How CXC arrives at 'appropriate' textbooks

THE EDITOR: I am sharing a response on behalf of the Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC) to an article published on your website on March 4: “Time to modernise approach to teaching.”

The CXC’s syllabuses are usually reviewed every three years and finalised every five years in a development cycle. However, subject panels entertain syllabus amendments any time during the period.

With regards to textbooks in particular, and this applies to CSEC English B and history also, we identify triggers for amendments from three main sources:

(i) feedback from teachers, students and principals, from our online customer service portal and surveys;

(ii) proposals for including revisions to text editions on the reading list; and

(iii) proposals for new texts that are on the market for consideration or inclusion.

These are considered by subject matter experts who sit on panels, and they so advise as to whether or not the content in these resources are relevant to the syllabus, are useful for teaching, learning and assessment of content in the syllabus and where they may be impactful generally.

CXC therefore ensures that the appropriate books are "prescribed" and not "dictated" as curriculum officers in Ministries of Education and teachers themselves can avail themselves to other useful resources (digitally or manually available) to support the teaching and learning space.

CXC supports inclusion of other learning materials to develop the critical thinking, research, reading, writing and persuasive skills developed in learners who take literary subjects.

FOLAYAN TAITT

public relations & marketing officer

Office of the Registrar