Students at the Elmore Stoutt High School (ESHS)

Photo Credit: Melissa Edwards/BVI Platinum News

Students at the Elmore Stoutt High School (ESHS)

Photo Credit: Melissa Edwards/BVI Platinum News

The Government will bear the cost for the sitting of the Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC) Examinations in the first two years, disclosed Minister for Education and Culture, Hon. Myron Walwyn.

"On the CXC funding; the exams will be funded initially by the government for the first two years at least and then we will see where we go from there," the Minister stated during the National Democratic Party (NDP)last evening, July 16.

The Minister was responding to a question posed by a caller who also questioned the standard of the grading system currently be utilized.

According to the resident, the BVI´s grading system is outrageous since telling a student that 70 is a B is unheard of.

"If we want our kids to be able to compete in this global world, we have to bring our grading system up to par on the United States system, these kids are not only going to compete with kids in the Caribbean but they are going to compete with kids all over the world. I mean a C is a 70, a D is a 60, and a F is a 50. Not what we are giving our kids and making them feel that they are doing well...They are not... We have to start challenging our students," the caller told the Minister.

In response Minister Walwyn said this will be addressed from September when school reopens.

"You are quite right in what you have said. We had a report done just after I took office as Minister to do a review of the system, and to look at the last three graduations and to also make recommendations for improvements. And one of the recommendations in the document that was laid was certainly the grading system, that we have to find a way to boost that up, it´s a bit low...And certainly for September that is something, that will done by the department," the Minister stated.

Minister Walwyn on June 28 said that the review was down in an effort to make students more globally competitive.

"To improve the quality of secondary education in the Territory and forge continuous training of our teachers. From September 2013, all students graduating from the Elmore Stoutt High School will sit the Caribbean Council examination," the Education Minister stated.

He added that the students will also continue to pursue the local high school certificates.

The Minister said that to facilitate this move, a number of things will have to change that will affect the traditional education administrative system of the secondary schools. He said that he has met with senior educators and is pleased to report that their suggestions for areas of improvement were also taken into consideration.

"...With a collaborative approach, implementation of these stages will begin in the new school year...We ask our community to continue to support our efforts...," the Minister stated.

At the end of May, the Education Ministry along with CXC officials held public meetings to determine whether or not to make CXC the benchmark examination for all public schools.