Minister of Education Updates on CXC

Francis Fonseca

Education Minister Francis Fonseca confirmed today that government will be paying for only three Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) examinations per student, as oppose to the traditional six. Fonseca says that the government has been in constant dialogue with CXC which says that it is not recommended that they reduce the content coverage for their exams but that they proceed with a delayed sitting of the exam from May/June to June/July given the ongoing pandemic. Fonseca explains that they can’t simply cancel the exams due to a legal obligation to CARICOM. He says that the exams will be made available for students who want to take them.

Francis Fonseca, Minister of Education

“That entire matter is under review. The Ministry has made a decision. We have a legal obligation to make the CXC exams available to our students in Belize. We have worked with CXC regional to extend the deadlines for everything, for registration, the deadlines for the exams the deadlines for the SBAs and the content of the SBAs. So it is an ongoing process. It is a very important issue but it is an ongoing process. Even today, this afternoon the Ministry is having further consultation with BAPPS and the BNTU on this issue so that we can come up with more specific deadlines in terms of the commitment that we want to meet. But we have made a decision that we want to make the CXC exams available for those students, who need to take them, who want to take them. We have a legal obligation as a member of CARICOM to do so. So that is what we are doing. But we are also sending a very clear message for our students. It has been a very challenging and difficult year so we are pressing and sending a strong message to our students and their families. Do not take on more than you can handle. That is very, very important. Students should not be taken fifteen CXCs, or twelve CXCs. You need to take on what you can handle during this very difficult time because you have not had an opportunity to have face to face instructions. The government as we announced in the memo will meet the cost of three CXC exams including Math and English. So is that is something that we are providing, even in these very, very difficult financial times.”