CXC refutes leaked papers claim

The Caribbean Examination Council (CXC) has emphatically refuted a report which was circulated in the regional media last Friday, September 2,{{more}} which claimed that there was a leak of CXC examination papers at a school in St Lucia and that the Council is investigating this matter.

“At no time has there been any breach or compromise of the 2011 examinations in St. Lucia or in any other CXC Participating Territory. CXC is therefore not aware nor is CXC involved in any investigation in St Lucia,” a statement released by CXC on Friday night said.

The Caribbean Media Corporation (CMC) last Friday reported that the CXC has launched an investigation to determine “how examination papers got into the hands of students at a school in St. Lucia ahead of schedule date for the exams.”

The report said that St. Lucia’s Minister of Education Arsen James told reporters that his Ministry is awaiting the outcome of the investigation, but in the meantime it appears that students of the school where the papers were allegedly distributed by a local education official may have to re-write the exam.

The CMC report said that James confirmed that results for the particular school have been withheld.

“Due to the serious nature of the offense we have referred the matters to CXC authorities who are currently conducting an investigation.

“As a result some students may be required to write the exam. There must be a thorough investigation into this as to whether this is so, as it started as an allegation in the first place. We have to prove that this really happened so CXC is examining the matter through our examination unit,” James is reported as saying.

CXC, in their release said that they are “appalled that regional media houses would publish a story of this magnitude without seeking verification or clarification of the alleged breach and investigation.”

Dr Didacus Jules, CXC Registrar and Chief Executive Officer has been in contact with the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Education in St Lucia to ascertain the source of the erroneous claim, the release from CXC stated.

CXC wishes to re-assure the region that over the last four years, it has put in place significant measures to enhance the security of its examination papers.