Barbados parents call on CXC to improve security protocols, communications

An advocate of the Group of Concerned Parents based in Barbados is calling on the Caribbean Examination Council (CXC) to answer their concerns on CXC’s security protocols given the recent reports of breaches of exam papers.

Paula-Anne Moore said, “Clearly, the governance structure of this 'education ecosystem' for CXC exam admin that Sir Hilary (Beckles) referenced during the 2020 Grading Crisis surely needs an overhaul.

"The evidence is clear – grading, accountability, governance, quality assurance, security, and 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.”

In an e-mail to Newsday on Friday, she said, though the advocacy group was grateful for the quick response of CXC and the regional education ministers, as well as the fact that their children did not have to re-sit exams, the best interests of the students’ needed to be the central focus of exam administration and the quality of communications.

Moore said, “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 is lost, it is very difficult to regain.”

She said, once confidence was lost, the region would be poorer as a result of the loss of credibility of the education systems.

“We will continue to sound the alarm, constructively, in the best interests of our region's children, and out of care and concern for our region's future.”