Virtual Press Conference: Suspension of CXC® Syllabuses

Summary

The Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC) held a press conference to discuss the proposal to suspend certain syllabuses due to low enrollment and resource challenges. The council, along with regional ministers, agreed to continue offering subjects like Agricultural Science and Green Engineering, emphasizing the importance of STEM education for regional development. They highlighted the need for marketing, teacher training, and clear career pathways to boost demand for these programs, which are critical for economic growth and sustainability.

Takeaways

• 📢 The Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC) held discussions with regional ministers on the proposal to suspend some syllabuses.
• 👤 Dr. Wayne Wesley, CEO and Registrar of the Examinations Council, provided an update on the discussions with regional ministers.
• 📚 The subjects under consideration for syllabus suspension include Cape Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technology, Cape Green Engineering, CC Agricultural Science, and CC Industrial Technology.
• 🤝 The Ministers of Education expressed their commitment to finding a path forward and pledged support for CXC and direct communication.
• 📉 There is a decline in student enrollment in some subjects, with some member states having no students registered at all for certain subjects.
• 🌱 The CXC will continue to offer Agricultural Science, Green Engineering, Industrial Technology, and Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technology.
• 🚀 A new generation of technology and science programs has been rolled out by CXC, including subjects like Biotechnology, Digital Media, and Financial Services.
• 📈 There is a need for a collective regional marketing effort to promote STEM and STEAM education, which are critical for the region's economic growth and sustainable development.
• 🏫 Concerns were raised about the availability of resources, including teachers, labs, and equipment, necessary for the effective delivery of these programs.
• 📉 Some subjects are not considered requirements for entry into university programs, affecting their relevance and demand.
• 🤔 There are concerns about the future demand for certain subjects like Green Engineering, given the lack of current student enrollment and potential career pathways.

Q & A

What was the main purpose of the press conference?

The main purpose of the press conference was to provide an update on the discussions with regional ministers regarding the proposal to suspend some syllabuses and to discuss the Caribbean Examinations Council's (CXC) position and future actions.

Who were the key speakers at the press conference?

The key speakers at the press conference were Dr. Wayne Wesley, the CEO and Registrar of the Examinations Council, Dr. Eduardo Ali, the Pro Registrar and Deputy CEO, and Dr. Nicole Manning, the Director of Operations.

What subjects were being considered for syllabus suspension?

The subjects being considered for syllabus suspension included Cape Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technology, Cape Green Engineering, CC Agricultural Science, the double award, and CC Industrial Technology with the mechanical option.

What was the outcome of the meeting with the Ministers of Education regarding the syllabus suspension?

The outcome was that the Caribbean Examinations Council will continue to offer the mentioned subjects, and there was an agreement on the need for a collective regional marketing thrust to promote priority subject areas in STEM/STEAM education and climate-smart agriculture.

What steps will be taken to promote the new generation technology and science programs?

Governments will work in partnership with CXC to build demand for these new programs to ensure their cost viability, and there will be a collective marketing effort to promote the subjects' relevance to the region's economic competitiveness.

What challenges were identified in the delivery of these programs?

Challenges included the availability of teachers, resources in labs, outdated plant and equipment, lack of practical experience for students due to inadequate facilities, and a lack of qualified teaching professionals to teach the broad syllabus.

How did the ministers address the issue of low enrollment in certain subjects?

The ministers agreed on the need for better marketing and communication of the relevance of these subjects to the region's economy and sustainable development, as well as defining clear career pathways for students.

What actions will CXC take to support the integration of new subjects into the curriculum?

CXC will conduct teacher orientation workshops through its Professional Learning Development Institute to sensitize the regions to the available syllabuses and what is required for their integration into schools.

What is the historical registration data for the subjects under consideration for suspension?

The historical data showed a decline in enrollment for some subjects, with some member states having no students registered at all for certain subjects over the last five years.

How will CXC ensure that the communication protocols align with the Ministers of Education's expectations?

CXC is committed to ensuring its communication protocols provide the Ministers of Education with greater visibility of high-level policy recommendations for decision-making.

What is the future outlook for the subjects that were considered for suspension?

The ministers have agreed that these subjects are a priority, and based on research and data, CXC hopes to see an increase in demand for these subjects, coupled with marketing efforts and defined career pathways for students.

Outlines

00:00

📚 Update on Syllabus Suspension Discussions

The video script begins with an introduction to a press conference, where regional journalists are thanked for attending. The focus is on an update regarding discussions with regional ministers about the proposal to suspend certain syllabuses. Dr. Wayne Wesley, CEO of the Examinations Council, and other officials join the meeting to provide further details. The meeting with ministers has resulted in an agreement to continue offering specific subjects, such as Agricultural Science and various technology courses, while also emphasizing the need for a regional marketing effort to promote STEM education. The council is committed to improving communication with the Ministers of Education.

05:08

🤔 Addressing Low Enrollment in Certain Subjects

In this segment, the discussion revolves around the low patronage of some courses and the measures to be taken to encourage more enrollment. Dr. Eduardo Ali expands on the challenges faced by the education system, such as the availability of teachers, labs, and equipment. The conversation highlights the importance of marketing the relevance of these subjects to the region's economic competitiveness and the government's role in driving an economy based on climate change resilience and agricultural food security. The need for better resources and facilities to support these programs is also emphasized.

10:09

🌱 Introducing New Generation Technology and Science Programs

Dr. Wesley outlines the introduction of 12 new subjects at the CAPE level by the Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC), including Agricultural Science, entrepreneurship, and biotechnology. The aim is to meet the region's demand for these subjects and ensure that the supply is adequate. The council is also looking at historical registration numbers to understand the decline in enrollment and the impact of the suspension of certain subjects.

15:12

📉 Enrollment Decline and Future Concerns for Specific Subjects

This paragraph delves into the specifics of the decline in student enrollment for certain subjects, such as mechanical engineering technology and Agricultural Science. Detailed statistics are provided to illustrate the low numbers of students registered across various territories. The ministers express concerns about the potential lack of skilled individuals in the future for subjects like green engineering, and the importance of defining clear career pathways for students is discussed.

20:14

📈 Strategies for Marketing and Integrating New Subjects

The final paragraph addresses the strategies employed by CXC to market new subjects and support their integration into the syllabuses of different islands. Teacher orientation workshops and professional learning development initiatives are mentioned as ways to familiarize educators with the new syllabuses. The need for creative solutions to provide the necessary resources for these programs is also highlighted, along with the commitment of governments to invest in STEM education.

🔚 Concluding the Press Conference

The script concludes with a wrap-up of the press conference, thanking all participants, including the executives and journalists. The emphasis is on the importance of the discussions and the commitment to work together for the educational and human capital development of the region.

Keywords

💡Syllabuses

Syllabuses refer to the official lists of subjects or courses that students are required to study in an educational program. In the context of the video, there is a proposal to suspend some syllabuses, indicating a potential change in the curriculum offered by the Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC). This is a key point of discussion with regional ministers and has implications for education policy and student learning outcomes.

💡CXC

CXC stands for the Caribbean Examinations Council, which is the organization responsible for conducting examinations and providing educational assessments in the Caribbean region. The video discusses the CXC's role in updating its syllabuses and collaborating with regional ministers on educational matters, highlighting its importance in shaping the region's educational landscape.

💡STEM Education

STEM is an acronym for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics. It represents an interdisciplinary approach to education that integrates these four areas. In the video, there is an emphasis on promoting STEM education, which is considered critical for the region's economic growth and sustainable development. The discussion on syllabus suspension and the introduction of new programs is framed within the broader context of enhancing STEM education.

💡Climate-Smart Agriculture

Climate-smart agriculture is a term used to describe agricultural practices that help to address climate change by reducing greenhouse gas emissions, increasing carbon sequestration, and improving resilience to climate impacts. The video mentions this as a priority subject area in education, indicating its relevance to the region's environmental and economic goals.

💡Curriculum Suspension

Curriculum suspension refers to the discontinuation or temporary halt of certain subjects or courses within an educational program. In the script, the CXC is contemplating the suspension of some syllabuses, which is a significant decision affecting students and educators in the region. The decision is part of a broader strategy to align educational offerings with regional needs and priorities.

💡Educational Imperatives

Educational imperatives are the critical needs or demands in the field of education that must be addressed to achieve certain goals. In the video, the term is used to describe the pressing needs of the region in terms of education and human capacity development, which are driving the discussions around syllabus changes and new program development.

💡New Generation Technology and Science Programs

These refer to innovative and contemporary educational programs that are introduced to meet the evolving demands of the job market and technological advancements. The video mentions that the CXC has rolled out such programs, which include subjects like animation, game design, and biotechnology, to better prepare students for the future workforce.

💡Registration Numbers

Registration numbers indicate the count of students enrolled in a particular subject or program. The script discusses the decline in registration numbers for certain subjects, which is a factor in the consideration of suspending those syllabuses. These numbers provide insight into student interest and the viability of continuing to offer specific courses.

💡Policy Recommendations

Policy recommendations are suggestions or proposals made for consideration in the development or revision of policies. In the context of the video, the CXC is engaging with ministers of education to make policy recommendations regarding the curriculum, aiming to ensure that educational offerings align with regional priorities and the needs of the labor market.

💡Human Capital Development

Human capital development refers to the process of improving the knowledge, skills, and health of the population to enhance their productivity and well-being. The video emphasizes the CXC's commitment to educational and human capital development in the Caribbean, which is the overarching goal of the discussions around syllabus suspension and the introduction of new programs.

💡Marketing Thrust

A marketing thrust is a focused marketing strategy or campaign aimed at promoting a particular product, service, or initiative. In the video, there is a collective regional marketing thrust to promote priority subject areas in STEM and climate-smart agriculture education, which is part of the strategy to increase demand and interest in these critical fields.

Highlights

Update on discussions with regional ministers regarding the proposal to suspend some syllabuses.

Dr. Wayne Wesley, CEO and Registrar of the Examinations Council, provides a brief on the meeting outcomes.

Committee includes Dr. Eduardo Ali, Deputy CEO, and Dr. Nicole Manning, Director of Operations.

Meeting with Ministers of Education to address concerns over syllabus suspension for specific subjects.

Agreement to continue offering Agricultural Science, Green Engineering, and other specified technology subjects.

Introduction of new generation technology and science programs to meet regional demands.

Need for collective regional marketing to promote STEM and STEAM education for economic growth.

CXC's commitment to better communication protocols for high-level policy recommendations.

Trey Gra from The Nation inquires about strategies to encourage participation in less patronized courses.

Dr. Edward Ali discusses factors affecting program delivery, such as teacher availability and lab resources.

Concerns raised about outdated facilities, lack of practical experience, and qualified teaching professionals.

Dr. Wesley highlights policy implications for ministers of education on challenges in subject offerings.

Abigail Hedley from SABRIC News asks about the new technology and science programs rolled out by CXC.

Listing of 12 new subjects including Entrepreneurship, Performing Arts, and Biotechnology.

Concerns about the impact of suspended courses on student enrollment and future job prospects.

Dr. Ali provides historical data on student registration numbers for affected subjects.

Discussion on the importance of defining career pathways and labor market intelligence for student success.

Samantha Simon queries CXC's actions in marketing new subjects and supporting their integration into syllabuses.

Dr. Wesley outlines CXC's efforts in teacher orientation workshops and communication with ministries of education.

Transcripts

good afternoon everyone to all of our

regional journalists thank you for

joining us this afternoon today we're

coming to you to provide an

update on the discussions we've had with

the regional ministers on the proposal

to suspend some of our

syllabuses so we've met with the

ministers this morning and as promised

we have come now to update you I'm going

to have Dr Wayne Wesley chief executive

officer and registar of the examinations

Council provide a brief and we also have

joining us Dr Eduardo Ali for registar

and Deputy CEO as well as Dr Nicole

Manning director of operations I'll now

turn it over to Dr

Wesley thank you very much poan for that

introduction and let me say good

afternoon to members of the press and

welcome to CXC headquarters with me on

the platform are members of the

executive management team of the

Caribbean examinations Council we have

Dr Eduardo Ali to my left and we have Dr

Nicole Manning director of

operations uh to my right Dr Eduardo Ali

is actually the pro registr and Deputy

CEO of the Caribbean examinations

Council and we do have Mrs sherid dandz

our director of corporate services so

welcome to the the Caribbean

examinations

Council we just completed a meeting with

Ministers of Education from across the

region to discuss the regional concerns

arising from the contemplation of

syllabus suspension for the following

subjects Cape electrical and electronic

engineering technology Cape green

engineering CC Agricultural Science the

double award and CC industrial

technology the mechanical

option the meeting demonstrated our

shared commitment to find a critical

path forward on this matter given the

pressing education and human capacity

development imperatives facing the

region the Ministers of Education were

forthright in their positions as well as

pledging their support for cxe and for

more direct lines of communications with

the

council I therefore want to announce our

agreed positions emerging from the

meeting as

follows one the Caribbean examinations

Council will continue to offer to the

region agricultural SCI science double

major green

engineering industrial technology the

mechanical option and electrical and

electronic engineering

technology two CXC has rolled out a menu

of new generation technology and science

programs some are not yet at the desired

demand governments will work with CX

in a partnership in building demand for

these new programs to enable their cost

viability three accordingly today's

deliberations with the Ministers of

Education reinforced the need for a

collective regional marketing thrust to

promote the priority subject areas in

stem or steam education and climate

smart agriculture which are considered

critical for the economic growth and

sustainable development of the region

and finally CXC is committed to ensuring

its Communications protocols Accord the

Ministers of Education greater line of

sight of high level policy

recommendations for decision

making in close closing let me State for

the record that the Caribbean

examinations council is deeply committed

to the educational and human capital

development of the region and we will

work in partnership with all our

stakeholders to achieve our vision to

advance The Fortunes of our region

ladies and gentlemen thank you

at this time we will open the floor to

questions from our media

attendant and what I'd like you to do is

to raise your hand using the zoom

feature and then we'll be able to turn

it over to each of the persons who have

a question and of course we would

appreciate if you state your name and

the media house that you're with um when

you're posing your

questions yes get you may go ahead just

just turn the mic on so

right no turn on when you see the red

light it's on there you go good

afternoon everyone Trey gra from the

nation you mentioned that some of the

courses weren't as uh well patronized as

you would like umide of the marketing

what else will you be doing to try to

encourage more people to get on board

with those courses well that's a very

good uh important question I I think

outside of the marketing some of the

concerns raised with us by stakeholders

across the region would have been that

of the resources available to the

education system to

facilitate uh the delivery of these

programs some of the concerns would have

been in relation to the availability of

teachers uh labs and all the other

equipment that would be required to

facilitate the delivery of these

programs uh efficiently Dr Edward o can

expand on that uh given the research

that would have been conducted but

primarily uh there are several factors

that would have affected this the

availability of teachers the

availability of resources in Labs the

interest of students and hence the the

marketing thrust that we have agreed to

to ensure that we speak to the relevance

of these subjects to the economic

competitiveness of the region and that

the governments of the region would have

articulated a plan to drive an economy

that is based on climate change

resilience agricultural food security as

well as our environmental production

given what we are prone to in the region

for disasters and so with that

commitment from government across the

region coupled with and uh marketing of

those subjects to students should drive

uh uh great G demand of course uh within

our school

system I don't know Ed would you want

okay so thank you very much for your

question uh Dr Wesley would have

indicated the capacity issues that are

faced by many of the schools across the

ecosystem of CXC um and some of these

issues um which we have delved into from

the study that what that would have been

conducted to determine whether

suspension was of option was were in

fact docu M mented across all subjects

that we reference so I want to make a

mention of some of them so you have an

appreciation for the extent to which

these are concerns Dr Wesley would have

mentioned the issue of plant and

equipment that are outdated the lack of

practical experience for students

because of the inadequacy of the labs

and Facilities that are there lack of

qualified teaching professionals to

teach the broad syllabus in some

instances the subjects um were

challenged because of the lack of human

capital outlay to provide support for

areas such as welding um and other

related areas Plumbing in an electrial

inst electrical installation that the

issues of uh physical resources such as

textbooks and learn other learning

resources with challenges uh that the

system did not provide for students in

the system as well as areas related to

the matriculation requirements one of

the things we have found is that in many

instances there are no opportunities for

Upward Mobility beyond the subjects

because many of the universities and

community colleges do not make it a

requirement for entry into their

programs so for example if you look at

mechanical engineering option similarly

Agricultural Science both in both

instances they are not deemed

requirements for entry into the

respective subjects at the um at the

community college level and for those

who are taking green engineering as well

as electrical engineering math and

physics were the options that the

universities preferred and not green

engineering itself or electrical and

electronic engineering technology so

those were some of the issues that were

raised that uh crossed the region which

were alive to cxe and of course we would

have indicated some of those challenges

that are have policy implications for

ministers of education and education

stakeholders across the region thank

you thank you Dr Ali uh we have a hand

raised by Abigail Hedley so Abigail once

you open your mic please let us know

what media house you're

with hi good afternoon I'm from sabric

news um Dr Wesley you would have

mentioned that CXC has rolled out a a

new um menu

of technology and science programs can

you um list some of these programs that

you would have um spoken about there yes

Dr Ali could you just provide thank you

very much for the question there are

actually 12 New Generation subjects at

the cape level so they include

Agricultural Science entrepreneurship

Performing Arts physical education and

Sport tourism animation and game design

Logistics and supply chain operations

digital media Financial Services design

and technology and biotechnology so

those are the erors that were identified

at the time based on a demand that was

uh proferred by the region for which CXC

will have to ensure that the demand is

met or the the supply is is meeting that

that

demand do we have any more questions

from our

journalists I have another uh going back

to the courses that were suspended can

you say how many students were impacted

or yeah an idea of how spread it

was so so we get historically you can

say what the registration numbers were

like and from that a projection is

made

and Eduardo will actually walk us

through the details on those numbers uh

but yes there would have been a decline

in some cases uh in some member states

there wouldn't have been any take up for

those for subjects at all uh we look at

some data from 2020 and for some member

States since 2020 and now the enrollment

numbers for those were zero all right uh

uh in some member states so but Edwardo

can give you the historical Regional

numbers I guess that's what you want to

thank you very much uh Dr Wesley thank

you for the question so our figures go

back to 2017 to now so we're looking at

data over a period of several years um

so I will speak to the fact first of all

that the CC has an industrial technology

Suite of which there are three options

electrical and electronic and Technology

there's the building and Fabrication

technology and the mechanical

engineering technology so the option b

which is a mechanical engineering

technology is the only option that we

have we had Pro suggested should be

suspended the other two are still viable

just to give you an idea um if you look

at the numbers for the

um electrical and electrical and

electric technology um electronic

technology um CET curriculum you're

looking at roughly 4,500 across the

region and for building and Fabrication

technology it's about

4,200 but for um mechanical engineering

technology across the region the numbers

are below

2,400 and so you looking at half the

number of students enrolled across the

region however as Dr Wesley indicated

for that particular subject we have six

territories within the last five years

have no no no students registered at all

across the region three territories had

between one to five students registered

annually and a further three territories

only had an regist registration uptake

upwards 50 students so that gives you an

idea as to the numbers of course those

numbers vary so in three territories you

would have had the numbers registering

as 1,335 for one country 54 4 for

another country and 163 for another

country with all the other countries

mentioned having between 1 to five or

zero for that subject as for

Agricultural Science uh what we found is

that 10 to 12% of the enrollment for the

sing for the double award for a single

award are being taken for the double

award in other words of the total number

of students taking the d The Single

award only 10% take the single award

which means that you have a very low

number across the region so just just to

give you an idea also eight territories

have registered no candidates for 3 to 5

years four territories have registered

between 1 to 50 students annually with a

majority of them being below 10 and to

indicate that just two territories in

fact have registered numbers one country

has 750 over the period and another has

about 150 across the entire region so

you what you find in the the

distribution is two to three countries

are predominantly the ones registering

students for the entire subject and the

majority of them have either no

registrations or very low below 10 uh

for Cape green engineering 1 and two

it's a similar Trend seven territories

have no no students registered over the

period with a mean of 40 students for

unit one and unit two and for Cape

electrical and electronic technology six

territories have no registrations for

the period with only one territory

carrying 137 students so what we found

based on our analysis is that half of

the territories do not register students

at all and this is for the period of 3

to 5 years and this trend has not has

continued up to the present time so with

that being said are there any fears that

say in five years or so there will be

are you guys concerned that there won't

be enough green engineering I'm not sure

exactly what type of jobs are coming out

of that particular subject but are there

any concerns in that

area so um generally the ministers have

agreed that it's a priority option for

them given where their countries are

headed and so signaling that data

because we we go based on research and

data to do our analysis and So based on

the data that will come from those

countries we hope to see a demand

coupled with all that was mentioned by

Dr Wesley including the marketing but

there must be clearly Define career

Pathways for students because that's

part of the problem um in addition to

the resource challenges that schools

face in terms of human capital

challenges with teachers as well as

those persons who are also um available

to support the teaching and learning

process in providing career guidance to

students so so just in addition to what

Dr Ali just said the whole issue of

Labor Market information and

intelligence that will be critical to US

charting a part for students to Aspire

and want to see a career path that

allows them to self-actualize and that's

going to be critical in the collective

marketing thrust that we are going to be

working together with the ministries of

Education thank you for those responses

Dr Wesley and Dr Ali do we have any more

questions coming from our journalists

I'm not seeing any more hands raised

okay we have Samantha Simon Samantha

please let us know which media house

you're

representing hello can you hear

me yes perfect thank you go ahead

apologies all right so um with some of

these subjects that are um being

considered um many of them would be

considered newer subjects compared to

the more traditional subjects that would

have been on the syllabuses within a lot

of these countries as such uh when it

comes to marketing of these subjects to

the different Islands as well as support

to the Ministries in uh incorporating

these subjects into their syllabuses and

offerings uh what would have been done

from CC's end when it came to uh those

actions thank you very much for that

question a very fundamental question

once we would have established and

developed those new generation subjects

we through our learning or our

professional learning development

Institute conduct what we call teacher

orientation workshops to at least

sensitize the regions to the syllabuses

that are available and what would be

required for their integration in

schools this of course would also be

communicated to our respective

ministries of Education across the

region to sensitize them to the

syllabuses being available and the teach

as well being acquainted with what would

be required in those

syllabuses a lot of times when these

subjects are developed and are available

would require the injection of

additional resources and I think that's

where we'll have to find uh very

creative ways to ensure that resources

are made available for the introduction

of these programs certainly our

discussion this morning with the

ministers they would have been very uh

for right about their passion in

facilitating stem and science

integration within schools and I'm quite

sure that will be reflected in the

Investments That many governments have

already indicated they will make within

the education

system thank you Dr

Wesley I'm not seeing any more hands at

the moment um if we have any final

questions you can raise your hands now

but if not I think at this time we would

move to wrap up the press conference I

would like to thank you all for joining

us and thank you to our Executives to Dr

Wesley for coming to update the um

Regional media today and so we thank you

very much and do hope you have a

pleasant day