Education Minister Shawn Edward and the St. Lucia Secondary Schools’ Principals Association (SSPA) have objected to the Caribbean Examinations Council’s (CXC) decision to suspend four subjects.
The SSPA said it was appalled by the decision, while Edward said he was ‘taken aback’ and called for its revisitation.
The affected areas are Agricultural Science (double award), Mechanical Engineering, Green Engineering and Electrical and Electronic Engineering.
“I must say that I was taken aback by the decision by the Caribbean Examinations Council, the CXC, to suspend four subjects that are currenty being offered at the CSEC level, that is, at the secondary level and at the CAPE level, which is the advanced proficiency level,” Edward stated.
He declared that the subjects were critical for attaining sustainable development goals for Saint Lucia and the Caribbean region.
The CXC has cited dwindling enrollment numbers for the subjects.
However, in the case of Agricultural Science (double award), the Minister noted the serious food security issue facing Saint Lucia and the Caribbean.
As a result, he asserted that any attempt to sensitize students at a young age to agriculture’s benefits would only be beneficial.
The Minister’s complete address appears below:
Meanwhile, the St Lucia Secondary Schools’ Principals Association noted that the suspended subjects equip students with skills that are essential not only to them as individuals but also to the economy and environment.
“This decision is especially disconcerting, considering that in St Lucia, we are preparing to transform four secondary schools into TVET Centres in time for the next academic year,” the association stated.
“It cannot suffice that undersubscription in those areas is the main reason for the discontinuation. As a regional body CXC has a moral and societal obligation to the region which it serves to ensure that it provides certification in a wide range of areas which contribute to the improvement of societies and their human resource capacity,” the principals association said.
The organisation also urged that the CXC decision be revisited.
