Page 118 - 2020 CXC Annual Report

CARIBBEAN EXAMINATIONS COUNCIL ANNUAL REPORT 2020

Public Relations and Stakeholder Relationship Management

Independent Review T eam (IRT) Convened

IRT Presents Report on Administration of 2020 Examinations Excerpt from the IRT Report
Chairman of the Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC®), In reviewing the processes used by CXC® which led to the
Professor Sir Hilary Beckles convened an Independent adoption of the modified approach, the Team concluded that
Review Team (IRT) to review the modified approach for the the use of Papers 1 and 3 was adequate to assess the profiles/
administration of the July/August 2020 CSEC® and CAPE® modules in the various subjects and that CXC® had conducted
Examinations; the moderation process applied to the School- the necessary consultations in seeking to decide whether
Based Assessment (SBA) and the grading among other related to use the approach. Further, the consultations conducted
matters. by CXC® in seeking permission to use this approach were
appropriate and the approach was the best option under the
The convening of the IRT emanated from concerns raised in the circumstances.
public domain with respect to the efficacy of procedures and
systems used by CXC® in its computation and declaration of However, the Team concluded that more extensive
student performance data for CSEC® and CAPE® examinations. communication between CXC® and educators in particular
The IRT was chaired by Professor Hazel Simmons-McDonald, would have helped to clarify any misunderstandings that
Professor Emerita and retired Pro Vice-Chancellor and Principal may have existed about the administration of the modified
of the Open Campus, The University of the West Indies. approach. Also, the processes which it proposed to use for
grading and moderation could have been better explained to
Other members of the distinguished team were Professor its stakeholders…[Page 27, IRT Report 2020].
Andrew Downes, retired Pro Vice-Chancellor, Planning and
Development, The University of the West Indies; Professor The IRT’s full Report, findings and recommendations can
Francis De Lanoy, President of the University of Curacao; Mr be found here. CXC® has implemented an action oriented
Harrilal Seecharan, retired Chief Education Officer, Ministry Roadmap in response to the IRT’s recommendations.
of Education, Republic of Trinidad and Tobago; and the Hon.
Michael S. Browne, Minister of Education in Antigua and
Barbuda and Chair of the CARICOM Council for Human and
Social Development (COHSOD).

The IRT’s findings were presented in a Report to Council
on Friday, 16 October 2020 and shared with Ministries of
Education representatives from across the region on Saturday,
17 October 2020. The Report was later shared with the public
via a virtual media conference hosted by the Professor Sir
Hilary Beckles on Sunday, 18 October 2020.

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