC is also discussing the use of any excess capacity by other regional agencies including The University of the West Indies.

From the moment CXC contacted Miami Air, it discovered unparalleled

convenience, flexibility, security and customization that quickly made the consideration of chartering become both a realistic and preferred choice. With a premium in the region on safety, CXC was reassured that Miami Air offers the youngest fleet of charter aircraft in the United States, has mechanical reliability exceeding 98 percent and boasts a client list of sport teams, celebrities, governments, Fortune 500 companies and major cruise lines, including the Miami Heat, the Marlins and Dolphins professional teams, the US Air Force, and the Bush/Cheney and the John Kerry campaigns.

“Air CXC” will take to the skies on 28 June 2009. A ceremony to mark this inaugural flight is planned for Barbados to include CXC and Miami Air staff along with education and tourism officials.