The Caribbean Examiner - Dr Desmond Broomes - A Colossus In His Own Domain

THE CARIBBEAN EXAMINER

www.cxc.org MAY 2017 3

IN THIS ISSUE

THE CARIBBEAN EXAMINER is a publication of the CARIBBEAN EXAMINATIONS COUNCIL © (CXC)EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: Mr Glenroy Cumberbatch • EDITOR: Mr Cleveland SamLINE EDITORS: Dr Sandra Robinson and Dr Victor Simpson PLEASE SEND YOUR COMMENTS TO:The Caribbean Examiner, CXC, Prince Road and Pine Plantation Road, St Michael, Barbados e: [email protected] • w: www.CXC.org • ISSN 2071-9019

TRIBUTE TO DR DESMOND BROOMES

4 Celebrating the Life of Dr Desmond Rodwell Broomes Professor Stafford Griffith

6 Legendary Educator and Mentor Claudith Thompson

8 Interactions with Desmond Gordon Harewood, PhD

10 Regional Thinker Lucy Steward, PhD

11 An Unrelenting Flame Didacus Jules, PhD

12 Photo Gallery

14 Dr Broomes’ Passing “A Significant Loss”

CXC NEWS

16 E-testing: A Quantum Leap Cleveland Sam

18 CAPE® Financial Services Studies Mrs Lorna G. Smith, OBE

22 The Development of the CAPE® Financial Services Studies Syllabus Annette Piper, EdD

26 The Business of Education Nikisha Toppin

28 Studying Theatre and Performing Arts: Students Speak Yvonne Weekes, PhD

30 Business of the Arts: Key Elements of a Successful

Theatrical Production Carla W. Springer Hunte

34 11 Reasons You Should Consider Becoming an Accountant ACCA

45 CXC® Welcomes New ARs

REGIONAL TOP AWARDEES

36 Shining Light Cleveland Sam

40 Barbados Experience

ABOUT THIS ISSUE The issue pays tribute to Dr Desmond Broomes, a legend in Caribbean education in his own right. Dr Broomes has nurtured a generation of Caribbean educators, in particular Measurement and Evaluation specialists. It is the first issue that focuses on an individual, but such is the stature of the man. While we mourn the passing of Dr Broomes, we also celebrate the accomplishments of the 2016 Regional Top Awardees, who spent four amazing days in Barbados.

4 MAY 2017 www.cxc.org

I am honoured and privileged to

share my reflection on the life of this

iconic educator to whom I owe much for

my own intellectual development and my

view of life and work. Desmond Rodwell

Broomes began his earthly life on 6 June

1928. He received his early education

in his rural village of Beterverwagting

or BV as it is called, in Guyana, the land

of his birth. He subsequently earned a

scholarship to the prestigious Queens

College where he completed his secondary

education. He went on to earn a BA from

the University of London, and an MEd

and a PhD from the University of Toronto.

Although Desmond was a specialist in

numerous areas, including educational and

psychological measurement and evaluation,

and curriculum development, he was, at the

core, a mathematician and Mathematics

educator.

He served as a Mathematics teacher

in Guyana and in Anguilla where he

subsequently served as Principal. He

later returned to Guyana to serve as a

young Education Officer in the Ministry of

Education. Desmond had an illustrious

career at The University of the West Indies

(UWI), based at its Cave Hill Campus

in Barbados. He was seconded to the

Government of Guyana as a Commonwealth

Fund for Technical Cooperation consultant,

first in the area of Curriculum and Teacher

Education, and later to develop and head

the Master of Education programme in

Testing and Measurement. I was a student

in that very programme.

From his base at the Cave Hill Campus,

Desmond was an invaluable resource to

ministries of education and educational

institutions in the region. But he was equally

well known for his sterling contribution to

the work of the International Baccalaureate

Organization, based in Cardiff, Wales. He

served that organization eminently, first

as Chief Examiner in Mathematics, then as

Group Coordinator in Mathematics before

assuming responsibility as a Vice-Chairman

of the organization.

The void created by the sudden death

of one of the region’s greatest educators

who has contributed so much to the region

and the world in his lifetime is still hard to

grasp. Given his fitness, his abounding

energy, his agility and his acuity of mind,

most of us took it for granted that he

would be around for a long, long time. To

me, Desmond was first and foremost my

mentor of several decades; secondly, he

was my professional colleague with whom

I had many a professional disputation; and

finally, he was a friend whose superior

knowledge and expertise supported my

own development and guided me in critical

career decisions.

I first encountered Desmond in 1976,

some 40 years ago, as one of his young

graduate students in that special Master

of Education programme at the University

of Guyana to which I referred earlier. I later

came to understand that this programme was

Desmond’s brainchild for training a cadre

of professionals to bring about visionary

improvements in Guyana’s education

system which would build on the already

well-known reputation of that system in

turning out outstanding professionals.

Desmond, himself, was a proud product of

that Guyanese education system.

As students in that master’s programme

we were expected to know everything

in our field and Desmond left no stone

unturned to make sure we understood

that. He never ceased to remind us that

this programme was intended to produce

the best professionals, and the extensive

practicum and field activities in which he

immersed us were intended to assure those

outcomes.

I am deeply indebted to Desmond for

guiding my preparation for the PhD of The

UWI. We had many passionate discourses

as I often held views which were not quite

consistent with his and this often resulted

in heated debates. On one such occasion,

I lost my temper, and in a mad fit of rage,

let Desmond know in no uncertain terms

that I had reached the end of my tether and

that the University may keep its Doctorate.

This encounter was in Desmond’s office and

attracted the attention of other members of

the faculty who were curious about what was

causing the commotion. I picked up all my

belongings, or so I thought, and left. About

one hour later, I got a call from Desmond

who gently advised me that I had forgotten

some personal items in his office and that I

could collect them from him on my way from

work. He said that he would be waiting in

his office to deliver them.

By then, I was a little embarrassed about

my outburst and so filled with remorse that I

felt obliged to avoid Desmond. I therefore

told him that I would be working late and

advised him where, on the Campus, he may

leave the items and that I would pick them

up later. Desmond asked how late I would

be working. I fabricated a time later than

any right thinking University faculty would

be at work. He said he would still be in the

office. I suggested that I could be even later

at work than I had advised. He responded

that he would still be in the office. I knew I

could not win. Desmond waited. I turned

up and Desmond betrayed no signs of

remembering our engagement. We talked,

or rather he talked, about other things,

and when it was time to leave, he merely

summarised, in a sentence, the critical point

TRIBUTE TO

DR DESMOND BROOMES

Celebrating the Life of DR DESMOND RODWELL BROOMES

Appreciation Delivered at Memorial Service, Coral Ridge Memorial Gardens, 16 January 2017

By Professor Stafford Griffith



Professor Stafford A. Griffith is a former Pro Registrar of the Caribbean Examinations Council. He is Chairman of CXC’s Technical Advisory Committee and Director of the School of Education and Deputy Dean, Faculty of Humanities and Education, University of the West Indies, Mona Campus.

he was making, asked me to think of it, and

proceeded to set the date and time for our

next meeting. I came to understand that this

was the nature of the man. A disagreement

or fiery debate with him did not stay with him

beyond its conclusion. Once it was over, he

simply forgot about it.

Most people familiar with my relationship

with Desmond would know of the spirited

engagements I continued to have with him.

Some may suspect, but may not know, of

the depth of respect and affection I had for

him. I found it easy to put my arms over his

shoulders as we talked and he was very

indulgent with me.

Desmond touched the lives of many.

He was passionate about the maintenance

of high standard in professional work. He

was a perfectionist who insisted that others

demonstrate the same high standard. He

believed in this region and devoted his life

to the advancement of education in the

Caribbean.

Desmond gave much of his time to the

development and stability of CXC. There

are thousands of Caribbean nationals who

proudly make their way through life on the

cornerstone of CXC qualifications, who are

unaware of the sleepless nights and early

mornings and late evenings Desmond

invested to make sure that they were given

every possible opportunity to engage

relevant learning, to be fairly assessed,

and to have their chance to take on wings

and fly. They, unknowingly, also owe him a

tremendous debt of gratitude.

It was in tribute to his contribution to

CXC for over 40 years that the Council

renamed its resource centre at its new

Headquarters in Barbados, The Desmond

Broomes Knowledge Resource Centre.

At the time of his passing, Desmond still

had an office at the CXC Headquarters. He

has left an empty space, a void that will be

challenging to fill.

Providing U.S. educationalequivalencies & translations

NACES member since 2008We analyze foreign academic and professional credentials to establish the equivalent degree or years of study that would be awarded in the U.S. educational system, at different levels of education. Among other purposes, an evaluation is generally required for the following uses:

• academic study

• professional licensing

• general employment

• immigration matters

5620 E. Fowler Ave., Ste. ETampa, FL 33617

Ph: 813-374-2020 • Fax: [email protected]

www.aes-edu.org


It was with deep regret that I received

the news of the passing of Dr Desmond

Rodwell Broomes.

The graduates of the first Master of

Education programme at the University of

Guyana (1976–1978) familiarly referred to

him as ‘Daddy Broomes’. He was the only

lecturer involved in that programme with

whom I remained in contact over the years.

Dr Broomes was a great education icon;

he was an asset not only to the education

system in Guyana but also to the education

system in the entire Caribbean region.

He exuded authority with a unique sense

of humour that endeared him to both

colleagues and students, even when they

disagreed with him.

Dr Broomes was the coordinator of

the first and best Master of Education

programme to date to be offered by

the Faculty of Education, University of

Guyana, and sponsored by the Ministry of

Education (1976–1978). He was considered

a perfectionist and this was without doubt

reflected in his thorough planning of the

programme. The theoretical aspects of

the programme were complemented with

an effective practical component, and he

successfully accomplished the goal of

providing persons with specific expertise for

key positions in the Ministry of Education.

That MEd programme really created history.

To date, the programme has had the

largest number of graduates. Twenty-six

students graduated in 1978 and took up

key positions at the Test Development

Unit, the Curriculum Development Unit,

and as high-level education officers. Mr

Leyland Maison became Chief Education

Officer; Mr Reuben Dash and Mr Joseph

McKenzie, Deputy Chief Education Officers;

and Mr Reginald Chee-A-Tow, Assistant

Chief Education Officer. Later, others

utilized their expertise in the Caribbean

and further afield. Ms Joye Dennison and Dr

Gordon Harewood worked as measurement

specialists at the Caribbean Examinations

Council (CXC), while Professor Stafford

Griffith was appointed Pro-Registrar of CXC.

My skills in curriculum development were

utilized in Guyana at the National Centre for

Educational Resource Development, and in

Barbados where I was appointed Curriculum

Officer for the UWI/USAID Primary Education

Project. I also became a member of both the

Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate

(CSEC) and Caribbean Advanced Proficiency

Examination (CAPE) panels.

Dr Broomes, the education stalwart,

demanded standards of excellence from

his students with regard to attendance

and the submission of assignments. No

one was ever absent from his lectures. I

had the experience of taking one week

off to accompany Dr Allsopp to Lethem as

his research assistant for the Caribbean

Lexicography Project. Dr Broomes warned

me that taking a week off was similar to

taking one month off and that I would have

to return in time for a test on the Friday. I was

so scared that I asked Dr Allsopp to return

on the Thursday so that I could be present

for the test.

When I received my test paper, I was

given a score of 13 out of 20. I let him know

that he was penalizing me. He gave his

usual infectious chuckle and let me know

that I was getting bold. This was his way

of calming anxiety. However, after that

experience I was never absent from any

lecture and my score improved every week.

Assignments had to be submitted on time

and Dr Broomes always allowed time for

discussion on these so that his students

would feel comfortable with their grades.

Dr Broomes embraced a philosophy

of collaboration among students. We were

all encouraged to get involved in research

being done by each other as well as

research being undertaken by the Ministry

of Education. We created item banks and

designed questionnaires and interview

schedules for projects. He was one for

solidarity and unity among students, and

was not so much interested in having us

compete with one another as having us set

goals to achieve excellent standards. Being

the meticulous lecturer he was, he checked

to make sure we were doing our research

and asked us to present our notes. I planned

to humour him so I took my mini filing cabinet

filled with my index cards. When he saw it

he chuckled and told me I was showing off.

Dur ing h is tenure on the MEd

programme at the University of Guyana, Dr

Broomes also focused on enriching the skills

of the lecturers in the Faculty of Education

by inviting them to audit the lectures.

TRIBUTE TO

DR DESMOND BROOMES

LEGENDARYEducator and Mentor

By Claudith Thompson



They were provided with books

required for the courses. A similar invitation

was extended to the Deputy Chief Education

Officer in order to provide a link for the

monitoring of the programme. These were

all innovations that Dr Broomes integrated

as components of the programme.

Dr Broomes was an ardent and

proficient researcher. In addition to teaching

the course Curriculum Development,

Implementation and Evaluation, he taught

Research Methods, a course in which the

practical component was crucial. Each

student had to critique one research

article which was based on research

conducted in the Caribbean and one from

the book A Cross Section of Educational

Research: Journal Articles for Discussion

and Evaluation. For research carried out in

the Caribbean, I chose a research report by

Professor Dennis Craig from the Caribbean

Journal of Education. I was elated when Dr

Broomes told me in his usual jocular way

that the analysis was so good that he felt

like sending it to Professor Craig.

Dr Broomes played major roles in

curriculum development and materials

production for the Ministry of Education,

Guyana. Prior to and during the MEd

programme, he was a consultant based at

the Curriculum Development Centre. He

spearheaded the production of the Timehri

Readers and the Guyana Mathematics

Project. These were both research-based

projects, since he did not believe in

writing books without undertaking a pilot

study. During the writing of the materials

there was much input from teachers

through the workshops conducted by

curriculum specialists. Dr Broomes insisted

that workshop planning should involve

teamwork. Specialists were not allowed

to prepare as individuals and present at

a workshop. There was always a ‘dry run’

session so that presentations could be

criticized prior to workshops. Both projects

were sustainable for many years.

It has been an honour for me to pay this

tribute to Dr Broomes not only on my own

behalf but also on behalf of the graduates

of the MEd Programme (1976–1978), and the

members of the Curriculum Development

Centre of the seventies. He was truly an

educator and mentor.

May his soul rest in peace.

Claudith Thompson is a retired lecturer in the School of Education, University of Guyana (UG). She was a student of Dr Broomes at UG.


Interactions with DesmondBy Gordon Harewood, PhD

My earliest recollection of hearing the

name “Dr Desmond Broomes” was in the

early to mid-1970s at a time when he was the

driving force behind curriculum development

activity in Mathematics in Guyana. I do not

recall actually meeting him then, but at that

time the Curriculum Development Centre

was a hotbed of ideas and innovation and

I was a frequent visitor to the Centre as

a team member on the national Modern

Languages Committee. It wasn’t long before

I noted that all of the bright, attractive female

curriculum development officers (of whom

there were several) were all in awe of Dr

Broomes. Their subject specialty did not

seem to matter; Social Studies, Science,

Language Arts, Agricultural Science, you

name it, Dr Broomes was the person to

approach to seek an opinion, suggestion or

a nod of approval for a new initiative. I knew

there and then that when I grew up I wanted

to be an educational consultant.

Indeed, anyone involved in any of

the work going on at the Curriculum

Development Centre in those days could

not help being aware of Dr Broomes.

He definitely generated a major buzz as

he immersed himself, as well as those

involved in the curriculum development

and curriculum reform activity at that

time, in workshops, meetings and general

brainstorming sessions. Flip charts and

markers were his weapons of choice, and

despite the occasional shortages existing

in Guyana at the time, Desmond seemed to

have access to an inexhaustible supply of

this technology. He used it with boundless

enthusiasm, confidence and his own

inimitable flair to plunge curriculum officers,

teachers and other Ministry of Education

personnel into the world of Bloom, Gagné,

Tyler, Taba, Popham and other leading lights

in the areas of curriculum, measurement

and evaluation.

A few years later, along with 27 other

educators, I embarked on a two-year Master

of Education programme at the University of

Guyana (UG) coordinated, led and generally

inspired by Dr Broomes. My initial approach

to this activity was somewhat nonchalant,

as I would be the first to admit that I had

mostly coasted through my previous studies

at UG, expending additional intellectual

energy only around examination time or for

the occasional tutorial presentations when

required.

Well, talk about intellectual culture

shock! From the very first class, Desmond

made it very clear that he would be providing

and demanding in return full participation, a

high level of critical thinking and analysis, and

thoughtful, incisive and insightful oral and

written communication. We all recognized

immediately that he was not joking when he

stated that he expected us to be satisfied

with nothing less than mastery in his

Introduction to Research Methods course.

This, he said, was to be demonstrated in

our coursework assignments and in the final

written examination, which he described in

great detail and with a gleam in his eyes

as he assured us that we would enjoy that

event “immensely”.

Desmond’s classes were a model

for us all as educators ourselves. His

lectures were well-organized, coherent

and interspersed with questions that

challenged our assumptions and sparked

greater understanding of the concepts and

topics under discussion. He valued student

participation and delighted in responding

to challenges posed by anyone who dared

to suggest that he was going above and

beyond what was humanly possible when

he set tasks, assignments and deadlines

or shared ideas about possible research

problems for our dissertations. I recall very

vividly his refusal to accept the position

taken by a number of us that, given the

bacchanalia traditionally associated with

Christmas in Guyana, to meet one-on-one

with him to discuss our thesis proposals

during the Christmas holiday season was

highly impractical. Desmond simply could

not understand why our Christmas excesses

should take precedence over academic

pursuits.

Desmond exemplified the importance

to a teacher of being thoroughly prepared.

If he planned to use an overhead projector

and transparencies during the course of a

lecture and there was a power outage on

campus, he would whip out his flip charts

to illustrate his argument or simply use the

chalkboard just as effectively.

Thanks to Desmond and his team

of lecturers most of the persons who

participated in the M.Ed programme

emerged as better thinkers, problem solvers

and leaders in the field of education in

Guyana, the Caribbean and beyond.

Fast forward to the 90s, when I joined

the staff of the Caribbean Examinations

Council, with significant encouragement

and assistance from Desmond. At CXC, I

benefited from full access to Desmond’s

intellectual generosity. No issue was too

trivial or too complex to raise with Desmond,

to seek his advice or simply to have a willing

listener whose questions and suggestions

often opened up interesting and innovative

alternatives for consideration.

In his role of consultant in the

Examinations Development and Production

Division (EDPD) the quality, scope and

depth of Desmond’s expert input went far

beyond that which was required or expected

by his actual contract. Desmond simply

ignored such mundane considerations

as contractually required working hours

and took on syllabus and assessment

related issues with the intellectual acuity,

TRIBUTE TO

DR DESMOND BROOMES



Dr Gordon N. Harewood is a former Senior Assistant Registrar, Measurement and Evaluation at CXC. A Guyanese by birth, he worked with Dr Broomes for many years while at CXC.

enthusiasm and energy that were embedded

in his DNA. When crises occurred, Desmond

viewed them as opportunities to roll up his

sleeves and engage with the EDPD staff to

demonstrate to all of CXC’s stakeholders the

robustness, fairness, reliability and validity

of the Council’s procedures.

Several of the initiatives introduced

by the Council over the years, such as

the Caribbean Advanced Proficiency

Examination (CAPE), the Caribbean Primary

Exit Assessment (CPEA), and enhancements

to the CSEC English and Mathematics

syllabuses and assessment processes

bear the lasting imprint of Desmond’s

contribution. In addition, Desmond played

a major part in defining the present-day

role and responsibilities of the Technical

Advisory Committee (TAC), the group

tasked with the quality assurance of each

examination administration. He helped to

transform the technical advisory process into

one that supports the examination development

and administration procedures while maintaining

objectivity and providing constructive criticism

and suggestions for improvement where

necessary.

True to character, Desmond, the ultimate

professional, was prepared right up to the end. A

few weeks ago, as I sat at the desk that he used

to work at in EDPD, I couldn’t help but notice the

several sticky notes that he had attached to items

in his work area admonishing anyone who used

them while he was on his Christmas vacation

to be sure to leave everything ready for him to

resume his work in progress when he returned.

Desmond’s passing leaves a void at CXC

that will be difficult to fill. His name will continue

to be mentioned with respect by those of us

who had the pleasure of working with him and

by others who pass through EDPD and become

aware of his legacy. With apologies to A. A. Milne:

How lucky am I to have known someone who

makes saying goodbye so hard.


With great sadness I learned of the

passing of Dr Desmond Broomes. Most

people knew him as a CXC advisor and

spokesperson or as a distinguished

university lecturer. In addition to the

significant contributions he made to both

CXC and tertiary education, Dr Broomes

also contributed to regional thinking about

the future of education as a member of a

CARICOM Education Task Force in the early

1990s. That is when I, as Chief of Education

at the CARICOM Secretariat, first met him.

He served on the Regional Task Force

along with prominent educators from across

the Caribbean. Anytime the group struggled

with a controversial or many-sided issue,

Desmond would calmly break it down as if

he were solving a mathematical problem.

His contribution was valued and the work of

the Task Force, published by the Secretariat

as ‘The Future of Education in the Region’,

remains relevant to many aspects of

education today.

Due to my interactions with Desmond

at the regional level, when I was tasked

at the international level to prepare an

overview of examination systems in small

states of the Commonwealth, I turned

to him for help. Specifically, I sought his

advice on assessment in general and in

the region in particular. His contribution

in the preparation of a Commonwealth

publication entitled ‘Examination Systems in

Small States’ and the establishment of the

Association of Commonwealth Examination

and Accreditation Bodies (ACEAB) was also

noteworthy.

Through these early interactions I

recognised his commitment to education. It

was, therefore, a great pleasure to find that

he was willing to continue as a consultant

to the CXC during my tenure as Registrar

from 1998 to 2008. He will be remembered

for his contributions during that time to the

Regional ThinkerBy Lucy Steward, PhD

TRIBUTE TO

DR DESMOND BROOMES

Dr Lucy Steward is a former Registrar of CXC who served while Dr Broomes was a consultant with CXC.

His reputation for being thorough and for basing his arguments on sound education principles earned him the respect of policy makers, education officials, teachers and other stakeholders across the region.

basing his arguments on sound education

principles earned him the respect of policy

makers, education officials, teachers and

other stakeholders across the region.

He was also a considerate and

compassionate person. This was evident

at times in the way he defended the staff

with whom he worked and in his personal

interactions with me. I valued his support

and encouragement and CXC has certainly

been strengthened and benefited from his

expertise over the years.

development of the Caribbean Advanced

Proficiency Examination (CAPE®), and the

various certificates and Associate Degrees

awarded through the clustering of subjects.

In many respects, he was ahead of the

region in his thinking about assessment

and certification when he championed the

cause for students to be able to opt for

a breadth or depth of studies for CAPE®.

He also advanced a strong argument for

one-Unit courses so that, for example, a

Sociology student could benefit from a

one-Unit course in Statistics. Apart from

the two compulsory one-Unit courses, the

others were eventually abandoned for a

variety of reasons which mainly had to do

with the currency of certification for tertiary

level education.

The contribution of Dr Broomes is

reflected in all aspects of the work of CXC.

His reputation for being thorough and for



AnUnrelenting

FlameBy Didacus Jules, PhD

The transition from 2016 to 2017 in

many respects represented a transition of

greatness for the Caribbean. We saw the

passage of some historical figures whose

Caribbean sensibility was a defining feature

of our age: Fidel Castro, Dwight Venner and

now Desmond Broomes. Each of these was

a colossus in his own domain.

D r D e s m o n d B r o o m e s w a s a

quintessential Renaissance Caribbean

Person. He was one of the most accomplished

mathematicians in the Caribbean and a

psychometrician of unsurpassed genius.

Much of the rigour and scientific exactitude

underlying the assessment processes of

the Caribbean Examinations Council was

the result of his leadership over a period

of more than 40 years. During that period,

Dr Broomes mentored generations of

measurement and evaluation officers. He

was that always questioning voice in the

corridors of CXC unwaveringly focused on

the quality of assessment as a driver for

performance. And he brought to that critical

mindedness the widest multidisciplinary

scope of intellect that I have ever witnessed

in a Caribbean person.

What distinguished him above all else

was not simply the scientific rigour of his

methodology, but the encyclopaedic sweep

of his knowledge and the depth of his

cultural rootedness in the Caribbean reality.

With that calibre of intellect, Desmond could

easily have become a star in the external

firmament of the Diaspora but his presence

in the Caribbean was a matter of choice

and an expression of his unshakeable

commitment to our Caribbean.

Dr Didacus Jules is a former Registrar & CEO of the Caribbean Examinations Council and is currently the Director General of the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States.

Dr Broomes was not just a mathematician

and an educator, his was a refined sensibility

that was as versed in literature as in history

as in philosophy. His was an intelligence

that was driven by an insatiable curiosity

to find answers that leapfrogged beyond

the immediacy of the problem to the

strategic solution that put us in an altogether

different place. And his commitment was

an unrelenting flame of affirmation of his

allegiance to all things Caribbean.

He was one of the most accomplished mathematicians in the Caribbeanand a psychometrician of unsurpassed genius.

Dr DesmondBROOMESServing the Region with Distinctionfor Over 40 years



The Caribbean Examinations Council

(CXC) expressed its deepest and sincerest

condolences to the family and friends of

Dr Desmond Roderick Rodwell Broomes,

known to many at CXC as Dr Broomes or

“Dessie.”

Dr Broomes’ passing is a significant

loss, not just to his family and friends, but

also to CXC and the entire Caribbean. He

served the region with distinction for over

40 years in various capacities at CXC. At the

time of his untimely death, Dr Broomes was

a consultant with CXC in the Examinations

Development and Production Development

Division.

Dr Broomes’ relationship with CXC

dates back to 1973 when he served as a

member of the CXC Barbados National

Committee, representing The University

of the West Indies, Cave Hill Campus. He

served in this capacity until 1987.

In 1975, Dr Broomes was nominated

by The University of the West Indies for

membership on the first CSEC Mathematics

Subject Panel, which prepared the first CSEC

Mathematics syllabus for the examination

offered in 1979.

Dr Broomes’ association with CXC was

further solidified when he was appointed

as a Statistical Consultant for Grading in

1980. He served as a Consultant in the

then Measurement and Evaluation Division

(now the Examination Production and

Development Division); and has assisted the

subject panels in determining the modes of

examination for new syllabuses.

He was later appointed as a consultant

to provide technical support and advice on

measurement, syllabus development and

research to CXC. In this respect, Dr Broomes

assisted in developing a number of the

examinations in CXC’s suite of qualifications

such as the Caribbean Advanced Proficiency

Advanced Examination (CAPE), Caribbean

DR BROOMES’ PASSING

“A Significant Loss”

Certificate of Secondary Level Competence

(CCSLC) and the Caribbean Primary Exit

Assessment (CPEA).

In addition to his consultancy roles, the

Guyanese-born educator served on the CXC

Technical Advisory Committee (TAC), first as

a member from 1979 to 1984; as Chairman of

TAC from 1989 to 2013; and as a Consultant

to TAC from 2013 up to the time of his death.

He has also served as a co-opted

member of CXC’s Governance Committees:

School Examinations Committee (SEC),

Sub-Committee of the School Examinations

Committee (SUBSEC), and Council.

In June 2016, CXC honoured Dr

TRIBUTE TO

DR DESMOND BROOMES

“His life was gentle, and the elements

So mixed in him that Nature might stand up

And say to all the world, This was a man!”William Shakespeare

Broomes by renaming its resource centre

at its Headquarters in Barbados, Desmond

Broomes Knowledge Resource Centre.

Dr Lucy Steward, CXC Registrar from

1998 to 2008, noted that she enjoyed

working with Dr Broomes and benefitted

tremendously from his counsel during her

tenure as Registrar.

“Dr Broomes was like a father to a

generation of measurement and evaluation

specialists in the Caribbean,” stated Mr

Glenroy Cumberbatch, Registrar of CXC.

“His contribution to CXC in particular and the

region in general is invaluable and will be

remembered for many generations.”


63 per cent of entries achieving Grades I-III, compared with 60 per cent in 2016. Just over 14 per cent of the entries achieved Grade I this year. The Subject Awards Committee noted that performance in the programming section of the examination continues to be poor even though more candidates are attempting the related questions.

The two English subjects returned mixed results. English B performance remained the same as in 2016, that is 57 per cent of entries in both years achieved acceptable grades. For English A, there was a decline in performance after five years of continuous improvement. Fifty-six per cent of entries achieved Grades I-III this year compared with 62 per cent in 2016.

Principles of Business returned the best overall results in the January 2017 sitting, with 85 per cent of entries achieving acceptable grades. This was the same level of performance in 2016. It was also the subject with the highest percentage of Grade I’s- 23 per cent.

Performance Principles of Accounts improved marginally, with 42 per cent of entries achieving Grades I-III compared with 41 per cent in 2016.

Of the 13 subjects offered in the January sitting, performance improved on five subjects, declined on six and remained constant on two subjects.

Declining EntriesBoth subject entries and candidate

entries declined this year for the January CSEC sitting. Overall subject entries declined by 14 per cent, with 34, 560 entries submitted this year compared with 39, 614 entries last year. All subjects had a decline except Chemistry and Physics. The most significant levels of decline were experienced in Human and Social Biology, which declined by 22 per cent and English A, which declined by 19 per cent.

The number of candidates writing the examination this year declined from 18, 534 in 2016 to 16,568 candidates, a decline of 11 per cent.

Mathematics continues to be subject with the highest number of entries, some 11,112 entries, followed by English with 9,253 entries and Social Studies with 3,010 entries.

The January CSEC i s wr i t ten predominantly by candidates who are out of school. Of the sixteen thousand candidates, more than half (9, 052) were over 18-years old.

Honourable Ronald Jones, Minister of Education, Science, Technology and Innovation in Barbados has described the introduction of electronic testing by the Caribbean Examination Council’s as a “quantum leap in examinations administration.”

Speaking at a brief event on Monday 30 January to announce the successful implementation of e-testing during the January 2017 sitting of the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) examination, the minister with responsibility for technology said that e-testing was a quantum leap for CXC, and a major step forward for the Caribbean in its application of modern information communication technology to the education process in general, and to examinations administration in particular.

“With e-testing, candidates taking the Council’s examinations may now to do so using a computer or an equivalent device,” Minister Jones explained as he was flanked by Registrar Mr Glenroy Cumberbatch and Director of Operations, Mr Stephen Savoury.

E-testing, he said, represents the next level in CXC’s delivery of products and services to the region.

During the January offering, several firsts were recorded and the overall feedback about the e-testing experience from candidates, invigilators and ministries of education officials was overwhelmingly positive. The system’s robustness and fault tolerance was evident as were very few glitches.

Five hundred candidates from seven territories: Anguilla, Cayman Islands, Dominica, Grenada, Jamaica and St Lucia successfully wrote their CSEC Paper 1 (multiple choice) examination using the e-testing platform.

Jones noted that the relatively small numbers of the January sitting afforded CXC the opportunity to gauge the acceptance by candidates as well as the implementation by examinations administration personnel who worked directly with the new system, both at CXC in the territories.

Minister Jones highly commended the CXC staff, Local Registrars, invigilators and all those who made e-testing possible for their sterling contribution.

Currently CXC is busy preparing for the May/June sitting, which is a much larger sitting when more than 100 subjects will be offered at e-testing as well as paper-based tests. It is anticipated that more territories will join the e-testing experience at this time.

At the time of writing this article, nine countries had indicated that they be offering e-testing in May/June. E-testing is being offered for CAPE, CSEC and CCSLC at the May/June sitting.

PerformancePerformance in all three natural science

subjects – Biology, Chemistry and Physics – offered in the January 2017 sitting of the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) examination improved when compared with 2016.

The most significant improvement was on Physics with 65 per cent of the entries achieving Grades I-III, the acceptable grades at CSEC. This is a percent improvement when compared with performance in 2016 when 57 per cent of entries achieved similar grades.

Performance on Biology and Chemistry improved over last year, but remains below the fifty per cent threshold. For Biology, there was a per cent improvement with 47 per cent of entries achieving Grades I-III compared with 39 per cent in 2016. Chemistry saw a three-per cent improvement with 39 per cent of entries achieving acceptable grades, compared with 36 per cent in 2016.

Information Technology also saw improved performance this January, with

E-TESTING: A QUANTUM LEAPBy Cleveland Sam

NEWS

Honourable Ronal Jones, Minister of Education, Science, Technology and Innovation


NEWS



Speech deliveredat the launch at the

HL Stoutt Community College, Tortola,

British Virgin Islands on 3 November 2016

By Mrs Lorna G. Smith, OBE

CAPE® Financial Services Studies

Allow me to also add my welcome to you

in this auditorium and, as this historic event

is being streamed live throughout much of

the Caribbean, a special welcome to you

watching or listening. I greet the people of

the Caribbean as many of my remarks on

financial services are directed at them.

It is a pleasure to share two of my

passions – education and financial services –

especially as these two are now being fused

by the introduction of financial services into

the CXC CAPE curriculum for the first time.

This is a pivotal moment for the region

and I am truly honored to have been invited

to deliver this address today.

So, to the first of my passions:

education. This is so much of a fundamental

building block of life–whether as individuals,

as communities, as territories or as countries.

I did my formal education some time ago

and at that time we prepared for the General

Certificate of Education (GCE), based on

what educators in the UK thought we should

know. It was not about relevance necessarily,

but about what those educators, thousands

of miles away, thought constituted a good

education. Since then, we have come such

a long way with our own Caribbean-based

exams.

I am not knocking the GCE as I am

grateful for all that I have learnt. In fact, I am

also exceedingly grateful to my teachers for

their wisdom and patience. I am especially

grateful to my recently passed mother who,

though she herself had very little education,

understood that education opened the doors

to success.

Thanks also to the then Chief Minister,

the late Honourable H Lavity Stoutt, after

whom the BVI Community College is named,

we were packed off to The University of the

West Indies (‘UWI’) to beat the books for four

years or more depending on the course of

study, and then return home to help develop

our country.

My experiences at UWI, together with

those later on in the United States, stood

me in good stead, but since my college


NEWS

days, the world has evolved. We have new

ways of learning and new ways to discover

information. Copy books have been replaced

by laptops; printed texts by electronic texts;

and, as for that ubiquitous smart phone,

it does everything for you except go to the

bathroom!

The world is moving very fast, but it

is also getting smaller through access to

learning and access to information. The

very fact that the launch of today’s CAPE

programme is streaming live throughout the

region, and indeed globally through YouTube,

is another example of how the world has

shrunk! Education is therefore of fundamental

and universal importance to us all. And of

course education is a lifelong experience!

We never stop learning. So we must all love

education!

Now to my second passion: financial

services: For us in the BVI and a number of

other participating jurisdictions including The

Bahamas, financial services is one of the two

key areas of our economy, tourism being the

other.

There is a saying ‘no man is an island’

which is so true: you see, both of these

sectors have made us in this region look

outwards and welcome inwards.

We welcome tourists to the region from

around the world. And our financial services

sector, which we have nurtured for more than

30 years, plays an important role in the global

financial system.

The financial services sector has

contributed so much to the progress that the

BVI has made over the past few decades.

Today, financial services contributes at

least 60 cents of every dollar that the BVI

Government spends. But wait, that is only

half the story. According to a McKinsey

Study commissioned by this Government and

carried out in 2014, the sector contributes

between 4000 and 7000 jobs in this territory.

Industry employees further fuel the economy

through consumption, including significant

rental income for BVIslander property owners.

As we look to the next 30 years and

beyond, we have to make sure that we are

enabling the next generation to play a full

role in areas which are so fundamental to

our future. We have to ensure that they are

equipped to discover and develop new

areas; to have opportunities at home, yes,

but equally in Shanghai, London, New York or

indeed anywhere in the world.

This is the driving force behind this latest

initiative.

I am pleased that the BVI Ministry

of Education & Culture and the Financial

Services Institute have worked collaboratively

with CXC to establish a curriculum that will

enable young men and women of this region

to expand their financial knowledge and skills

in this field.

Today, I am particularly proud that CXC,

through its CAPE programme, has responded

to the needs of the region in this manner by

equipping our young people with the ability to

begin to really thrive in this dynamic sector of

financial services.

This new programme will further

empower the people who live in our region,

leading to a better quality of life for present

and future generations. It will promote

awareness of the international importance of

the financial services industry to the region.

You see, young people don’t only talk to

themselves: they talk to their parents! So

it’s the perfect way to further demystify this

subject called financial services!

At the same time, we will begin to

understand the contribution that our region

makes to global financial flows. We at BVI

Finance have started this process with

assistance from the Capital Economics group

out of the United Kingdom and look forward

to receiving their findings at the end of this

year. We will of course share the results with

the region.

The developers of this curriculum

also worked closely with the private sector

to understand employers’ hiring needs,

to ensure that this would have a practical

application. I would therefore like to take this

opportunity to thank the private sector for

helping our educators to tailor this curriculum

to our needs.

Returning briefly to the study

coordinated by McKinsey: it provided the

BVI with the opportunity to reflect on our

direction and to move to make the financial

services sector more sustainable (borrowing

a phrase from it). The BVI Forward campaign

was launched on the back of this study

last year. BVI Forward aims to invest in

and build our financial services talent, and

create opportunities for people of the BVI to

contribute and participate more significantly

in this industry.

This newly developed syllabus will

teach students in our region the basics of our

financial services system, its structure and its

management, in establishing the foundation

for capability building throughout the region.

Furthermore, teaching them about the

legal and regulatory environment in which the

industry operates and why our jurisdictions

play such a key role internationally will not

only benefit our students, but will undoubtedly

decrease the clamour by the international

standard setters for greater transparency.

Minister of Education and Culture, the

Hon. Myron V. Walwyn, saw the need for

this industry to become a vital part of BVI

students’ learning experience. In 2012, he

and his team introduced Financial Services

as a compulsory subject in the curriculum

of our high schools, to continue to develop

and nourish our students’ talent as well as

to prepare them to assume positions in the

sector. We thank Minister Walwyn for his

vision in ensuring that young people begin

to chart their own destiny in their formative

years, and not wait until habits and lifestyles

have hardened.

Educating secondary school students

was a great start, but this programme had to

be taken further. The Ministry of Education

and Culture therefore collaborated with the

Financial Services Institute’s former Director,

Mr Raj Khrishan, with the aim of ensuring that

there was a seamless transition from what

was being taught at secondary level to the

offerings of the Financial Services Institute

at H Lavity Stoutt Community College. I was

privileged to be a part of those discussions

and thank Mr Khrishan for his guidance and

his persistence. Dr Marica Potter, Permanent

Secretary, Ministry of Education and Culture,

will confirm that at times we had to run at

break neck speed to keep up with him, but

we stayed the course. In fact, I suspect that

Mr Khrishan had a hand in this whole event

albeit with the steady hand of the Ministry of

Education and Culture.

So what are we getting so excited about

today?

As most of you will know, CAPE is

designed to provide certification of academic

achievement to students in the Caribbean

who, having completed a minimum of five

years of secondary education, want to further

their studies; so from next year Financial

Services will be offered to those wanting to

expand their knowledge in this area.

I have no doubt that students as far north

as The Bahamas and as far south as Guyana,

will take the opportunity to make themselves

more marketable by enrolling in this Financial

Services course.



CAPE® Financial Services Studies

“We must continue to advocate

and support our people to

acquire the requisite knowledge

and skills to maintain and grow

our industries. The success

of our individual island states

and our region depends on

preparing the capacity of our

citizens and residents to conduct

our affairs on the global stage.”

I want to take this opportunity to

also tell my brothers and sisters

in the region that you don’t have

to go beyond the borders of

the Caribbean to further your

knowledge of the industry. I

invite you to come right here

to the VI, to learn from leading

experts in the international

financial services sector through

the H Lavity Stoutt Community

College’s Financial Services

Institute.”

Honourable Myron WalwynMinister of Education and CultureBritish Virgin Islands, speaking at the launch of CAPE Financial Services Studies syllabus

www.youtube.com/watch?v=3AO1Adx9kfQ&feature=youtu.be

www.bvi.gov.vg/media-centre/bvi-launches-cape-financial-services-studies-syllabus

v3.bvihotpress.com/index.php/local-news/community/item/7390-i-have-a-affinity-for-young-

people-walwyn-as-cape-financial-syllabus-launches

We are confident that with the in-depth

knowledge gained from this programme,

graduates would be equipped to enter

the financial services industry and choose

career paths leading to their employment

as investment advisors, financial planners,

chartered secretaries, trust company

CEOs - to name a few areas. Not forsaking

ownership of businesses in this area as BVI

entrepreneurship is fast becoming the third

leg of our economy.

We live in a changing environment

The world is constantly changing and so

is the way we do business. The growth of our

region’s economies depends on continued

globalization of trade and the ability to

adapt to constantly changing business

needs. However, our jurisdictions, including

businesses, have to be nimble and adapt

constantly in order to continue to provide

the diverse offerings international capital

requires.

We in the BVI are all about creating value

and enabling growth by providing a world-

class jurisdiction for international finance

and commerce. We are continually and pro-

actively pressing forward with services and

regulations to reflect the changing demands

of global commerce.

We talk a lot but we also do. In a month’s

time, for instance, we will be hosting a regional

Organization for Economic Co-operation

and Development (OECD) conference to

discuss base erosion and profit shifting, one

of the most recent and key international

initiatives relating to the global financial

network. Cayman Islands, Barbados, Jamaica

and The Bahamas have also hosted OECD

conferences in the past.

From the region’s perspective, the

word ‘partnership’ must be key. We have

been able and successful partners to global

financial capital over the last 30 years. As

well as continuing to work closely with our

partners in the United Kingdom, Europe and

Latin America, we also have to deepen and

extend our partnerships elsewhere.

I am actually just back from a trade

mission to China. I know everybody talks

now about the emergence of China – and it’s

hugely successful; but the BVI has been active

there for the last quarter of a century. You

may think it was a smart move, but it is about

identifying the opportunities and potential

partners we can work with, and carefully

building and deepening those relationships.

In each of the five provinces we visited over

the last two weeks, business persons were

eager to learn about our new products and

plans which would help them in turn to further

build their own economies. They were keen

to discuss how to take advantage of the Belt

and Road strategy launched in 2013 by their

leader, Mr Xi Xingping.

Why now?

The constantly changing environment

is giving us a real opportunity to work

together even more closely within our region.

Educating the people that live here is, and

must continue to be, one of our most urgent

priorities.

The CAPE level qualification

undoubtedly marks a great achievement in

educating our future leaders and helping us

to retain our position in the financial markets.

We expect that those who will complete this

qualification and enter the financial services

industry will have a significant impact, both

on how we continue to improve and expand

financial services activity in our territories,

but also help us remain a key player on the

international level.

We have to stay smart. We have to make

the most of our assets – our brains – and we

have to lift our eyes towards the horizon and

identify the right path ahead for ourselves,

our communities and our region.

I wish the CXC, administrators of CAPE

and students registering for this course God’s

guidance and great successes in this new

course of study.

Thank you.

Mrs Lorna G. Smith has over 30 years’ experience working in the public service and is the Executive Director of BVI Finance, the marketing and promotions arm of the BVI Financial Services sector.


The syllabus for CAPE Financial

Services Studies was launched

in the British Virgin Islands on

3 November 2016 at the H. Lavity

Stoutt Community College.

Dr Annette Piper, Assistant

Registrar in the Syllabus and

Curriculum Development Division

gave an overview of the process

used in developing the syllabus.

NEWS

The Development of the

CAPE® Financial Services Studies Syllabus By Annette Piper, EdD


(CXC®) has been on a quest to develop

twenty-first century syllabuses, as part of

the need to remain current, relevant, and

useful to its stakeholders; and the Council

arrives at the decision to embark on the

development of each syllabus based on

numerous variables. Among the variables

that contributed to our activities here today

are discussions between representatives of

CXC and representatives of the British Virgin

Islands (BVI). The idea of the development

of a Financial Services Studies syllabus for

the teaching of secondary school students

was born and grew into reality over the last

two years.





Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago,

and the Turks and Caicos Islands,

with the mandate to develop the

syllabus and Specimen Papers

to represent the structure of the

examinations.

5. The interact ive and

dynamic process in which the

selected Subject Panel and

additional independent

experts were engaged

saw the del ineat ing

of the relevant skills

and content, as well

a s r e c o m m e n d e d

Resource Materials,

Suggested Teaching

a n d L e a r n i n g

Activities, and the

Specimen Papers.

6. Given

t h e r i c h m i x

and balance

b e t w e e n

a c a d e m i a

and industry,

the feedback

from reviews conducted

online as well as face-to-face was

extremely useful to the team; and under

the guidance of the CXC® Syllabus

and Assessment Officers, the syllabus

document was worked and re-worked,

resulting in the product that was

submitted for approval at the April 2016

sitting of SUBSEC.

STRUCTURE OF THE SYLLABUS

The subject is organised in two (2)

Units. A Unit comprises three (3) Modules,

each requiring fifty (50) hours. The total time

for each Unit is therefore expected to be one

hundred and fifty (150) hours with at least

thirty (30) percent of the time dedicated to

practical work. Each Unit can independently

offer students a comprehensive programme

of study with appropriate balance between

depth and coverage to provide a basis

for further study in this field, as well as

entry level employment and a platform for

entrepreneurship.

In keeping with the

policies of the

Council:

1. Research on

the discipline

from several

perspect ives

inc luding the

a c a d e m i c ,

i n d u s t r y , a n d

s o c i o e c o n o m i c

was conducted.

T h e r e s e a r c h

included interviews

w i t h e x p e r t s

a n d s t a k e h o l d e r s

r e p r e s e n t i n g t h e

different perspectives,

reviews of existing tertiary

level courses, reviews of

the existing CXC® offerings,

and t rend and market

analyses focusing mainly

on socioeconomic activities

and needs, evolving careers,

and possibility for uptake, in

order to help us to determine

the feasibility of the proposed

syllabus.

2. A concept paper was then

developed and submitted to the June

2015 sitting of the Sub-Committee of

the School Examinations Committee

(SUBSEC) where approval was granted

to commence the development of

a CAPE® Financial Services Studies

syllabus. The syllabus would be based

on the principles of the UNESCO Pillars

of Learning which include learning to

know, to do, to be, and to transform

oneself and society. It should also

contribute to the development of

the Ideal Caribbean Person who

possesses qualities such as a high

level of self-confidence, self-esteem,

multiple literacies, independent and

critical thinking, and who values and

displays creative imagination and

entrepreneurship.

3. A working group comprising different

experts from across the Region met

online over a three-day period in

November

2 0 1 6 a n d

guided the initial process.

The members drawn from Barbados,

Cayman Islands, Turks and Caicos

Islands, Guyana, Jamaica, and BVI,

gave additional suggestions regarding

the content and skills to be included

in the syllabus. Suggestions were also

offered on the scope and sequence

of the content in order to prepare

candidates effectively not only to

sit the relevant examinations set by

the Council, but also to matriculate

to tertiary level studies locally and

internationally, as well as to find their

place in the world of work, at least at the

entry level, or to comfortably conceive

and create entrepreneurial activities..

4. Next, a five-person Subject Panel was

selected from Barbados, Guyana,

NEWS



The Development of the CAPE® Financial Services Studies Syllabus

UNIT 1: Conceptual Issues

in Financial Services

Module 1

Introduction to Financial

Products and Services

Module 2

Portfolio Management

and Investment

Module 3

Governance, Regulations, and Ethics

UNIT 2: Customer Value,

Information System,

and Financial Services

Module 1

Financial Services Environment

Module 2

Compliance, Legislation and Statutes

Module 3

Financial Reporting

The Units can be taken separately and

in any order. Each Module has its own set of

general and specific objectives, as well as

Suggested Teaching and Learning Activities

and Recommended Resources, including

Printed Textbooks, e-books, websites, and

other open source materials.

There is a list of financial services

formulae to assist candidates with basic

calculations; a glossary of financial services

terms to serve as a ready reckoner for users

of the syllabus; and a glossary of terms

used in the Financial Services Studies

examinations, to help guide candidates as

they prepare for their internal and external

examinations.

A section in the syllabus is dedicated

to the Outline of Assessment and explains

the following structure:

• Paper 01 consisting of 45 Multiple

Choice items evenly distributed

across the three Modules. This paper

contributes 30% of the total marks on

the examinations.

Dr Annette Piper is Assistant Registrar, Syllabus and Curriculum Development, at CXC’s Western Zone Office in Jamaica. Dr Piper is the Syllabus Officer responsible for the development of the Financial Services Studies syllabus.

We recognize in the

British Virgin Islands that

this industry (financial

services) must be

owned by BVIslanders,

otherwise it will be lost

down the road. We are

making an intentional

change with a decisive

commitment to further

transform and position

our financial services.

This is a move towards

building BVIslander

capability in the sector.”

HonourableDr Kendrick Pickeringwas Acting Premier of the BVI when he delivered the address at the launch of CAPE Financial Services Studies.

Click the links below to view coverage of the launch

www.youtube.com/watch?v=rQ786Alxt9c

bvifinance.vg/News-Resources/ArticleID/584/BVI-Launches-CAPE-Financial-Services-Syllabus

bvinews.com/new/bvi-urges-others-come-study-financial-services/

preview.bviplatinum.com/news.php?articleId=25838

• Paper 02 consisting of six compulsory

items equally divided among the

Modules, and contributing to 50% of

the total marks.

• Paper 031 (SBA) which is a research

paper for in-school candidates.

Candidates taking this course have

conduct the research activities and

prepare the paper which should not

exceed 1500 words. The SBA is worth

20% of the total marks, applied to both

Units in the syllabus. The activities

require the candidates to demonstrate

their skills in research, presentation,

analysis, and evaluation of qualitative

and quantitative data as appropriate to

the field of financial services.

• Paper032 is a written examination

for out-of-school candidates and it is

worth 20 per cent of the total marks. It

comprises three compulsory questions

based on all the Modules in the Unit,

tests the knowledge of Financial

Services concepts contained in the

syllabus, and, as in the case of Paper

031, tests the research, presentation,

analysis, and evaluation of qualitative

and quantitative data as appropriate to

the field of financial services.

The syllabus was approved for teaching

in schools effective September 2016 and

first examinations in May-June 2017, and

Teacher Orientation Workshops were

conducted throughout the region between

May and October 2016 with the support

of the ministries of education. Thanks to

everyone who contributed to the success.


NEWS

If education is to be used as a weapon,

what is the ammunition needed to enable

it to contribute effectively to changing the

world? Further, how do we ensure that this

weapon of power is available to everyone,

whether he or she is a privately or publicly

tutored student or adult learner?

Benjamin Franklin best answered these

questions when he said, “An investment in

knowledge pays the best interest” (RL360,

2015). For us to reap the best interest, that

of a changed world, we must understand the

importance of investing in knowledge. We

must understand the business of education.

What is the business of education?The business of education is the

premise that financing is required for

education to succeed. It is a mind-set, an

orientation, where we understand that the

‘bottom line’ is a plumb line by which the

proficiency of our education service can be

measured.

The Business of EducationBy Nikisha Toppin

Bruce Baker (2016), in his article “Does

Money Matter in Education”, intimates that

“[s]ustained improvements to the level and

distribution of funding across local public

school districts can lead to improvements

in the level and distribution of student

outcomes.” Thus, if we consistently budget

for increases in public school funding and

strategically plan for uniform sponsorship

across schools, continuous improvements

in student achievement will be seen.

Whether the educational goal is project-

based learning, child-centred learning,

experiential learning or a blended classroom

environment, financing is needed.

The Ministers of Education of Latin

America and the Caribbean (UNESCO,

2014) at their 2014 Education for All meeting

stated, with regard to governance and

financing, that “financing of education is

an investment in development”. This point

is also underscored by the Caribbean

Development Bank (2016) which views

education as “a critical enabler of social

and economic development, and the

fountain head for human capital formation”.

Education is therefore seen as a necessary

component for economic and human

resource development.

The 2014 World Bank report on

government expenditure on education

as a total percentage of GDP indicates

that Barbados, Jamaica and Saint Lucia

invest an average of 7%, 5% and 6% in

education respectively. The declarations

of the Ministers of Education denote that

an increase in the average percentage of

GDP distributed to education requires the

diversification of available funding sources.

Hence, it can be concluded that education

and its related activities will benefit from a

marriage between the business of education

and education as a service.

Education as a service The North Amer ican Industr ia l

Classification System defines the education

services sector as “establishments whose

WHAT IS EDUCATION?“Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.”

Nelson Mandela



The Business of Education

primary activity is education, including public,

not-for-profit and for-profit establishments”

(Statistics Canada, nd). Richard C. Larson

(2009), in his editorial “Education: Our Most

Important Service Sector”, indicates that

“[e]ducation is a service industry comprising

10 per cent of the US GDP, second only to

health care at 17 per cent.”

Our societies, families, and individuals

also consider education a public good. As a

service industry, the profit in education is the

development of people with the right skills,

competencies and attitudes to contribute

to their nation. The focus is therefore on

service for development and not service

for profit.

To put it in one sentence: We are in the

business of education, but not educating to

be a business. How then do we marry the

service of education and the business of

education?

The service of educationand the business sector

Business and education partnerships

are cooperative relationships between

schools and local businesses (Project

10: Transition Education Network, 2011).

The Council for Corporate and School

Partnerships, founded by Coca-Cola,

advises that partnership programmes

“may involve staff development, curriculum

development , pol icy development ,

instructional development, guidance,

mentoring, tutoring, incentives and awards,

or they may provide material and financial

resources” (New Hampshire Scholars, nd).

The programmes of the Business and

Education Partnership of the Waterloo

region in Canada work towards assisting

youth between the ages of 12 and 18 with

the school-to-work transition. The activities

of the Sun Prairie Business and Education

Partnership of the United States of America

(USA) include early childhood development,

secondary school workshops and seminars,

as well as a structured programme of

volunteerism. Initiatives such as these have

become entrenched in the corporate social

responsibility programmes of Caribbean-

based organizations.

T h e S c o t i a b a n k B r i g h t F u t u r e

Programme, the Royal Bank of Canada Young

Leaders Programme and the programmes

Nikisha Toppin is the Senior Secretary, Corporate Strategyand Business Development, at CXC®.

ReferencesBruce Baker, “Does Money Matter in Education”, 2nd Edition. 2016. Accessed 28 February 2017.http://www.shankerinstitute.org/resource/does-money-matter-second-edition.

Caribbean Development Bank Education Training Policy, 2016. Accessed 28 February 2017.http://www.caribank.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/EducationTrainingPolicy1.pdf.

New Hampshire Scholars, “A How-To Guide for School–Business Partnerships”, nd. Accessed 28 February 2017. http://www.nhscholars.org/School-Business%20How_to_Guide.pdf

Project 10: Transition Education Network, “Business & Education Partnerships”, 2011. Accessed 28 February 2017. http://project10.info/DetailPage.php?MainPageID=139.

Richard C. Larson, “Education: Our Most Important Service Sector”, 2009. Accessed 28 February 2017. http://pubsonline.informs.org/doi/pdf/10.1287/serv.1.4.i.

RL360 Insurance Company Limited, “An investment in knowledge pays the best interest”, 2015. Accessed 28 February 2017. http://www.rl360adviser.com/generic/downloads/qu027.pdf. Statistics Canada, nd. Accessed 28 February 2017.http://www.statcan.gc.ca/pub/81-004-x/def/4153351-eng.htm. United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), “Ministerial Meeting Education for All in Latin America and the Caribbean: Assessment and Post-2015 Challenges”, 2014. Accessed 28 February 2017.http://www.unesco.org/fileadmin/MULTIMEDIA/FIELD/Santiago/pdf/CONCEPTUALNOTELIMA.pdf.

World Bank, Government Expenditure on Education, Total (% of GDP), 2014. Accessed 28 February2017.http://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SE.XPD.TOTL.GD.ZS.

undertaken by the Sandals Foundation

are shining examples of initiatives which

empower young people through education

and social development. The recently signed

exclusive partnership of Cable & Wireless

and One on One Education Services

provides Caribbean learners with greater

access to learning resource materials,

including resources for the Caribbean

Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC®)

and Caribbean Advanced Proficiency

Examination (CAPE®) examinations of the

Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC®).

CXC®, education and businessIn 2009, CXC® introduced the Corporate

Strategy and Business Development (CSBD)

directorate to support the growing demand

for diversity in learning and explore new

opportunities in the use of technologies to

improve candidate performance. Since the

introduction of the directorate, CXC® has

entered into partnerships with organizations

like Notesmaster, a free e-learning platform

that enables learners and educators from

Caribbean territories to share material using

the CXC® syllabus frameworks.

The Sagicor Visionaries Challenge,

a strategic partnership of the Caribbean

Science Foundation (CSF), Sagicor Life

Inc. and CXC®, was launched in April 2014

and focuses on the application of Science,

Technology, Engineering and Mathematics

(STEM) to provide innovative solutions

to make schools and communities more

sustainable. In 2016, CXC® announced its

intention to establish the CXC® Foundation,

a charitable arm of the organization, aimed

at supporting crucial educational initiatives.

Crucial educational initiativesThe Caribbean Partners for Educational

Progress, University of the West Indies,

Mona, collates the Caribbean education

initiatives, which governments, private

companies and international development

partners are pursuing for the development

of the region. These initiatives highlight

the fact that for education to be used as

a weapon, and for us to receive the best

interest, that of a changed world, the

business of education must be understood,

emphasized and practised.

Business and education partnerships

are therefore encouraged to go beyond

the one-off provision of development

workshops, occasional sponsorship of

school activities and annual allowance of

professional development opportunities as

internships. Businesses are encouraged to

adopt a school within their community, and

to institute a volunteer programme for the

benefit of the children, youth and teachers

who form part of our society.

The old adage “It takes a village to

raise a child” includes the entire community,

especially businesses.


StudyingTheatre and

Performing Arts:

STUDENTSSPEAK

By Yvonne Weekes, PhD


NEWS

Barbados’ Creative Industries Development Strategy (2004) cites “lack

of employment opportunities for actors” (p. 99) as one of the factors

guiding the drive to expand the island’s creative industries. While

we note the concern, we must also be aware of the potential of the

arts to transform the emotional lives of those students who study the

performing arts.

IntroductionThe Caribbean has a long history of training in the arts rooted in

capturing our history, strengthening our identity and developing our own

unique aesthetic. Between 1940 and 1966 the late Edna Manley propelled

training in the visual arts at the Jamaica School of Arts and Craft, in

collaboration with the Institute of Jamaica. Four independent schools were

developed: School of Visual Arts (1951), School of Music (1961), School of

Drama (1968) and School of Dance (1970). These were consolidated into

the Edna Manley College of Visual and Performing Arts in 1995, in honour

of the Hon. Edna Manley (http://emc.edu.jm/about-emcvpa/).

Further developments in arts education followed in 1986 with

University of the West Indies’ opening of the Department of Creative and

Festival Arts in Trinidad (https://sta.uwi.edu). The Barbados Community

College offered an Associate Degree in Performing Arts in 1995, which

later changed to Theatre Arts in 2001. In 2001 the Caribbean Examinations

Council offered CSEC Theatre Arts. The Errol Barrow Centre for Creative

Imagination at the University of the West Indies, Barbados, began offering

undergraduate degrees in Cinematic Arts, Theatre Arts and Dance in

2007. Recognizing the gap between the CSEC examinations in Theatre

Arts and Music, and university degree programmes, the Caribbean

Examinations Council subsequently developed CAPE Performing Arts,

which was first examined in 2013.

Why Study Theatre and the Performing ArtsIn developing the Theatre and Performing Arts syllabuses, global

pedagogical strategies were carefully considered along with the mandate

to provide training for the development of the ideal Caribbean person.

Journaling as an activity would provide our students with an outlet for

their emotions (Koole, Van Dillen & Sheppes, 2013) and critical thinking.

Caribbean text analysis and exploration of our cultural forms would

encourage respect for our intrinsic cultural identity (Fliotsos & Medford,

2004, p. 2). Problem-solving, co-operative, focused behaviour and the

development of fair-minded citizens, would be achieved through dance

and drama improvisation, playmaking and production, encouraging our

students to achieve greater engagement of their minds and their senses

(Davis, 2008).

What the Students Said/WroteIn 2012 I conducted research of graduates from Barbadian tertiary

institutions in order to identify which elements of their study were

perceived as contributing to their positive sense of themselves. The study

included questionnaires to determine their career status and interviews

with both students and parents to discuss their feelings about the study

of the arts. Some students also wrote letters to express their views.

This article focuses on those students’ letters which were sent to the

researcher over the course of the study. What follows is a small sample

of their perspectives.




Performance on CSEC Remains Steady

Dr Yvonne Weekes is a lecturer in Theatre at the Errol Barrow Centre for Creative Imagination, University of the West Indies, Cave Hill campus. She has over 40 years’ experience working in theatre.

References“About Edna Manley College of the Visual and Performing Arts”. Retrieved 26 February 2017 fromhttp://emc.edu.jm/about-emcvpa/.

Davis, S. (2007). “Drama, Engagement and Creativity”. Creative Engagements: Thinking with Children. 3rd Global Conference. Retrieved 4 February 2017 from http://interdisciplinary.net/ati/education/cp/ce3/Davis%20paper.pdf.

Department of Creative and Festival Arts. Retrieved 26 February 2017 from https://sta.uwi.edu/fhe/dcfa/.

Fliotsos, A. and Medford, G. (2004). Teaching Theatre Today: Pedagogical Views of Theatre in Higher Education. New York: Palgrave Macmillan.

S.L. Koole, L.F. Van Dillen and G. Sheppes (2013). “The Self-regulation of Emotion”. In K.D. Vohs and R.F. Baumeister (Eds). Handbook of Self-regulation (pp. 3–21). New York: Guildford Press.

“The Regional Cultural Policy of the Caribbean Community”. Retrieved 24 February 2017 fromhttps://sta.uwi.edu/fhe/dcfa/index.asp.

One student had this to say about role

play and improvisation:

Being given roles outside of my comfort zone and making a conscious decision to be as believable and intense as I possibly could be to bring credibility to the character gave me the confidence that I lacked when I entered the programme. (Graduate, 2007)

Another student highlighted the effect

of role play and improvisation:

I developed self-confidence because like improvisation helped me to think on the spot. (Graduate, 2010)

Understanding the importance of

communication was ranked highly by

students:

Before [I was] this shy girl who was afraid to talk in public or even to persons one on one. Because of this I spoke really fast so as to finish conversations very quickly. This resulted in in me just babbling uncontrollably and most of the time not getting my point across… one of my problem areas was highlighted during voice and speech … I learnt different techniques I could use which would make my lisp less obvious and further was taught how I could control the pace at which I spoke. (Graduate, 2010)

The importance of personal growth

was also highlighted:

I enjoyed creating characters, devising plays, doing journals. Before I was kind of shy I was not sure if I would be comfortable performing in front of people … but I was a very guarded person … I used to shut down and just be cold even as a child. I was a like a pot, a lava ready to explode. I took off the mask in order to take on other characters. I was pushed to express myself. Talk about things that I had never had the courage to say what was going on. To scream. Or even cry. It made me happier. More open. (Graduate, 2012)

The overall importance of the

programme was emphasized by

another graduate:

I want to thank you deeply for giving me the voice that I had for many years swallowed or muted, I don’t think you can realize how much Theatre has given me. (Graduate, 2011)

A graduate who works freelance in the

technical areas of theatre spoke of how

the theory elements of acting along

with the practical component were

crucial to his development as a human

being:

Theatre Arts has improved and empowered me as a musician, an artist and ultimately as a human being; it has given me the tools to understand myself as an individual. (Graduate, 2013)

Final WordsResearch ind icates that these

intrinsic values also impact on academic

achievement in other areas; however, this

requires another discussion at another

time. In the meantime, I trust that principals,

educators and policymakers will take note of

the important and tangible areas of growth

that the arts afford, which are beneficial to

all individuals in our society. I conclude this

article with these final words from a student’s

letter to me:

At just 17 years old I was still in that rebellious stage of life where I thought everything revolved around me and it was either my way or no way. I was angry and never allowed myself to be vulnerable, especially in front of others. Overall I was extremely rough around the edges and not as refined as I should have been at 17. Through the programme and through the many exercises I have been exposed to, I learnt that it was OK to be myself, completely … I honestly believe that at some point in life everyone needs to experience a Theatre Arts experience. Honestly, if I had not enrolled into the Theatre Arts programme only God knows how I’d be now. (Graduate, 2009)



Business of the ArtsKEY ELEMENTS OF A SUCCESSFUL

THEATRICAL PRODUCTIONBy Carla W. Springer Hunte

NEWS

Every year, performing arts students

from the Errol Barrow Centre for Creative

Imagination, Barbados Community College,

and our secondary schools graduate with the

brave notion of becoming their own boss.

They want to create, write, choreograph,

rehearse and produce, own their ideas,

intellectual property, and businesses; but are

they prepared for the business community?

They want to get their creativity in the public

domain, but do they know or have they been

taught the basics for producing events? Do

students appreciate the importance of the

arts as business, or understand the key

elements involved?

The following questions are essential:

1. How do you create a feasible

business project?

2. What are the objectives of your

production?

3. Who is your audience?

4. Who will be on your team?

5. Which businesses/individuals can

you approach for funding?

6. How do you design your budget?

7. What are your sources of income?

8. What will your production expenses

be?

If these are the questions you are

asking, you are on the way to understanding

the key elements involved in producing

works for the public. These basics pertain

to the pre- to post-production phases,

and are very important to the viability and

sustainability of an arts business. Success

does not always mean breaking even or

even making a profit every time, but having

a well-produced event on which your

reputation and/or business can build.

PRE-PRODUCTION

Choose your Production

• Do your research!

• What message do you want to

send to the public?

• Why do you want to showcase this

piece(s) of work?

• Has permission been sought from

the Playwright/Choreographer?

• Are royalties or fees due?

Choose your Team

Production Team: Production Manager,

Artistic Director, Technical Director and

Front of House Manager; understand the

individual roles.

Technical Service Providers: Lighting

and Sound Designers and Operators,

Stage Manager and Crew; discuss the

requirements and associated costs.

Have a good working relationship with

team members toward a common goal, that

is, to have a great production - creatively,

technically and financially.

Once the Team has been chosen,

discuss the production thoroughly:

• script, characters (performers,

dancers, musicians, etc.),

• costumes and makeup,

• technical Rider - stage, lights and

sound requirements,

• stage and set, furniture and

properties,

• any other miscellaneous

requirements, e.g., permissions,

• discuss schedules - rehearsals

and performances; allows for the

smooth and efficient transition of the

programme,

• discuss deadlines for set building,

furniture acquisition, properties

collection, costume completion,

blockings set, music scored,

choreographies perfected, physical

scenes have been rehearsed, and

lines learnt, etc., and

• production set-up: set construction

and stage set-up, rigging, plotting for

lights and sound, technical rehearsals,

full dress rehearsals. Also Post-

production – dates/times to strike.

The Audition Process

Performers may be chosen beforehand,

or may be asked to come prepared to

audition.

Services Agreement

Once you have chosen your team

and talent, speak with your legal team or

representative to find the best agreement or

Contract for Services; indicate the following:

• full rehearsal and performance

schedule,

• obligations of the Performer –

rehearsals, appearances and

performances; payment of personal

taxes,

• obligations as the Producer - payment

details, including amounts and dates.

Outline your Budget

What do you estimate will be the

Income and Expenditure for the Production?

Income:

• Box Office Receipts: could be

affected by a popular artiste or

choreographer, a well-known piece of

work, a specific target audience, an

exciting or controversial topic, and/or

how effective is your marketing and

promotion of the production

• Grants or Sponsorship: include it

in your budget. Make your budget

realistic; be honest about your figures.

• Other income: programme sales,

sale of merchandise, sale of food

and drinks at intermission or after the

event, donations.




Expenditure

• Administrative Costs: Records and

book-keeping, printing and stationery,

licenses, royalties and fees, and

Public Liability Insurance

• Marketing Costs: depending on the

performance and how easy it is to

sell, (it may be marginally more or

less,) for example, graphics and

artwork, printing flyers, posters and

programmes, and media advertising –

newspapers, TV and Radio, Internet

• Production Costs: these are at the

heart of your production:

a. Production Management Fees –

Director or Artistic Director, Set

Designer, Costume Designer/

Maker, Costume Personnel,

Musical Director, Choreographer,

Royalties for Playwright, Box

Office personnel

b. Performers’ Fees - professional

or amateur actors, musicians,

dancers, etc., length of

production run, that is, amount

per season vs. amount per show.

c. Crew Fees - Stage Management

and backstage crew, dressers,

runners, etc.

d. Furniture and Properties

e. Costumes and Makeup

• Technical (Stage, Light, Sound)

Costs: Set Building, Stage

Management, Lighting Design,

Sound Reinforcement, and the

respective set-ups, labour, rehearsals,

performances and strike

• Miscellaneous: Travel, catering,

ground transportation, freight, etc.

Taxes/Licenses

• Make contact with the Barbados

Revenue Authority – Value Added

Tax (VAT) Division – get your

tickets printed early and send to be

processed; the earlier, the better!

• Visit the Office of Copyright Society of

Composers, Authors and Publishers

Inc. (COSCAP) and request a Permit

(for a small fee) for the Public use of

Copyrighted Music, should your event

require the playing of live or recorded

music.

BUDGET BREAKDOWN

PRODUCTION NAME:

DATE(S) OF PRODUCTION:

INCOME $ $

Box Office Receipts 0.00

Less: Value Added Tax 0.00 0.00

Donations 0.00

Grants Received 0.00

Other Income 0.00

Programme Sales 0.00

Sale of Merchandise 0.00

Sales from Catering 0.00

Sponsorship 0.00 0.00

TOTAL INCOME 0.00

Your final budget should be:

• a fair and honest budget, where your

income is equal to your expenditure;

we always want to show a profit, but

breaking even is never a bad thing

• discussed with your Production Team

- this enables everyone to understand

the financial limitations of the

production

• able to give an accurate financial

description; it allows you to go to your

prospective sponsors and say “Here

is my Budget, please give us some

assistance!”

• able to consolidate and transfer

the numbers from the Budget to

the actual numbers in the Income

Statement and Final Accounting

Records with ease and clarity. This

budget can also give you a guideline

for future productions.

• Always pay your bills on time!!!

Selling your Production

• Who are the performers? What is the

show? Where and When is it? Where

can I buy tickets? How much?

• Identify the play’s unique selling

points - make people run out and buy

tickets

• Ticket price - will the target audience

be able to pay?

• Discounted tickets? Special offer

tickets? Corporate Rates? BARP?

• Box Offices in convenient locations

• Press Release to the Media houses

• Professional bios and photographs of

the Performers and Crew

• Flyers and Posters - who, what,

where, when, why and how.

• Programmes for audience: share

important details, enhance the

theatrical experience, souvenir of

event

• Maintain your deadline dates

for sending and receiving vital

information

• It’s Opening Night – invite the who’s

who of the industry, sponsors, etc.

DURING THE PRODUCTION

Keeping Check

• Box Offices - check on ticket sales,

and collect unsold tickets to be sold

at the door

• Ushers - theatre etiquette, emergency

exits, announcements and safety

precautions, rules and regulations of

the Theatre

Business of the Arts



NEWS

EXPENDITURE $ $

Administrative Costs: Bank Charges 0.00

Bookkeeping Fees 0.00

Licenses and Royalties 0.00

Miscellaneous 0.00

Photocopying/Stationery 0.00

Postage & Delivery 0.00

Public Liability Insurance 0.00

Purchase of Script 0.00

Telephone/Cell/Internet 0.00 0.00

Marketing & Advertising: Box Office Commission 0.00

Graphics/Artwork 0.00

Newspaper Ads 0.00

Printing Flyers/Posters 0.00

Printing of Tickets 0.00

Printing Programmes 0.00

Television & Radio Ads 0.00 0.00

Production Costs: Costumes 0.00

Director’s Fees 0.00

Front of House Services 0.00

Furniture & Properties 0.00

Hair & Make-up 0.00

Performers’ Fees 0.00

Production Fees 0.00

Set/Costume Designers 0.00 0.00

Other Expenses: Ground Transportation 0.00

Refreshments 0.00

Security & Maintenance 0.00 0.00

Technical Costs: Lighting 0.00

Set Construction 0.00

Sound Reinforcement 0.00

Stage Management 0.00 0.00

Venue Costs: Venue Rental 0.00 0.00

TOTAL EXPENDITURE 0.00

Profit/(Loss) $0.00

• Respect and keep call times and start

times for the production

• Respect for the production team,

technical team, performers and each

other

• Pay performers and crew on time

• Do additional advertising as needed

POST-PRODUCTION

Finalise the production

• Going to another venue? Ensure all

set, stage, furniture, properties and

costumes are boxed and labelled

• Ensure that all aspects of the

production are well documented for

re-set

• Strike should be done in a methodical

manner to preserve integrity of the

production

• If no hold-over or relocation, strike

date should be scheduled for the day

after the final performance to allow

the theatre to return to standard

• Furniture and properties returned;

costumes laundered, returned or

stored in good condition

• Transportation arranged for return or

storage of flats or set/staging pieces

• Hold a Post-production meeting to

discuss ALL aspects of the production

• Make a checklist for sign-off for

the return or storage of items. This

ensures efficiency and should be

coordinated by the Production or

Stage Manager.

With each production, we learn more,

we become more confident when working

on our budgets and setting our rehearsal

schedules and performance dates, choosing

the best team and the best suited performers,

and how to get the best from our theatrical

productions and, hopefully, make a profit.

And as we say… “Break a Leg”

Carla W. Springer Hunte is the Manager of the Errol Barrow Centre for Creative Imagination, The University of the West Indies, Cave Hill Campus, Barbados. She is a founding member of seaspring inc., and SAYGE Theatre Productions.



CAREER CORNER





(CXC®) is one of those shining lights in the

Caribbean that the region can hold up to the

rest of the world as an example of functional,

regional cooperation.

This is the view of the Honourable

Ronald Jones, Minister of Education,

Science, Technology and Innovation in

Barbados. Minister Jones was at the

time delivering the feature address at

the opening of the 48th meeting of the

Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC®)

and Presentation of Regional Top Awards

on Thursday, 1 December 2016 at the Hilton

Barbados Resort.

“It [CXC®] has grown; it has expanded;

it has diversified its offerings to our people;”

the former teacher explained. “It has had

outstanding leadership over time, both at

the level of Council and Registrar and those

who manage the affairs of that body.”

While applauding CXC® for its work

with students in the Caribbean, the former

trade unionist encouraged CXC® to have

a futuristic outlook. “You have to continue

investing and reinvesting, to look and look

again, and to enhance everything that you

do because there is a dynamic reality taking

place,” he urged.

In an apparent reference to electronic

initiatives, the Education Minister explained

that young people are learning today with

different modalities, and therefore the

application of different methodologies must

be brought to bear on their purpose for

learning. Minister Jones also cautioned the

region about the application of technology

as they look at the new learning styles

of students. He noted that on one hand,

increased technology was being used as

tools of learning, and on the other hand, they

had become “tools of destruction”, negatively

affecting the minds of young people.

The minister continued that technologies

“corrupt our young people by the very

presence of misuse, but yet we cannot step

back from them. But what we have to do is to

bend them to practical use within our learning

environment.” He acknowledged that CXC®

was doing this by introducing e-testing.

Start of a journey Speaking to the Regional Top Awardees

who paid a courtesy call on him at the Ministry

of Education, Jones acknowledged the

significant accomplishments of the students as

they introduced themselves to him and other

ministry officials. He was full of praise for the

students, but was also quick to caution: “This is

just but a small journey. There is so much more

for all of you to do in your studies…. Don’t rest

on your laurels,” Minister Jones said.

He told the students they had a huge

responsibility on their shoulders as the future

generation of the Caribbean. He explained that

as the holistic development of the Caribbean

citizenry takes root, the region will rely on its

younger generation for hope and to keep the

momentum.

In addition, Mr Jones reminded the young

people that future would be a reflection of

their work and where they are able to take

the region. “Yes there are challenges within

the region, but you have to help confront

those challenges. You have to help make

the changes which will make our region so

much better than it currently is,” a passionate

Jones said to the awardees in the ministry’s

conference room.


ShiningLight

By Cleveland Sam

You have to continue

investing and reinvesting,

to look and look again, and

to enhance everything that

you do because there is a

dynamic reality taking place

2016 Regional Top Awardees posing with their prizes

Honourable Ronald Jones, Minister of Education,Science, Technology and Innovation





Good handsDr Marcia Potter, Deputy Chair of CXC

expressed confidence in the idea that the

regional top awardees can take the region

forward.

“When you listen to them [awardees],

it gives hope that we are in good hands,

despite the gloom and doom we often

hear about the young generation today,”

the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of

Education and Culture in the British Virgin

Islands said.

Dr Potter, who spoke at the awards

ceremony on behalf of Sir Hilary Beckles,

wished the awardees success in all their

endeavours. “May they continue to excel

and make their families, countries and this

entire region proud”.

She also took the opportunity to dispel

the notion that the regional top awardees

are not normal students. “Often, one hears

that they [awardees] cannot possibly lead

normal lives to have achieved what they did

at the CSEC® or CAPE® levels, for example

having achieved 19 subjects in just one

sitting…but believe me, they are normal

young people,” Dr Potter indicated.

Governor General of Barbados Sir

Elliot Belgrave hosted the awardees for a

courtesy call on Thursday, 1 December at

his official residence. Sir Elliot also reminded

the awardees of the region’s expectations

of them. “The future of this region depends

on you,” the former Chief Justice said to

the awardees as they sat in his luxuriate

living room. He told the awardees, “it is my

wish, hope and desire that all of you realise

we are one people and treat each other as

such. So that wherever you go and succeed,

you never forget this region or your native

land.” Mr Glenroy Cumberbatch, CXC®

Registrar, echoed Dr Potter’s sentiments in

his remarks. He too noted that the regional

top awardees are normal students who

have an appetite for excellence. The CXC®

Registrar also emphasized that CXC®

qualifications are internationally recognized,

and that students from the region enter

the best universities around the world with

CXC® qualifications and perform just as

well or better than students with similar

qualifications.

Regional Top AwardeesDuring the ceremony held on the night

of Thursday, 1 December 2016, students

from six Caribbean countries – Belize,

Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica and

Trinidad and Tobago – received awards for

outstanding performances in the Caribbean

Advanced Proficiency Examination (CAPE®),

Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate

(CSEC®) and the Caribbean Certificate of

Secondary Level Competence (CCSLC).

CCSLC History The first regional top awards for the

Caribbean Certificate of Secondary Level

Competence (CCSLC) were presented at

the 2016 ceremony. The recipients were

Jason Philip of Presentation Boys’ College,

Grenada and Keiana Brown of Northeast

Comprehensive School, Dominica.

Jason received the award for the

Most Outstanding Male Student in CCSLC,

while Keiana received the award for Most

Outstanding Female Student in CCSLC.

Jason achieved Master in CCSLC

English and Mathematics and Grade I in

CSEC® Information Technology, Physical

Education and Sport and Electronic and

Electrical Technology. Keiana achieved

Master in CCSLC English and Mathematics

and Grade I in CSEC® Food and Nutrition,

Technical Drawing and Electronic Document

Preparation and Management.

CAPE Apart from the two awards that went to

Jamaican and Guyanese students, the other

CAPE awards went to students from schools

in Trinidad and Tobago.

For the first time in the ten-year history

Regional Top Awardees

Honourable Ronald Jones, Minister of Education, Science, Technology and Innovation, presenting Kayshav Tewari with his awards

Dr Marcia Potter, Deputy Chairman of CXC, presenting Larissa Wiltshire with her award


of regional top awards for the Caribbean

Advanced Proficiency Examination (CAPE),

the sister of a former awardee won the same

award – the Dennis Irvine Award, the symbol

of academic excellence at the CAPE level.

Varna Thomas of Ardenne High School

in Jamaica received this year’s Dennis Irvine

Award. Varna is the sister of 2013 winner

Dea Thomas, also of Ardenne High School.

Varna achieved Grade I in 12 CAPE Units:

Applied Mathematics Units 1 and 2, Biology

Units 1 and 2, Caribbean Studies, Chemistry

Units 1 and 2, Communications Studies,

Physics Unit 1 and 2, and Pure Mathematics

Units 1 and 2.

La r i s s a W i l t s h i r e o f Q u e e n ’s

College, Guyana received the award for

the Outstanding Candidate in Natural

Sciences with Grade I in 12 Units: Applied

Mathematics Units 1 and 2, Biology Units 1

and 2, Caribbean Studies, Communications

Studies, Chemistry Units 1 and 2, and

Environmental Science Units 1 and 2.

Joshua Ramkissoon of Hill View

College received the Award for Most

Outstanding Performance in Mathematics.

He achieved the award with Grade I in ten

Units: Applied Mathematics Units 1 and

2, Caribbean Studies, Communications

Studies, Chemistry Units 1 and 2, Physics

Units 1 and 2, and Pure Mathematics Units

1 and 2.

Raquel Leblanc of St Joseph’s Convent

(Port of Spain) received the award for Most

Outstanding Candidate in Business Studies

with Grade I in ten Units: Accounting Units 1

and 2, Caribbean Studies, Communications

Studies, Economics Units 1 and 2, Literatures

in English Units 1 and 2, and Management

of Business Units 1 and 2.

Two students from Naprima Girls’ High

School, were among the award recipients

in 2016. They were Saajida Baksh who

took home the Hodder Education CAPE

Humanities Award; and Ilisha Manerikar who

took home the Language Studies award,

both with eight Units at Grade I. Saajida

achieved Grade I in Caribbean Studies,

Communication Studies, History Units 1

and 2, Literatures in English Units 1 and 2,

Sociology Unit 1 and Grade II in Sociology

Unit 2. Ilisha achieved Grade I in Caribbean

Studies, Communication Studies, French

Units 1 and 2, Literatures in English Units 1

and 2, and Spanish Units 1 and 2.

Shabanah Mohammed of ASJA Girls,

(San Fernando) received the Environmental

Science award with Grade I in eight Units.

Shabanah achieved Grade I in Biology Units

1 and 2, Caribbean Studies, Communication

Studies, Environmental Science Units 1 and

2, and Geography Units 1 and 2.

For producing the Most Outstanding

Candidate Overall in 2016, Ardenne High

School, Jamaica, received the award for the

CAPE School of the Year, the second time

in four years. Ms Nadine Malloy, Principal of

Ardenne High School received the award on

behalf of the school.

CSEC®Kayshav Tewari of Queens’ College,

Guyana received the award for the

Most Outstanding Candidate Overall.

He also took the award for the Most


Professor Nigel Harris, former Chairman of CXC, presenting the Dennis Irvine Award to Varna Thomas

Mr Glenroy Cumberbatch, Registrar of CXC, presenting Jevauny Simpson with his award Ms June Chandler, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Education, Science, Technology and Innovation presenting Sahara Pinnock with her awards




Outstanding Candidate in the Sciences

with 19 subjects. He achieved Grade I

in Additional Mathematics, Agricultural

Science (Double Award), Biology, Chemistry,

Economics, English A, English B, Electronic

Document Preparation and Management,

Geography, Human and Social Biology,

Information Technology, Integrated

Science, Mathematics, Physics, Principles of

Accounts, Principles of Business, Religious

Education, Social Studies and Spanish.

Three students from Jamaica were

also in winners’ row. Sahara Pinnock of

Holy Childhood High School copped the

Business Studies Award with Grade I in

ten subjects. She achieved Grade I in

Caribbean History, Economics, English A,

Information Technology, Mathematics, Office

Administration, Principles of Accounts,

Principles of Business, Social Studies and

Spanish.

Jevauny Simpson of St George’s

College won the award for Most Outstanding

Performer in 2-Dimensional Art in the Visual

Arts examination. Jevauny’s work was based

on a drawing with a pair of shoes, socks and

shoe brush. The Chief Examiner commented:

“This is an excellent example of drawing, in

which the candidate demonstrates mastery

of technical skills, superior understanding

of the medium and design principles to

create a composition that is creative,

innotive and aesthetically appealing. The

candidate combines an acute awarenes

of the anatomical structure of the objects

with the application of soft gradiations of

tonal values to build up the objects’ mass.

The use of perspective, placement and

foreshortening, conveys depth and the

spatial relationships between the objects

and their surroundings. The soft, thoughtful

rendering with the graphite demonstrates

the sensitivity and self-assurance of the

artist in capturing the solodity , character and

life’s journey of a small stool, a pair of men’s

shoes, socks and a shoe brush.”

Danielle Williams of Campion College

received the award for the Best Short Story.

The story was based on the stimulus: “He

looked nervously around him and decided

that the time was right. It was now or never.”

Sydni Walker of St Joseph’s Convent,

Grenada was presented with the award

for the Most Outstanding Performance in

the Humanities. Sydni achieved Grade I in

ten subjects: Biology, Caribbean History,

English A, English B, Geography, Information

Technology, Mathematics, Physics, Social

Studies and Spanish, and Grade II in Physics.

Glevaughn Smith of Edward P Yorke

High School in Belize received the award

for outstanding performance in Technical/

Vocational Education with 16 subjects, 14

Grade Is and two Grade IIs. He achieved

Grade I in Building Technology (woods),

Chemistry, English A, English B, Food and

Nutrition, Electronic Document Preparation

and Management, Geography, Huma and

Social Biology, Information Technology,

gisbarbados.gov.bb/blog/cxc-described-as-a-shining-light/

www.barbadosadvocate.com/news/cxc-registrar-cape-recognised-worldwide

www.barbadosadvocate.com/news/top-ranking

gisbarbados.gov.bb/blog/governor-general-congratulates-top-awardees/

Integrated Science, Mathematics, Mechanical

Engineering Technology, Physics, Technical

Drawing, Physical Education and Sport,

and Grade II in Office Administration, and

Spanish.

Moesha Tyson of Bishop Anstey High

School Trinidad and Tobago received the

award for Best 3-Dimensional Art. Moesha’s

piece is taken from the Sculpture and

Ceramics Option and is entitled “Old Boot.”

Commenting on her work, the Chief Examiner

states: “The candidate successfully uses the

concept of an “Old Boot” to create a pencil

holder that is both functional with excellent

visual impact. The product exhibits great

technical skill, sensitivity to the medium and

mastery of the construction technique. In

that the candidate demonstrates excellent

understanding of the medium, and has

used the clay to convincingly communicate

motion, gravity, weight, texture, emotion

and atmosphere. Using clay, the candidate

tells a very thought-provoking story of an

‘old boot’ that is worn and tattered. The ‘old

boot’ exudes a life of faithful servitude and

struggle, which is captured in its stiff rugged

heaviness, untied laces and its tattered,

broken leather.”

Ms Jackie Benn, Principal of Queen’s

College, Guyana received the award for

CSEC® School of the Year.


Mr Aird Atherley, Hodder Education representative in Barbados, presenting Saajida Baksh with the Hodder Education CAPE Humanities Award

Honourable Ronald Jones, Minister of Education, Science, Technology and Innovation presenting Keiana Brown with the first CCSLC Regional Top Award



BarbadosREGIONAL TOP AWARDEES





in their own words



My trip to Barbados was an unforgettable experience. I was a bit apprehensive at first about whether I would fit in with the other awardees. That feeling of apprehension quickly vanished as I met a group of vibrant students from all over the Caribbean and in no time we formed a special bond.

From my interaction with fellow awardees and the locals I learnt a myriad of things about the various cultures that exist in the Caribbean. During the days we toured the beautiful island, met with government officials and sampled scrumptious Barbadian cuisine. During the nights we talked nonstop, watched movies and played countless games. We were fortunate enough to have witness Barbados 50th celebration of independence. We witnessed the unveiling of the national monument as well as marveled at the spectacular fireworks that followed.

The night of the much anticipated awards ceremony was bitter sweet. Sweet in that we received awards and scholarships that brought smiles to our faces and bitter in that our time in paradise was coming to an end. I left the island with new friends and the fierce urge to achieve even greater successes in the future. I am eternally grateful to the Caribbean Examinations Council for providing us with the experience of a lifetime.

The five-day trip to Barbados for the Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC®) Regional Top Awards Ceremony and tours of the island was simply amazing. I began having fun from the plane ride to Barbados where I met two awardees from Jamaica. Upon arrival, we were chauffeured to the Hilton Barbados Resort where we would be staying.

The driver was very friendly and informed us about some of the places of interest on the way to the hotel. Our chaperone, Mr. Cleveland Sam or ‘Uncle Sam’ as we dubbed him, greeted us warmly at the entrance to the resort. He handed us our schedule for the week and informed us that some of the other awardees would join us throughout the week. I was elated to learn that we would also be celebrating the 50th Anniversary of independence with the ‘Bajans’ in that very week. My roommate was due to arrive on the Wednesday so I had two nights as the only resident of Room 152.

On Tuesday morning the other awardees and I gathered in the lobby after a scrumptious breakfast and headed via tour bus to the Ministry of Education’s office where we met the Honourable Ronald Jones, Minister of Education, Science, Technology and Innovation of Barbados, a jovial, respectful character; distinguished members of the CXC® Council and a group of Barbadian high school students who accompanied us on our tours.

At the end of that meeting, the awardees and I got a chance to bond with the students of Barbados. We then went to a popular store where we bought souvenirs.



Sahara PinnockHoly Childhood High SchoolJamaicaBusiness Studies Award

Glevaughn SmithEdward P Yorke High SchoolBelizeTechnical/Vocational Education Award


Nearing the end of a long and hectic week, the news broke that I was being presented with the award for the most outstanding candidate in Visual Arts - Three Dimensional in the region. At first, I thought that the whole thing was simply a misunderstanding and at some point the information would be verified and proven to be invalid. However, that was not so as I found myself on a flight bound to Bridgetown Barbados as the sun set on the horizon. When the plane touched down on foreign soil it finally set in that I was all alone in a country that I had travelled to before and was about to plunge into a sea of strangers from all over the Caribbean.

After a long drive of many twists and turns and maybe three or four roundabouts, I arrived at the Hilton Hotel. There, I was greeted by Mr. Sam with his broad smile and instantly felt comforted. As he whisked me away to dinner where the others were dining, I was stilled in awe of the fact that I was in BARBADOS!!! At the table I met board members of CXC and two awardees, both from Grenada. We instantly hit it off like good old friends despite the fact that we had only met five minutes prior.

As the old saying goes “time does fly fast when yuh having fun.” Before we knew it, after two days of consecutive courtesy calls to many influential individuals in society, it was already Thursday. That day we journeyed to the countryside on an island tour to visit Harrison’s Cave. Unfortunately, we did not venture into the Cave but got to tour Barbados with its breath-taking views and white sea sand. Of the four days prior to departure, the most memorable experience, apart from the awards ceremony itself, was the celebration of Barbados’ 50th Anniversary. The mere fact that I was there to witness the lowering of the time capsule was an experience like no other.

This experience has truly created many new found friendships among many teenagers from all over the region who otherwise may not have met one another.

Moesha TysonBishop Anstey High SchoolTrinidad and TobagoBest 3-Dimensional Art Award

Breakfast Time!

Beach Selfie


Keiana BrownNorth East ComprehensiveCommonwealth of DominicaBest Female Candidate in CCSLC

“Dominican Student to receive Top CXC Regional Award,” this was the headline of the article which informed me, that I was a Regional Top Awardee. Seeing my name and picture beneath it, reading the words that accompanied did little to solidifying the fact at the moment; it felt as if I was reading about someone else’s success and not my own. It was so much to take in, the fact that I was the first ever Dominican to receive such an award, that I didn’t want to believe that something so utterly amazing could have happened to me.

My trip to Barbados was the first time I had ever left my country, meaning that in addition to being shocked, I now had to process the entire prospect of being on my own in a country that I’d only ever heard of. I remember walking through the airport and wanting nothing more but to be holding my mother’s hand rather than clutching the handle of my travel bag. However, I soon got over it after joining the other awardees and our chaperon Mr. Sam, (or Uncle Sam as we began calling him) later that day. I was both awed and touched by how quickly and easily we all got along. This made me more than happy to spend the remainder of the trip getting to know all the awardees and their different backgrounds. Knowing that Prince Harry and Rihanna were in the same building as I, was a bonus, but wasn’t the big deal that one would have expected it to be.

The highlight of the experience was the night that we all watched fireworks together during the Barbados 50th Anniversary celebration, and promised each another, though jokingly, that we would all return together in another fifty years to catch up. It was at that moment that I knew that we had all formed bonds that would last a lifetime.

The entire experience, traveling to Barbados, the time I spent amongst complete strangers who are now invaluable friends, and even the day that I departed, all seemed surreal. However, even I must admit to myself that the memories I have now are indeed real, and are ones that I am certain will never leave me.

I am deeply grateful to the Caribbean Examination Council (CXC) for affording me this life- changing opportunity, and it is my hope that I won’t be the last person from my country to have this experience.



Award Night Selfie


Meet Our

Barbadian Friends


Veronica AlleyneMs Alleyne possesses a Master’s in Education (Testing, Measurement and Evaluation) and Bachelors in Science with a double

major in Biochemistry and Zoology from The UWI Cave Hill Campus. She also possesses a Diploma in Education (with Distinction) in Theory and Teaching practice. Alleyne was the recipient of a Cave Hill Campus Post-Emancipation Scholarship for Post Graduate Studies.

“My tenure so far has been an enlightening one,” the Jamaican-born Alleyne said. “Challenges do exist and the learning curve is steep, but interesting and exciting. I like being in an energetic environment and the technological leap that the Council has been making in the areas of e-testing, e-marking and e-authoring will definitely promote increased dynamism.”

She relishes the opportunity to be associated with an examining body that continues to maintain a very high standard in the region.

The two things that stand out for her so far are the work ethic of the staff, that is, extremely professional and supportive; and the diversity in nationality among the staff makes her feel right at home.

“A Jamaican by birth having lived in Barbados for the past 19 years, it is a pleasure working alongside a staff comprising so many Caribbean nationals including some of my country folks,” she explained. “I especially enjoy partaking in some of the culinary delights that they either create or share on their return from travelling to one of the other territories.”

Meeting with the Registrar and getting a sense of CXC’s future direction has been her most interesting interaction to date.

Devere WhitehallMr Whitehall possesses a Master’s in Education (Testing, Measurement and Evaluation) and Bachelors’ in Science (Computer

Science with Mathematics) from The UWI Cave Hill Campus. He is a trained teacher with over 16 years’ experience in teaching at the secondary and tertiary levels and has been instrumental in the coordination of CXC Summer School at UWI Open Campus from 2009 to 2013.

Like Alleyne, Devere says the time has been “interesting and educational” with a steep learning curve. He said the job is one in which you must be self-driven and motivated, outgoing, extremely organised and multifaceted.

“This time at the Council is very exciting with technological advances in E-authoring, E-testing and E-marking,” he stated. “I see this opportunity as a privilege to be associated with CXC which continues to maintain high examination standards throughout the Caribbean and internationally.”

The two things that stand out for Devere are the high level of professionalism, work ethics, passion and dedication by the staff to honour the Council’s commitments and meet deadlines; and the structure and the organisation of the Council. “Each staff member’s role is integral in the success of the Council mandate. One of the results of these interdependencies is strong interpersonal relationships amongst staff members at all levels of the institution, working together to reach a common goal,” he explained.

Similar to Veronica, Devere’s most interesting experience/interaction was also meeting with the Registrar.

Derek EdghillMr Edghill, who a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Barbados (FCA) also possesses a Bachelor of Science in

Economics and Accounting from UWI Cave Hill Campus. He obtained his Certified General Accountants Association of Canada Certification and has Certification from Edinburgh Business School in Economics and Negotiation. Mr Edghill has over two decades of international business experience having worked with multinational, regional and local companies.

Derek said he has found a welcoming environment at CXC. “My colleagues continue to be cooperative and helpful, and have made my transition a pleasant one.” He explained, what stands out for him is the use of technology. “My discovery that the organisation employs, and is committed to embracing the most contemporary technological tools in the management and development of its operations,” he stated. “Prior to my arrival here I was unaware of the great strides CXC had made in the development of its products and the aggressive drive towards the technological edge of examination production and development.

He said CXC’s implementation of e-authoring, e-testing and e-marking has made an indelible impression on the way he now views the organisation and have given him a greater sense of pride and hope as a Caribbean citizen.

It appears the Registrar has made a big impression on the new hires, Derek, like colleagues, he cites his meeting with the Registrar as his most interesting interaction to date. “Not knowing what to expect, the meeting went beyond the allotted time. It was both pleasant and inspiring to meet the Registrar and to hear him share both his vision for CXC and his philosophical outlook.”

Sandra Fitzpatrick Ms Fitzpatrick holds a Master’s in Business Administration from Surrey University and a Bachelor of Science from The University

of the West Indies majoring in Economics and Management. She has over 15 years’ experience analysing and interpreting corporate, financial and marketing data to inform strategic

initiatives in the aviation, marketing, management consulting and education industries. “It has been both exciting and rewarding,” the Business Analyst said of her tenure, which started on 1 November 2016. Sandra said she is excited to be involved in the behind-the-scenes dedication and commitment, which goes into developing

and administering examinations of the highest quality to the region’s learners. She is currently involved in managing the identification of user requirements for an enhanced Examinations Processing System

to ensure that CXC’s core processes are aligned with the new technologies including e-authoring, e-testing and e-marking.

Welcome!

CXC® WELCOMES NEW ARsTwo Measurement and Evaluation Officers, one Business Analyst and one Financial Accountant, are the most recent additions to CXC staff at its Barbados Headquarters. Veronica Alleyne and Devere Whitehall joined the Council on Thursday, 1 December as Measurement and Evaluation Officers in the Examinations Development and Production Department; Derek Edghill joined as Financial Accountant in the Finance and Office Management Department; and Sandra Fitzpatrick, who started work one month earlier on 1 November 2016, joined as Business Analyst in the Examinations Services Unit.


NEWS


Date post:	21-Jan-2018
Category:	Education
Upload:	caribbean-examinations-council
View:	1,359 times
Download:	0 times