#BTColumn – The buck stops where?

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed by the author(s) do not represent the official position of Barbados TODAY.

By Paula-Anne Moore

“To whom much is given much is expected”

We are grateful that the children are not subjected to further stress of exam resits and grateful for the swift response and decision-making by the CARICOM Ministers of Education and CXC regarding this latest exam crisis. 

That the innocent children are not disadvantaged and are protected should be at the forefront of all we do. 

CXC’s statement on Thursday however raised many further questions and provided few answers. Those answers must be given rapidly. 

CXC assured the public that the security protocols had been revisited and strengthened after the last serious exam security breach “less than a month ago”. There have been several security breaches over the past several years. 

We still await advice on the revised grading methodology for Maths CSEC. This uncertainty is not fair on the students and the memory of 2020 grading challenges is still fresh. 

Clearly, the governance structure of this ‘education ecosystem’ for CXC exam administration that Sir Hilary Beckles referenced during the 2020 grading crisis surely needs an overhaul. The evidence is clear – grading, accountability, governance, quality assurance, security, communications with stakeholders – all major aspects of operations, need to be reviewed, both within CXC’s operations, and the other stakeholder institutions who administer exams, by an expert independent external regulator. 

We, the Barbados Secondary Teachers’ Union (BSTU), the Barbados Union of Teachers (BUT), Caribbean Union of Teachers (CUT) and other regional education stakeholders have all championed this regulatory audit solution over the years, especially during the pandemic era.

Responsibility for exam administration and policy seems to be a constantly moving target – is it the respective ministries of education? CXC? 

The best interests of the students need to be at the centre of exam administration and the quality of communications. 

CXC is the apex of our national and regional public secondary school systems. It is our indigenous exam body which has had great achievements. It must always accord with international best practice and fairness to our children should be an integral part of the culture and vision and values of CXC and wider CARICOM exam administration, as
obtains internationally. Our children deserve no less consideration.

Once public trust and confidence are lost, it is very difficult to regain them. 

Once confidence is lost, those with options will exercise them and our nation and region will be the poorer for the loss of the credibility of our education systems.

Paula-Anne Moore is the spokesperson and coordinator of the Group of Concerned Parents of Barbados and the Caribbean Coalition for Exam Redress.