The Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC) has announced a reduction by as much as 50 per cent in the SBA requirements for upcoming examinations.
In a statement from its Barbados headquarters, CXC said it was cognisant of the many challenges across the region due to COVID-19 and the explosive volcanic activity on La Soufrière in St Vincent and the Grenadines. It also recognises that some candidates across the region, based on their particular circumstances, may not be ready for assessment during the June/July 2021 examinations cycle.
As a result, the examinations body was released new information in its SBA Student Handbook: Treatment of Syllabuses and School-Based Assessment for the Administration of Examinations which has been published and posted on its website and shared via social media.
"In addition, CXC will share the Broad topics to be assessed on Paper 02 for CSEC and CAPE subjects with the Ministries of Education for distribution to all candidates on May 10, 2021—five weeks before the start of the examinations—for subjects where such details are not already available in the syllabus. Candidates are however reminded that the entire syllabus is assessed on Paper 01," CXC said in the statement.
In addition, a facility has been implemented for candidates to defer sitting examinations and submitting SBAs, until the January 2022 CSEC or May/June 2022 CAPE, CSEC and CCSLC examinations.
Accordingly:
° SBA scores can be transferred for use in the next examination sitting, where the subject is offered.
° The rules pertaining to the reuse of SBA scores for resit candidates remain unchanged.
° Candidates may also:
- submit a new SBA
- delay submission of SBAs until the chosen sitting
° For the first time, CXC will accept SBAs in January 2022 for candidates deferring to sit examinations for subjects offered in that period.
The granting of the deferral will be managed by the principal, for in-school candidates, and by the CXC Local Registrar, for private candidates. Candidates should indicate an intent to defer from the June/July 2021 examination cycle by May 1, 20201. There will be no fee charged for the deferral of examinations.
The deferral procedures were shared directly with all Ministries of Education and Local Registrars from across the region and on the CXC® website: www.cxc.org
In preparation for exams, students can also access a range of examination related resources via www.cxc.org/student-central/.