Syllabuses for a new programme leading to a Caribbean Certificate of Secondary Level Competence (CCSLC) have been approved by the Sub-Committee of the Schools Examinations Committee (SUBSEC) of the Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC) at its meeting in Barbados on Friday 24 February.

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The new CXC programme is competency-based and is designed to enable all students to acquire the knowledge, skills, competencies, values and attitudes that a secondary school leaver should possess. CXC will offer the first examination for the new programme in 2007.

The Programme to be examined comprises electives and a core of subjects – English, Integrated Science, Mathematics, Modern Language and Social Studies. CXC will examine the core while ministries of education will determine the electives which will reflect national priorities.

The SUBSEC also considered recommendations for the introduction of nine regional top awards for outstanding performances in the Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination (CAPE). The meeting further agreed that the overall top student at CAPE will receive the Dr. Dennis Irvine Award, in memory of Dr. Dennis Irvine, a former Chairman of CXC who passed away in November last year.

The Sub-Committee of the School Examinations Committee (SUBSEC) meets twice annually to address matters relative to CXC syllabuses and examinations. The Committee comprises representatives of ministries of education, the University of the West Indies and the University of Guyana.