‘LOST FOR WORDS’

UNION BOSS, PARENT ADVOCATE STUNNED BY LATEST CXC EXAM BREACH

Stories by Emmanuel Joseph

A teachers’ union in Barbados is calling for an overhaul of the Caribbean Examinations Council’s (CXC) protocols after the regional exams body disclosed that more of its test papers had been compromised.
Less than a month after the leak of a Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) Maths paper in Jamaica, CXC disclosed on Wednesday that it had been informed that fireproof cabinets containing exam papers for nine subjects scheduled to be administered this week were stolen from a school in the same country.
“This is of grave concern to CXC and the matter is being investigated by the Ministry of National Security and the Jamaica Constabulary Force,” it said in a statement, adding that the information had been shared with the education ministries across the region at a meeting earlier in the day.
“CXC is determining the course of action and will communicate with the Ministries of Education today. Further information will be shared as it comes available.”
In a swift response, president of the Barbados Union of Teachers (BUT) Rudy Lovell said the union was particularly disturbed at this latest development.
“The BUT is deeply concerned by this occurrence and as the president, I am lost for words. How many more times will the CXC be highlighted in a negative light? Can our students cope with additional stress and frustration related to CXC examinations?
“The BUT is hopeful that this will not require an adjustment to the already burdensome examination schedule. These events continue to bring into question the efficacy and reliability of the examination body and its processes,” the union leader told Barbados TODAY.
He suggested an overhaul of CXC’s processes.
“The BUT strongly believes that a thorough review should be undertaken of CXC’s protocols and procedures at the end of this examination cycle, with a view to implementing more reliable measures,” he said.
Outspoken parent and student advocate Paula-Anne Moore said she was speechless at this turn of events.
“I’m at a loss for words, which says a lot,” she told Barbados TODAY. “CXC never gave an explanation as to how the Maths paper 2 leak could have happened and did not give assurances as to whether any other leaks happened. And here we are.”
On May 17, the CSEC Mathematics Paper 2 was discovered to have been leaked, prior to the administration of the examination that day.
After conducting its own investigation, CXC disclosed the leak had originated at an examination centre in Jamaica. It said then that the matter would be dealt with in keeping with CXC’s security protocols.
“CXC would like to reassure candidates that the security of the regional examinations is paramount and their best interests continue to be at the centre of the organisation’s decisions and processes,” it stated.
There has been no further information on what action was taken against the guilty party in that incident or how exactly the breach had occurred. As a result of the compromised test, CXC said it would use a modified approach to grading CSEC Maths, which would include results of the School Based Assessment (SBA) and the Mathematics Paper 1.
emmanueljoseph@barbadostoday.bb