Regional education ‘crisis’ in CXC results

As students across the Caribbean received their Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC) results, a concerning picture has emerged, highlighting systemic issues within the region’s education system, a parent advocate has said.

Only 4.9 per cent of Caribbean students – close to 200 000 annual candidates for the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate exams – achieved passes in five or more subjects, including Mathematics and English, according to figures released by CXC on Tuesday. Furthermore, only 36 per cent of the total candidates passed the Mathematics CSEC exam, with pass rates fluctuating between 34 per cent and 43 per cent from 2021 to 2023.

These trends were described as “disturbing” by Paula-Anne Moore, spokesperson and coordinator of the Group of Concerned Parents, Barbados, and the Caribbean Coalition for Exam Redress. Moore warned of the long-term implications: “The cumulative effects of years of such results are deeply concerning, especially given the well-established links between educational outcomes and negative societal impacts such as crime.”

Moore questioned the lack of a clear remedial plan from CARICOM governments to address these persistent issues, and whether the CXC had adjusted its grading to account for the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on education, as other international exam bodies had done.

The activist also highlighted the reliance on an “industry” in private lessons to achieve CXC exam success, suggesting that this “locks out the majority”. 

“This is unconscionable and is indicative that something systemic must be wrong with either the syllabi or the school environment,” she said.

As he released the results from this year’s exam, CXC Registrar Dr Wayne Wesley echoed the fundamental importance of English and Mathematics, stating that a pass in these subjects is usually the minimum academic requirement for employment. But Moore expressed disappointment with the CXC report’s silence on the CAPE Chemistry Unit 1 and 2 results, which had been deemed “deeply problematic” by numerous regional master teachers, students, and parents.

Moore added: “This suggests not only challenges with testing – such as the 20 000-signature petition outlining concerns regarding the 2024 CSEC Maths Paper 2, which was ignored by CXC – but also broader issues within the CARICOM education ecosystem. Too many children are graduating from primary and secondary school without the remedial help they need.”

Moore further stressed the gravity of the situation, citing Dr Wesley’s acknowledgement that each year, approximately 11 500 young people fail to make the standard to access higher education or secure employment beyond unskilled manual work. 

“The issue with CSEC Mathematics is only the tip of a regional educational crisis,” Moore added, suggesting there was an urgent need for comprehensive educational reform across the Caribbean. (RG)