Ex-minister slams ministry’s CXC response

Former minister of education Tim Gopeesingh wrote a letter on Wednesday expressing his dissatisfaction at the current minister’s response to the marking of CSEC and CAPE exams.

Gopeesingh said “critical and urgent action and resolution” were needed from the ministry, now headed by Dr by Nyan Gadsby-Dolly. He said the situation, which has escalated to regionwide protests, is causing “mental agony and anguish” to students.

He said many feel the ministry is “passively ignoring” their pleas for help.

“Indeed, the ministry’s statement on its meeting with CXC on the issue of reassessment of students’ marks and SBAs is woefully lacking, devoid of clarity and sorely needs detailed public information,” said Gopeesingh.

“It demonstrates the unacceptable lack of willpower and serious professionalism, the mismanagement, incapability and incompetence by the Ministry of Education.”

Gopeesingh asked why the ministry had not gathered data from principals, school supervisors and other relevant stakeholders.

“How can the ministry address CXC without this required knowledge, in seeking to obtain the correct answers pertaining to reassessment and remarking of the students’ SBAs and scripts?”

Gopeesingh said the ministry's “pathetic failure” to release the report of the independent review team commissioned by CXC has negatively affected students’ eligibility for scholarships and university admission.

“This seriously demonstrable and unacceptable pervasive incompetence by the Ministry of Education, on this far-reaching important educational issue, must cease,” he said, adding that confidence, mental and emotional comfort need to be restored in students and parents.

The review team’s report was made public on Wednesday.

The Ministry of Education said in a statement on September 26 that it had begun compiling data to be sent to CXC, and held a meeting with regional ministers of education on Monday to discuss the report presented by the independent review team in a meeting on Sunday.