Teacher raises credibility questions about CXC certification

The credibility of the Caribbean Examinations Council’s (CXC) certification process is being questioned by a teacher who was marked absent after sitting an English exam.

Peter Bradshaw, who produced digital copies of receipts for the three papers he sat between May and June this year, said he wrote the papers as a private candidate at Enid Bennett High School, formerly Bog Walk High, in St Catherine.

He told The Gleaner that he decided to sit the subject because he is pursuing a career change and wanted to better the B grade he received at the General Certificate Education Ordinary Level.

However, Bradshaw, who said he has taught for more than two decades in private and public schools, said he was stunned to see ‘absent’ when CSEC results were released in late August.

“I’m shocked because I never knew it was possible,” Bradshaw told The Gleaner.

“I’m really wondering about the validity of their certification now. It just brings into question the whole integrity of the process,” he added.

DECREASE IN ABSENCE

The CXC reported a decrease in students absent from the May-June 2023 exam sitting. However, the council’s director of operations, Dr Nicole Manning, said there remains a need for concern.

CXC said more than 71,000 students did not show up for their CSEC exams, a reduction from the more than 103,000 students last year.

In an emailed response to Bradshaw, CXC said it provides “valid and reliable examinations and certificates of international repute for students of all ages, abilities and interests”.

The council said, however, that it understands that candidates may sometimes have questions about the grades they received.

It said that, if a candidate receives ‘absent’ for an exam, it is indicative of the candidate not sitting the exam.

“Queries for absent are submitted to the Ministry of Education (MOE) who will investigate on their end and forward the information to CXC,” the council said.

It said that, if the School Based Assessment or multiple choice paper, for example, were not received by CXC, the candidate would have received an ‘ungraded’ and not ‘absent’.

Bradshaw, who has expressed frustration, said he has written to the education ministry but has received no response.

It is not clear whether the education ministry has launched an investigation since the matter was brought to its attention by The Gleaner on Monday.

Up to press time, the newspaper did not receive a comment on the issue.

“I’m just wondering, if CXC can allow this to happen, what other things are they allowing to happen? It’s just ridiculous. I held them to a higher standard but now I don’t know,” said Bradshaw.

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