THE EDITOR: First up, let me thank that youngster for being brave enough to give us a student's perspective on the impact of CXC's decision to scrap the math Paper II exam due to the leak in Jamaica.
This action disenfranchised many thousands of students across the region who would have worked countless hours, day and night, preparing for this crucial exam.
Second, I congratulate Newsday for affording this student space and opportunity to ventilate in the public domain.
Now to the matter at hand.
CXC may not think this is the case, but more and more people across the region have been questioning the council's reputation and even the relevance of some of its exams.
As the body charged with the control, dissemination and marking of the CSEC and CAPE exams, it does CXC's reputation no good when from time to time, its exams are leaked.
What exactly are the mechanisms CXC uses to safeguard the integrity of its exam papers? It is hardly likely that a parent or student was behind these leaks.
The decision to have a leaked exam done over, with new questions, and only in the country where the leak took place – as was the case after the Trinidad leak some years ago; then the wholesale scrapping of the math Paper II exam this year, shows CXC itself appears unsure as to how to deal with such an issue.
The student letter-writer was absolutely right to ask CXC, "what next?" if the math Paper I exam, which is the multiple-choice paper, is also leaked. Would this exam too be scrapped?
How then would students be graded on this subject? By the strength of the marks they earned in their SBA's?
Then there is the issue of the relevance of some CSEC and CAPE exams, for certain students across the region.
Annually, we are given worrying statistics on the poor performance of students in the SEA, CSEC and CAPE exams.
The reasons for such poor performance especially in the core subjects of math and English are wide and varied.
However, what is important to consider here is this – not all children are cut out for pure academics. Not all are destined to be doctors or engineers.
Why can't educators including CXC broaden its range to be more aligned to the reality that not all students are interested in classical core subjects such as Math, English, Bio, Chem, Physics, Geography etc?
I know that from Form 6 and onwards, the range of subject does indeed get wider, but in order to earn a spot in Form 6, all students from Form One through Form 5, are required to study upwards of eight subjects, some of which holds no interest for certain students. So what are the avenues for these youths?
I'm not saying core subjects are no longer relevant, I'm saying CXC and educators in general need to get with the times and understand that young people's interest may very well lie elsewhere. Emphasis should be placed on a more holistic approach to education.
An education system that allows many to fall through the cracks, that breeds ridicule, fosters low self-esteem and aids in a gravitation to anti-social means of empowerme
