President of the BSTU, Mary-Anne Redman.
THE teachers of the Barbados Secondary Teachers’ Union (BSTU) are calling for the Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC) to make a statement in regard to its plans for the exam period in 2021.
President of the BSTU, Mary-Anne Redman, told The Barbados Advocate that during Wednesday evening’s meetings, teachers expressed some concerns about the ability to complete the curriculum and school-based assessments (SBAs).
She explained that teachers were unsure about the scope and nature of the upcoming 2021 examinations and as such believed that it was important for CXC to make a statement very soon in relation to this exam period, so that teachers have adequate time to prepare and plan accordingly.
Redman also noted that teachers also asked for CXC to consider reintroducing options in the exam papers where individual questions did not cover more than one topic on the syllabus.
“I think it is important to mention other recommendations made by teachers called for the current CCSLC programme be abandoned, so that there can be the emphasis on an earlier start to the CXC syllabus, especially in schools where CXC exams are the exit exams majority of students will be doing,” she said.
“Another thing we discussed is the possibility of the introduction in schools that do not presently have them, a lower fifth.”
She explained that this would and should be considered if CXC was not willing to amend the exam structure and content of the syllabus, adding that this current fifth form will be considered lower fifth, in schools that do not have a lower fifth and they will sit their CXCs in upper fifth and the present fourth will go into a lower fifth next year.
She believed that this arrangement could be made for this school year and the next academic year.
Redman noted that this particular approach was discussed as it was seen as a way to give children the best possible chance at success, given the restrictions imposed by COVID-19. (CLJB)