I am appalled that to date we have not yet settled the issue of when and how CSEC and CAPE exams will be held in Trinidad and Tobago and the wider region.
It is unacceptable that 7 weeks after CXC articulated its position, the Ministry is still dithering on an acceptable way forward. It is also galling that TTUTA has unabashedly declared a self-serving position proposing a delay to the exam to allow teachers to finish SBAs and preparation, which should have been done since March.
In all of this, the student population who is affected has been woefully underserved and ignored. The lack of communication by the Ministry and the self- interest of TTUTA has not advanced the critical stakeholder in this debacle- the students. Any delay of this exam will place additional stress to a population who have been anxiously adjusting to a ’new school’ environment, and have been preparing for upcoming exams in their own way.
Students have switched their studying tactics to support preparation for a Multiple choice paper. Is it fair to ask them to do differently at this very late stage? Have we considered the emotional toll that this delay will cause for students who were originally preparing for a sitting in May/ June?
It is clear that we are in unusual times and many accommodations are being made. Can’t we make an accommodation for CSEC/ CAPE 2020 by proceeding with the Mutiple choice paper and submitting SBAs in September?
Joel Ann Cook Walcott
via email