CXC launches five new CAPE subjects

The Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC) will launch five new-generation subjects for the Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination (CAPE) during the month of May 2014.{{more}}

The five new CAPE subjects for teaching in September 2014 and first examination in 2015 are Agricultural Science, Entrepreneurship, Performing Arts, Physical Education and Sport, and Tourism.

The five subjects will be launched in five CXC participating countries, with each event having a specific subject theme. The first launch takes place on Friday, 9 May in Barbados and the theme for the event in Barbados is Tourism. It will be hosted at the Accra Beach Resort and starts at 10 a.m.

Guyana will host the launch with the Agricultural Science theme on Monday, 12 May at the Theatre Guild in Georgetown, starting at 10 a.m.

On Thursday, 15 May, the launch will continue at the Trinidad and Tobago Chamber of Industry and Commerce Headquarters, Westmoorings, Port of Spain. The theme in Trinidad and Tobago is Entrepreneurship and the event starts at 8:30 a.m.

St Lucia will host the launch which focuses on the Performing Arts on Friday, 16 May at the Sir Arthur Lewis Community College (SALCC), starting at 10 a.m.

The final launch will take place in Jamaica on Tuesday, 20 May with Physical Education and Sport as the theme. The event takes place at The Knutsford Court Hotel in Kingston, starting at 10 a.m.

CXC is partnering with various stakeholders to host the different events. These include the Caribbean Tourism Organisation (CTO), the Trinidad and Tobago Chamber of Industry and Commerce, the Cultural Development Foundation (CDF) of St Lucia, the Caribbean Agricultural Research and Development Institute (CARDI) and various tertiary institutions in Jamaica.

“This step is a giant leap toward providing our youth with the knowledge, the confidence and insights needed to change the quality of the experience we sell. Thousands of tourism frontline workers who are in positions to make or break this industry will now have an opportunity to get a tertiary education. For them, a CXC certificate, or just the knowledge gained while studying for that certificate, could be an absolute game-changer,” Hugh Riley, secretary general of the CTO, said about the introduction of Tourism at CAPE.

Several ministers of governments, Glenroy Cumberbatch, acting registrar of CXC, representatives from stakeholder organisations and CXC resource persons will speak at the launch events.

The introduction of the five new subjects follows the launch of Digital Media in September 2013. This now brings the total number of subjects offered at CAPE to 30.