CXC to implement new syllabuses in 2019

APPROVAL HAS been given by the School Examinations Committee (SEC) of the Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC) for the introduction of two new Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination (CAPE) syllabuses and the revision of five Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) syllabuses.

The two new CAPE syllabuses are Biotechnology and Design & Technology which are to be distributed in 2019 and for first examination in 2020.

The Biotechnology syllabus would be designed to acquaint students with biotechnology and its application in solving real life problems, transform the natural resources of the Caribbean (biological wealth) to tangible wealth, enhance the bio-economic status of the Region, and engage students in the development of nutraceutical products.

The syllabus in Design & Technology would take students through the design stages from inspiration to ideation through to implementation and that the syllabus will, among other things, create design thinkers who can innovate to solve a real world problem.

GLENROY CUMBERBATCH, Registrar, Caribbean Examinations Council

A Digital Literacy syllabus for the Caribbean Certificate of Secondary Level Competence (CCSLC) will also be developed.

The CCSLC syllabus in Digital Literacy is intended to create a cadre of Caribbean digital native learners; create learners who can collaborate and communicate effectively using ICT tools; produce creative and innovative thinkers; expose learners to human, cultural, ethical and legal issues in using technology; and develop critical 21st Century skills.

At the CSEC level, the five CSEC syllabuses to be revised are Music, Theatre Arts, Economics, Principles of Accounts and Principles of Business.

Music will be distributed in 2018 and for examination in 2020; Theatre Arts will be distributed in 2018 for examination in 2019; while Economics, Principles Accounts and Principles of Business were distributed in 2017 and for examinations in 2019.

According to a communique from CXC, SEC also heard that at the request of stakeholders, SUBSEC agreed to defer the use of CAD software for Technical Drawing to 2018 in an effort to allow schools to effect the necessary upgrades to their technology and for training in the use of the software to take place.

SEC also ratified SUBSEC’s decision for the revision of the CXC Associate Degree. Candidates will now need to complete 10 Units instead of eight to qualify for the CXC Associate Degree. The amendments are designed to ensure that the CXC Associate Degree aligns with the requirements of regional accreditation authorities.

The governance committees also approved work to continue on the revision of six CAPE Syllabuses: Computer Science, Information Technology, Applied Mathematics, Pure Mathematics, Art and Design, and one CSEC syllabus, Additional Mathematics, for teaching to begin in September 2019 and first examination in 2021.

These decisions were taken in St Vincent and the Grenadines at the annual governance meetings of CXC last week.

The meetings of the SEC and the Council were held at the National Insurance Services (NIS) conference room on December 6 and 7 under the chairmanship of Professor Sir Hilary Beckles.
The meetings were also addressed by Glenroy Cumberbatch, Registrar, CXC, among others.