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CXC or no CXC?

Some parents & teachers say VI ready for CXC while others say students not ready
A local Teacher who attended the Public Town Hall Meeting giving her views on CXC being introduced in the VI as a mandatory examination last evening May 30, 2012. Photo: VINO
Concerned Parent commenting on CXC being made compulsory in the school.
Concerned Parent commenting on CXC being made compulsory in the school.
(L-R) Hon. Myron Walwyn,Dr. Gordan Harewood Senior Assistant Registrar of CXC, Dr. Didacus Jules Registrar and Chief Executive Office (CEO),
(L-R) Hon. Myron Walwyn,Dr. Gordan Harewood Senior Assistant Registrar of CXC, Dr. Didacus Jules Registrar and Chief Executive Office (CEO),
(L-R) Hon. Myron Walwyn,Dr. Gordan Harewood Senior Assistant Registrar of CXC, Dr. Didacus Jules Registrar and Chief Executive Office (CEO)
(L-R) Hon. Myron Walwyn,Dr. Gordan Harewood Senior Assistant Registrar of CXC, Dr. Didacus Jules Registrar and Chief Executive Office (CEO)
ROAD TOWN, Tortola, VI - Parents and teachers of the Virgin Island (VI) were invited to a Public Town Hall Meeting where Caribbean Examination Council (CXC) officials explained the importance of CXC to the Territory and its much need advantages to the students of the VI in support of the platform of Minister for Education and Culture Hon. Myron Walwyn, to introduce CXC as compulsory exams in VI schools.

In regards to introducing CXC in to the schools, there were mixed emotions. Some parents and teachers agreed that the exams will be of great value to the students of the VI, while others say this is not the time and the exams are not being initiated in the best interest of the students.

The meeting was held May 31, 2012, at the Sir Rupert Briercliffe Hall with Dr. Didacus Jules Registrar and Chief Executive Office (CEO) of CXC, Dr. Gordan Harewood Senior Assistant Registrar of CXC, local CXC Registrar Jillian Douglas Phillip, Acting Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Education Ms. Marcia Potter and Minister Walwyn.

Several comments made by the attendants of the meeting varied to the Minister’s idea of introducing CXC to the schools and making it mandatory.

In regards to the presentation presented by the CXC officials, one parent commended the officials and stated that CXC is good for the students and the country’s future and development.

“With this presentation and information being presented to us, I would hope that the wider Virgin Islands take this opportunity to grasp the information and take advantage of it,” said the parent.

She stated that the current school leaving examination poses as a hindrance to the students in regards to doing the examination and then having to prepare for CXC. “We all wish we didn’t have to do that exam.”

A local teacher agreed that the CXC examinations are indeed good for the VI. She encouraged the parents to take heed and support the Minister in his endeavor.

Another local teacher stated that it is long overdue for the Virgin Islands to be going in that direction. The teacher added that initiating the CXC exams will solve a lot of problems that now exist with the present examination.

“We are in a fiercely competitive world, I think we are moving in the correct direction and I hope we can commence this as soon as possible.”

Meanwhile, one parent raised concerns by saying that it is not the right thing to do to introduce CXC to the students when they have already passed the 3rd form level, which is the traditional form where a student begins their CXC studies.

She stated that bringing CXC in the high school at this point versus the present exams, her view is that the students are not ready to sit for it due to the work and assessments needed by CXC when writing the Caribbean Certificate of Secondary Level Competence (CCLC) exams.

Another parent and a teacher shared the same sentiments. They added that it is too late and the work needed for the CXC exams will take up too much of their time.

Walwyn assured the parents and teachers that he is currently in discussions with private organisations and persons who are former educators to see how they can return to the education arena and assist as support mechanisms to the students in ensuring that they are well versed and prepared in sitting any CXC exam.

29 Responses to “CXC or no CXC?”

  • ooooo (31/05/2012, 08:24) Like (0) Dislike (1) Reply
    i was there and all i saw was a bunch of ndp's..thought it was a ndp meeting
  • Well Sah (31/05/2012, 09:15) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    What CXC exam we don't need this nonsense in our schools. Our children go stateside to school. on University in the states even recognize that exam. please go away with that crap.
    • MA MA (31/05/2012, 14:57) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
      You are clearly not informed. Ask those kids who have gone to states side college what they did to get into those schools. The same CXC. Check your facts. States side school dont accept you just with a school leaving certificate from the BVI. Actually they will accept you and put you 2 years back into high school.
      • Strupes (01/06/2012, 06:12) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
        They can also do the SAT. Let the folks decide whether CXC or SAT. In fact you the SAT better, especially when you want yo get into certain US schools.
  • virgin son (31/05/2012, 09:25) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    we in the BVI are more american than british.....and most of our students go to US schools
  • Jinx (31/05/2012, 09:32) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    Good stuff Myron keep it up.
  • Question (31/05/2012, 09:40) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    So, if or when CXC exams become mandatory, replacing the High School Leaving Exam in this Territory, what will happen if the teachers do not recommend that certain students take exams? Are the students going to be kept in High School until they can pass CXC exams – for how many years extra? Not passing an external exam in High School does not mean that individuals cannot go on to excel academically later on. Similarly, our local exams are not all that bad that students graduating from High School cannot hold a job or continue in higher studies in due time. I say that the local exams should be continued in the schools and careful thought and planning should be given before attempting to change such a crucial system.
    • Crank Shaft (31/05/2012, 11:14) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
      You raise good points and should've attended the meeting to voice those concerns.
    • TA (31/05/2012, 14:51) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
      Don't you think is it a better for students to be able to compete internationally rather than just locally. No other place but the BVI is willing to accept that School Leaving Exam.
  • Educator (31/05/2012, 11:49) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    I have been teaching in the education system for 20 years and have had experience dealing with CXC and I would not encourage the government to go in the direction of making CXC a benchmark. CXC is being phased out, so I do not know where the minister is getting his information from. CXC is an examination that you must pass with a certain grade and level...now not all of our students might be successful at CXC, so what happens to the ones who do not pass? Well, if we look at some of the schools in the other Caribbean Islands, those students fall through the cracks and get left behind and cannot find a decent job...is that what the minister wants for the BVI? I do not think he wants that, but that is what will happen...there are many other reasons why CXC should not be mandatory such as the cost to parents, the number of subjects a student can take, the fact that our teachers who have no say in the exams that their students are taking, etc., etc..I wonder what message is being sent to the hard working teachers in the BVI who have worked with the School Leaving Exams for many many years...and the person or persons who were instrumental in having this exam in the BVI in the first place...I would suggest that the mininister communicate with teachers, past and present, parents and other stakeholders to find ways of improving what we have and what has worked for decades before putting it down within his first few months in office, not an educator himself, just doing something to say well I have done this...our students' future is at stake here,,,I do not have anything against the minister, I feel he means well, but he needs to stop and evaluate what works and what needs to be improved, but not just stop something that has been working...I want to believe that the minister also went through the School Leaving Exam...I am sure it worked for him just as it did for me and many many many others...let us not be too hasty to put aside what we have for something that another country has...let us take pride in what we do and work together to improve where we can, build on what we have, not break down...
  • Fact (31/05/2012, 12:58) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    This whole Caribbeanization of the Virgin Islands mission that this Minister is on needs to stop. In the 50s and 60s and certainly before that, our children had to sit GCE Exams, and if they failed they had nothing to show for all their years in school. Do we want to go back there? The VIP Government has seen the wisdom in having our Secondary Schools seek to become accredited, just the same way the HLS Community College is trying. And that is the avenue we should be going, not backwards to the past.
  • CXC (31/05/2012, 13:04) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    When i went away to go college in 2006 with only my BVI High school certificate ....I could't get in to college because i did not do my cxc ...I had to get my US GED .... The only college that take BVI high school certificate is HLSCC.... Not a fan of Myron But i thing you doin a good job....
    • well sa (31/05/2012, 14:31) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
      judging from your grammar, you need to get a refund from the college you went to and sign up for anything Myron or anyone else for that matter is offering.
    • parole buddy (31/05/2012, 14:38) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
      If you graduated with a grade 3 certificate how do you expect to get into any college? Not even clown college would have accepted you. Try telling the truth for a change and say what really happen. The High School certificate along with the SAT will get you in to most colleges and universities in the US. The fact that you had to take GED means that you did not complete ESHS. I will also bet that you did not attended no college or university in the US. So scatter your dumb backside.
    • OK Then (01/06/2012, 06:16) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
      Even the US students don't do well getting into school with only the High School. Do some research please. And I ain't guessing.
  • vex me vex (31/05/2012, 15:18) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    i still do not understand what the issue is..who want to do cxc and gce leave them alone who do not wish to do leave them alone
  • question (31/05/2012, 15:47) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    What about those sub-standard teachers and that euro centric lessons
  • Truth (31/05/2012, 18:27) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    I for one hate this grades system on school leaving certificate and CXC. The certificate looks more like a report card or transcript than a certificate. Let the high school remain with their school leaving exam and change the certificate to one certificate.
  • Simple Simon (31/05/2012, 19:39) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    School leaving is an exam students did in Seventh Grade at elementary school in the sixties and seventies. The students who did that exam were the ones who had not passed the Common Entrance exams in the Sixth Grade and so could not attend high School, where places were very limited then and only the well to do in society had the opportunity to do so. This is 2012 and we are still talking School Leaving at the end of High School????... this puts the BVI 40 years behind!
  • Well Sah (31/05/2012, 21:17) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    This is what happens when you put a foreigner in charge of the school system. They will try to change things to how their home country do things.
  • A teen (31/05/2012, 22:14) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    As a student I think if they want to make cxc mandatory cut out school leaving because after a school exam which is all learnt it seems to be harder than cxc to some students.
    • A teen (31/05/2012, 22:19) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
      Teachers train us from 4th form for cxc so we do the SBA s but they don't focus students on school leaving and then when it approaching they tell us it will be fine and apply what you know
  • ... (01/06/2012, 00:50) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    Research, research, research! This is what is not done in the B VI especially in the Ministry of Education. The ministry need to do some research in this area before embarking on this idea if they truly want to move forward.
  • Avon (01/06/2012, 11:31) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    Leave The School Leaving Alone. CXC dont make any sense..majority of children goes to us than caribbean...is the students choice dey want to do cxc or not
  • life goes on (02/06/2012, 08:51) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    Cxc or no cxc who cares?
  • Shane (12/06/2015, 14:10) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    Judging from the level of reasoning and use of language by the members of this forum, I can tell that you did not do CXC/GCSCE/CAPE or any internationally recognized exam. Your use of the English Language is appalling, especially the "teacher" who claimed that he/she has 20 years of teaching experience. Those of you who believe that your local ministry needs to do research before it gives it's recommendations, I am imploring you to do your research on CXC/CSEC. In fact, it is you who need to do your research. CXC and CAPE are accepted by most universities in the world, especially universities in Europe, Canada, the content of Africa, Latina and Central America, and Asia. There are many universities in the USA that accept and recognize CAPE and CXC. In fact, when you go on the websites of many universities, they tell you that CAPE and CXC are exams that they consider as internationally competitive exams. Further, many universities overseas grant exemptions if you get good grades in CAPE. As it relates to the US, they have their own university entrance exams (ACT, SAT and AP exams). It does not matter where in the world you come from, or whatever exams you do, US top universities usually require you to take SAT/ACT. That's not enough reason to throw the recommendation made by the Ministry out the window.


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