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ITEM 5: REGISTRAR’S REPORT TO SUBSEC

20. The SUBSEC received the Registrar’s Report and heard that if the region was serious
about raising achievement, participation should be made compulsory in the classroom.
Members heard that the CXC had been encouraging the use of classroom based SBA to
generate participation in the classroom to create knowledge and enhance learning.

21. The Registrar informed the SUBSEC that he was mindful of some of the questions from
CXC’s stakeholders which suggested that they were in doubt about the organization. He
pointed out that to overcome challenges, assessment should be distributed, synoptic,
extensive and trusted. Members heard that the CXC system which comprised Syllabus
Development, Test Development and Test Administration, was designed in a way to ensure
that it is valid, fair and makes sense. The Syllabus Development process involves the
definition of the construct, inclusion of the philosophical and psychological underpinnings
and specification of the rationale which is the claim that CXC makes that once a candidate
completes the subject and acquires an acceptable grade, he or she will be able to perform at
a certain level. There is also specification of the aims, general and specific objectives and
content, teaching requirements and specimen examination papers. The Test Development
process involves a clear test plan, item procurement, test construction and test evaluation.
Members were informed that population of the CXC Item Bank was done with items from
across the region to ensure cultural relevance. The Test Development process is governed
by established committees which ensure that the results distributed are sound and reliable
test scores have been provided. In recent times, the CXC has been experiencing challenges
in test administration and the organization is committed to improving its processes as well
as its ability to recruit and monitor markers.

22. For 2017, the CXC plan for administration of its examinations was error-free
examination papers, timely and accurate marking, reliable test scores and timely release of
results. The plan however was fraught with challenges which included problems with
papers, quality of markers, initial generation of incorrect scores, and delayed results. The
SUBSEC noted the steps outlined for responding to the challenges in test development and
marking.

23. Members of the SUBSEC were reminded of the three strategic objectives in focus for
the 2017 CXC programme and informed that the organization was relatively advanced with
its plans to increase the out-of-school population. To that end, work had already begun in
Guyana, Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago where CXC was in the process of identifying
centres for certification and promotion. As it relates to financial stability, the organization
had projected an additional $2M in revenue per year for the strategic plan period. This was
in an effort to self-finance in order to fill the gap left by non-receipt of government
subventions. The SUBSEC noted that, overall, the CXC was fairly advanced in its 2017
programme despite a few setbacks and that the organization was in good standing going into
the 2018-2019 period.

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