Gov’t pulls the plug on paying CSEC exams fees for local students
Effective immediately, local students sitting the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) exams with the Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC) will have to do so at their own expense.
“The ministry has been covering the cost of all CSEC exams written in the territory for the last five years. Effective this year, we intend to adjust that policy and revert to having students cover the cost for all exams,” said Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Education Dr Marcia Potter in a recent address.
Reasons behind the move are not yet clear. But, while responding to BVI News queries via text message on Thursday, Education Minister Dr Natalio Wheatley promised to provide additional information soon.
More changes coming
In the meantime, Dr Potter said the aforesaid ‘adjustment’ where CXC’s are concerned was one of the many changes that are coming to the education system.
“We have been addressing various aspects of the education system in recent years. However, I have been told that the last full review was conducted in 2000 by a working group commissioned through the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO),” Dr Potter stated.
She said the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) made funding available to the BVI this year for the territory to conduct a mid-year review of the education sector strategy, 2012 – 2021.
“Following this, the ministry will be seeking to have a full review of the entire education system with the help of UNESCO. In fact, the mid-year review by OECS, which has already begun, will serve as groundwork towards the full review of the system. All of this is important as we move forward in our quest to develop the Territory as well as realize the UN 2030 Sustainable Development Goals,” she added.
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They have millions to put into festival, paying for all those international Artiste. What a waste of tax payers money. I am so disappointed in this government.
I am a little slow here, so bear with me. I am still wondering about what both sides of the government doing to pay back the public for the mark Vanterpool and speaker of the house stupidness? After that we can talk about Cxc.
Much more needs to be looked into and pulled. Why, those programs have outlived their usefulness and for a targeted population, the authentic BVIslander.
Indeed, they are definitely not serving the authentic local population as were their original intent.
When 99% of the student body are non BVIslanders, the territory purse becomes nothing more than a breast full of milk and honey for the nourishment of others.
Yes we in the US agree with you. We are tired of you Belongers having your offspring in St Thomas or Puerto Rico and then sending them to the US for school. You contribute nothing to the US and just suck on us like a Your young suckle on your teats. How dare any of you criticize providing for the children of the people who build for you, clean for you and wipe your dirty arses.
This must be a note to all West Indians. Because it is common through out. The only difference is that it is easier for BVI because of locale.
Bout time . Ppl have been getting an easy ride off government for to long let the parents start to take care n look into the future of their kids n responsibilities
They should stop scholarships too. Parents have money and can afford it. The students can look part time jobs and help themselves.
ya’ll really disgusting mehson… not every parent has “money and can afford it”…
If you can’t afford to pay for your own children education don’t get none then
CXC is for island people. We don’t want no cxc here. Bold move Sowande. I know you explained to me how you feel about this down island cxc thing in our country.
So what examinations you would introduce?
American exams?
You can tell your an idiot by making that statement
You are “ignant” Sir.
I fully agree with you, “Stop it all”!
The children of many millionnaires and billionnaires in this country are getting scholarships to study foolishness, in my opinion!
There needs to be a vetting system of listing of assets, where true and needy parents can get scholarships!
If you can look into this Honourable Wheatley, it would go a long way of saving monues and getting true need to those who really needs it!
To Anonymous and Go CXC, I guess the taxes that the expats pay is not use to this Territory either. Shallow minds!
Good move Mr.Education Minister,it has to be done.It is not personal, it is called business.
this guy wheatley is just like trump trying to kill everything Myron did like prumt killing all Obama did
Bout time everyone wants government to pay for everything , no more, you make kids be prepared to support them.
What a laugh, down island CXC thing in our country .
What is this I’m reading ?
Do not knock the CXC, but embrace it and enter into the competitive realm of world education. Don’t forget that all the people who now form the bedrock of this little nation went to UWI under a system whereby the UWI waived the basic entry requirements because they could not meet the GCE entry requirements back in the days. These are the people who came back here and become the top managers, heads of departments, Permanent, secretaries and politicians and guided this country to this level of development. On a more practical level the money to send one student to university in the USA can sent three to UWI. So please continue the CXC so students can hold up their head in a competitive academic atmosphere and compete on a level field and not get shepherded in and then have to struggle to keep up.
I know the honourable minister means well but my question to him is how do we get our kids with the mindset that they are continually competing regionally and internationally?
Can my child get into UWI and begin his medicine studies after graduating 5 form?
Wil! SAT option be introduced since most of our
kids study in the US?
Please for a response.
Thanks
When you have Government (Education) paying and forcing students to take exams that the students don’t deem necessary and not putting there best foot forward your have a higher failing rate then normally.
So yes it becomes a business decision, we all want a better return in our investment.
When it comes to our children’s education, it cannot be simply a business decision. The investment in our children’s education today will save our government significantly more cost in our social services and criminal justice system in years to come.
Also, sometimes as parents we have to force our children to do things they see no benefit in at the moment but we as parents know better. As parents it is our duty to ensure that our children work hard and study so that in due course the children, parents and indeed the country will reap the rewards of the investment.
Just to add as well that when I went to school it was not island people who were complaining about paying for CXC’s it was BVIslanders. They had no say in the matter notwithstanding they pay taxes into the government coffers as is rightly due.
The point is we need to begin to think more critically and more seriously on these matters and raise the level of our discussions and put away the petty insularities that is only holding us back as a people.
Parents please pay for your children exams they have the most expensive phones going to school most expensive shoes even ear pods $50 lunch money government can’t do it all i say good move
As in any country, people who rely on government, are the ones who refuse to do anything for themselves (some might say laziness).
How about personal responsibilities?
This is a backward move on the part of the people who implemented this decision . Empower the youth oh the country by giving them equal opportunity is an investment in the growth and productivity of the country . What a Black Trump
Mentality . Trying to stamp out investing in then natural resources of the country. Education is the gateway out of poverty . Investment in young people outweighs anything else you can think of . A very backward move . CDEC results would go back to Uncle Tom days where only the privileged few can achieve
I strongly agree with the minister’s decision to have parents pay for their children CXCs. My parents paid for all of mines when I was in high school. This will help parents to pay more attention and put more interest in their children education. it is their money and will ensure that their child do their best and not waste their hard earned money. Sometimes they dont push them because they feel well if they fail it is not my money it is government. Parents take care of your responsibilities like all other Caribbean parent that may have it harder than us. Government can’t do it all.