The Caribbean Examinations Council, CXC, has reversed its decision to suspend four subjects at the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate, CSEC and the Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Exam, CAPE levels.
This follows intense pressure from education stakeholders across the region since the news broke two weeks ago, on May 20.
Shaloy Smikle has the story.
Citing low enrolment, CXC announced that the certification of Mechanical Engineering, Agricultural Science – Double Award; Green Engineering as well as Electrical and Electronic Engineering and Technology, would be discontinued effective September, 2024.
But that announcement did not sit well with several stakeholders, including the Jamaica Teachers Association, JTA, which raised alarm about the decision.
That criticism was also echoed by other stakeholders across the region, including the education and agriculture ministers.
Two weeks later, the Council caved to the pressure.
In a press conference on Tuesday, CEO of CXC, Dr. Wayne Wesley, said the Council has listened to the concerns of the people.
Dr. Wesley says the concerns reinforce the need for collaborative marketing to promote science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, STEM, subjects.
Dr. Wesley adds that the Council will introduce a raft of new subjects that will further enhance STEM education.
Meanwhile, Education Minister, Fayval Williams, has welcomed CXC’s decision to continue certifying the subjects.
In a post to her X platform on Tuesday, the minister said she had met with ministers of education across the Caribbean region who collectively voiced their concern at the initial announcement.
She said those views were later shared with the Council in a subsequent meeting.
The Minister says she’s happy that the subjects will continue for the benefit of students across the region.
Miss Williams says her ministry will continue to build student awareness of the opportunities that the subjects offer.
She adds that focus will also be placed on upskilling teachers in the four subject areas.
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