Maha Sabha queries CAPE/CSEC results

SECRETARY General of the Sanatan Dharma Maha Sabha (SDMS) Vijay Maharaj has confirmed that the SDMS’ education board has made formal queries regarding some of the results of the 2020 Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination (CAPE) and Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) examination.

Following the release of preliminary results for both CAPE and CSEC, there have been a number of concerns raised locally and regionally about grades. There have also been calls for a full review of the results including a change.org petition on the “inaccurate” CAPE results which has garnered more than 16,000 signatures.

In a telephone interview on Friday, Maharaj told Newsday that the Maha Sabha’s education board has concerns over the results just as other local schools. He said specifically, there were concerns about history and geography at the CSEC level, and computer studies and Caribbean studies at the CAPE level.

He said for the CAPE subjects there was multiple choice and it was marked by a computer. “So we are asking what was the error percentage involved.” He said for CSEC, there was an “anomaly” with the marks as students did not receive the marks that were anticipated by their teachers or their parents. “So some would have gotten a (grade) 2 when they thought they should have gotten a (grade) 1 from the practice test before.”

He stressed there are queries every year but this year saw more than the usual amount. He also pointed out there was a different scenario in schools due to covid19 and therefore an “external force” was involved.

Maharaj said he has spoken with principals of the five SDMS secondary schools and they submitted all queries on Thursday to the local CXC Registrar, who would then forward them to the CXC board which is based in Barbados.

He cited the example of Lakshmi Girls’ Hindu College, which produces a lot of scholarship winners, and said there were girls who had written CAPE 1 and received four ones, wrote CAPE 2 and received three ones, but then for communication studies they received a (grade) three or four.

“This is where the university entrance and scholarships are based on.” He also reported speaking to parents of students attending St Augustine Girls High School and Presentation College, Chaguanas and they too expressed the same concerns. “(The situation) is creating a little bit of anguish for the girls and with the parents going on to university.”

He added: “We have children who are very much traumatised at this point.

We have children who don’t know where they stand as far as a scholarship is concerned. Parents are talking about maybe they have to send their children abroad for further education. But I believe it is a slight glitch and it will sort itself out within the next week or two.”

Catholic Education Board of Management CEO Sharon Mangroo told Newsday the board had only had one report so far, of a cause for query, and this is with CAPE Caribbean Studies results, from one school.

“I think that (Education) Minister Gadsby-Dolly is addressing the matter.

The public needs to be assured that the CXC results are valid so it is incumbent on CXC to provide the necessary information to its clients. This may include a review of the results,” Mangroo said.