Independent Review Team to submit report on controversial CXC results…says Sir Hilary Beckles

BASSETERRE, St. Kitts - CHAIRMAN of the Caribbean Examination Council, Sir Hilary Beckles said that regional education ministers have been properly briefed by the Council on systems used for grading of the 2020 CXC examinations.
 
The results from this year’s exams have been mirrored in controversy amidst anomalies surrounding grades that were awarded to students and, in some cases, the lack thereof.
 
Protest actions across the region and the threat of court actions have been facing the Council since the results were released earlier this month.
 
But, Sir Hilary, in a statement on the controversy marring the results, acknowledged that concerns were raised in the public’s domain with respect to the efficacy of procedures and systems used by the Caribbean Examinations Council® (CXC®) in its computation and declaration of student performance.
 
Those data, he notes, are of great importance to the organisation.

“Registrar, Dr. Wayne Wesley, and his team have met with distinguished regional Ministers of Education in order to discuss these concerns and identify the underlying causes with a view to moving forward and providing clarity to our stakeholders and enhanced support.

“CXC® is satisfied that Ministers have received explanations for its positions in light of the public discourse. It is understood that while there might be policy and technical issues to be addressed immediately, the maintenance of public trust going forward is paramount.”
 
Many have argued that the trust has been eroded with the way the grading was handled this time around and the fact that CXC has not taken any responsibility for a number of students returning ‘ungraded’ results despite the submission of all papers and grading materials, including School-Based Assessments.
  
But Beckles noted: “There will be ongoing dialogue with regional Ministries of Education based upon the official gathering of data relevant to all ventilated concerns. Each and every formally reported case will be reviewed and, where remedies are required, they will be applied.

“Management at CXC® has been impressive in the delivery of the July 2020 regional examinations within the context of the COVID-19 logistics nightmare, and crippling global doubt about revised examinations systems and procedures. I commend the team at CXC® for their effort to serve the best they can – the people of our region.” Beckles added.
 
The administering of the 2020 examination was done during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic and saw CXC officials neglecting to have students sit the Paper, instead using the Paper One and the SBA/Paper Three for results of the final grades.
    
“...it was anticipated that given these specific challenges, a period of review and possible revisions would follow, consistent with the regulations of the Council. It has been agreed, therefore, that an Independent Review Team will shortly begin this work and present a report for discussion with relevant stakeholders,” noted Beckles.