Caribbean Union of Teachers Vehemently Opposes to CSEC Exams Being Held in July

While locally the B.N.T.U. and P.S.U. have reached agreement with the government to forgo increments, there is a storm brewing involving regional exams. That is because despite opposition in the region, the Caribbean Examination Council, with the nod from the Council of Human and Social Development, is standing by its decision to hold examinations in July.  Today, the Caribbean Union of Teachers placed on record its concerns saying that, “this unfortunate decision places the lives of thousands of students and teachers at risk, as all the issues surrounding the administering of the examinations have not been addressed.” The CUT had written to the Registrar of CXC saying that this position was reached after it engaged member units which were vehemently opposed to the July exams. The Belize National Teachers Union forms part of the CUT and today National President Elena Smith says the CUT has the full backing of the B.N.T.U.

Elena Smith

Elena Smith, National President, B.N.T.U.

“In normal circumstances teachers have had time in getting students submit their SBAs. That has always been an issue. It has always been an issue too maybe in some areas more than others maybe students sign up for these exams and maybe because six is paid by the government and there are subjects that they don’t really like or show interest in they don’t show up for these exams. So imagine now where they are going online, teachers trying to get SBAs from these students. A lot of them would have missing documents, papers to submit and so then that will mean then at the end of the day when this exam is scheduled for July these students would be at disadvantage. They would not have had other works submitted, uploaded, all of these things so it is unfair to the students. They are still in the same situation. They are still at home. They still have the same stress. They have been less prepared now than they would have been if they were in the classroom. We can’t see how it is that we got to this point so quickly to say that it will be held on in July as opposed to what we were proposing to them, August or September.”