Sabaroche concerned that CAPE is not being fully embraced

Herbert Sabaroche served as an education minister

It is indeed pathetic, unfortunate and unacceptable to criticize CXC’s Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination (CAPE) as our regional post-secondary examination while embracing CXC’s CSEC.

The Caribbean Examination Council (CXC) was established in1972.  CXC developed and introduced the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC – tested in Dominica in 1982 and formally introduced in 1985) to replace the British ‘General Certificate of Education’ (GCE – now GCSE) based on a mandate give to CXC by the then Ministers of Education. The decision was ratified by the then CARICOM Authority (Heads of Government).

Today we Dominicans are elated with the performance of our secondary students, the teachers, parents and schools.  We herald and congratulate the top students (20) and the others, especially the boys who made us feel so proud, and why not?

The CSEC statistics for Dominica and presumable for each of the English speaking Caribbean countries (plus others like St. Martin, Suriname and Netherland Antilles) are sometimes excellent or require improvement.

The 2010 Dominican CSEC statistics seem impressive – 28 subject areas, 76.4% improved pass rate with Grades 1, 2 & 3, 1076 students writing 6377 subjects, 20 top performers.

CXC provides statistics to show how well Dominica (and the other countries) and our students perform at the secondary level in comparison with last year and the past years from school to school, student to student and subject by subject as can be explained by our own prominent educationist and CXC Expert Catherine Daniel.

CXC has therefore established in the region a home grown  ‘Examination Body’ with a solid foundation,  a valid and reliable reputation, a track record that is comparable to the best in the world and that is accepted locally, regionally and internationally by all sectors and top universities and other institutions. All past graduates of the CSEC all over the world are proud of their achievements and can attest to this assessment.

Have we in Dominica given thought to the fact that the parent CXC is the ‘Educational Home Base’ of not only both CSEC (Secondary) and CAPE (Post-Secondary) but also the Caribbean Vocational Qualification (CVQ)?

Where do our top CSEC students go from here? Will they continue to be challenged among themselves with our localized State College Associate Degree? Or will the privileged few revert to the GCE A Levels that CAPE replaced in the region?

It is indeed frightening and debasing not to accept CAPE as the significant Post- Secondary Examination at the Dominica State College (DSC).

CAPE should be a must for our top performers of the CSEC at the DSC, just as it is for the top performers who move on to the community colleges and other post secondary institutions in the region (with the exception of Dominica).

Like CSEC, CAPE was developed and introduced in response to another mandate given by CARICOM Ministers of Education. The CARICOM Ministers unanimously agreed that CAPE would be introduced as a matter of policy. Each territory was left only to decide on the date at which that determination would be made. The decision was ratified by the CARICOM Authority in 1984.

The Ministers specifically requested from our cherished CXC ‘a Regional Examination that would at least be equivalent in standard to the British based GCE A Levels (now Advance GCSE)’.

In addition, CAPE is mandated to have a broader scope of operations and relevance for ‘students’ acquisition, utilization and adaptation of common knowledge, skills and attitude in relation to Caribbean development, promoting the process of regional integration’.

CXC has reported (August, 2010) its satisfaction that CAPE has reached a significant milestone since it was launched 12 years ago. Dominica is yet to introduce CAPE at the State College.

CXC’s Web Site www.cxc.org or http://www.cxc.org provides relevant and comparative statistical data over the years but it is critical to note here that ‘for this year 25,776 candidates (62% females) registered for CAPE.  The Unit Entries reached 101,643 as compared with only 985 Unit Entries submitted by 797 candidates in 1998. On par with the results of the last two years, 89% of the entries achieved the acceptable grades of CAPE (1 – v). CXC offered 46 CAPE Units – 44 two – unit courses and two 1 Unit Courses’.

Students, teachers, parents and in fact all of us who want to make a difference in enhancing the relevance and standard of performance of our Dominican secondary graduates let us inform ourselves  with data that can help us make appropriate decisions.

While some of us have the required data, CXC’s Booklet (2003) in addition to the Web Site provides most of the answers in terms of ‘how valid and reliable is CAPE?’  For example:

– What are the vision, mission, goals / objectives of CAPE?

– How is CAPE courses classified / structured?

– How is CAPE courses developed?

– WHAT are core / foundation courses and skills?

– Who can take CAPE?

– How can you benefit from CAPE qualifications to include the Associate Degree?

– Does cape have regional and internationally recognition?

– What are the main advantages / disadvantages of CAPE?

In 2000 / 2001 the then CXC Registrar, Dr. Lucy Steward and other CXC Officials held several meetings with the Ministers and other Ministry Officials, however no commitment was given in terms of the timeframe to commence CAPE in Dominica.

Max Andrew (May, 2003) a Senior Education Planner in the Ministry of Education, was delegated to provide a rationale for the introduction of CAPE at the State College. Following Andrew’s conclusions and recommendations he stated:  ‘It is therefore being recommended that a policy decision be made to adopt CAPE as part of the Curriculum of the Dominica State College.’

In addition he emphasized that: ‘There is absolutely no reason why CAPE cannot be taught together with the (Associate Degree (AD) Programme’.

Herbert Sabaroche (2006 & 2008) among others have continuously vocalized and documented recommendations to introduce CAPE in Dominica.

Policy makers, educators and teachers and parents of more than 25,000 Caribbean students have the assurance and are demonstrating that CAPE is now operating on the solid foundation that CXC established.

In Dominica there is the urgent and critical need for ‘political direction’ to introduce CAPE at the DSC to replace the traditional GCE A Levels and to augment the local Associate Degree and other programmes.

The alternative can only be the heralded cry and revolutionary actions of Dominicans especially students, parents and teachers.

There were top performers in the past and there will certainly be top CSEC performers like Dennis Guye, Denis Laurent, Liam Rolle, Karyncia Joseph, Yende Grell and Denzel Coipel in years to come. They are now enrolled at our pre-primary, primary and secondary schools.

We must have the will and commitment to provide our top CSEC performers of 2012 who are now in Form Four with the opportunity to begin the CAPE.

CAPE is just as important AS CSME, CCJ, OECS Economic Union among other Caribbean initiatives for our national and regional growth and development.

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11 Comments

  1. wanted
    March 24, 2011

    I wish I had had the opportunity of sitting several A levels before I graduated. They would have come in handy when I began university. All schools in the Caribbean who currently offer CXCs should also offer CAPE. Why is it taking everyone so long to understand this?

  2. YES
    August 28, 2010

    Sabbie the man with all the energy..Well said!!! I thought the minister of education would come on the airwaves and say something!!!! I am waiting….!!!

  3. Eric
    August 27, 2010

    Really????? your comments and questions are respected for what they are worth.
    No CXC payments for Sabee. He continues to serve with honour and sincerity and maintains his integrity.
    Please read the Booklet on CAPE’s Associate Degree (Web site http://www.cxc.org) for details in terms of Credits, Regional and International Accreditation and answers to the other questions asked.

    Just as CXC is an internationally recognized Examination Body, UWI founded in 1949 has developed and attained the status of be one of the top Universities in the world. WHY is the Local AD not readily accepted by the UWI?

    Pease do some research! There is no CAPE A Levels. There is the Cambridge GCE O and A Levels (now Private) that was officially replaced by GCSE and Advanced GCSE in Britain just as CXC”s CAPE replaced the GCE A Levels.

    A privileged group in Dominica used the teachers and facilities of the DSC and reverted back to the GCE A Levels for their top CSEC children. WHY?

    The top National Scholarships in Dominica are attained by the top performers of the DCE A Levels and not the Local Associate Degree! WHY?

    Let us have a professional and practical discuss to lead us to actions and decisions to give direction to the education and training of our present and future generation.

    Should we ask our Policy Makers to stop paying subventions to CXC and CARICOM among others since their ratified decisions are not worthy of implementation?

    Sabee is one of many who experienced the value of quality education and training coming from an under-privileged family.

  4. WAY TO GO
    August 27, 2010

    Simply put….Sabbie you are a fighter….They can wound you,if they want,but you will come again…..
    I am in favour of CAPE, and Sabbie please don’t stop……..

  5. really?????
    August 27, 2010

    Is CXC paying Sabroache? There must be something in it for him. This man will not give up on this CAPE thing at all. Talk about a scratched record I have a few questions though…

    How many college credits can a student get for one CAPE subject? 8 Credits maximum?

    Let’s say I sit 3 CAPE subjects (which is typically normal for students sitting A Levels) how many credits would I get transferred to a Bachelors degree program? 24 credits maximum? A little less than half of an associate degree?

    How many credits do I get from an associate degree? 60 – 80? 60 credits minimum right?

    So lets see…24 credits vs 60 credits…towards a Bachelors degree….hmmmn man thats a difficult decision….hey why don’t I just do CAPE to support Caribbean Unity…since UWI is probably the only school I plan to go to.

    I’m not against CAPE but only if we compare it against the Cambridge exams. We cannot compare CAPE A Levels with the Associate degree offered by the DSC. Apples and Oranges….as a matter of fact more like kenips and breadfruit.

  6. Anonymous
    August 27, 2010

    way boy… this article is long overdue…. thanks Mr S for speakking on our behalf.

  7. ZERO
    August 27, 2010

    You are the most competent and accomplished advocate in education who carries respect for what you have achieved and what you have helped others to achieve..I know shame has shrouded their eyes,and they may not want to listen to you..My satisfaction is that you are not afraid to speak from the top of the mountain or in the bottom of the valley..Believe me you are touching them…WHAT A GOVT TEAM OF ACCOMPLISHED CLOWNS!!!!!

  8. reds........
    August 27, 2010

    Beyond a doubt this man has all the potential of heading the Dominica state college given his background over many years in education and his qualifications….I don’t get why politics has taken precedence of him making and doing something great with this college of ours………I commend you for all your hard work and sacrifice that you’ve made that are not noticable to the eyes.keep on educating Dominicans .and Dominicans embrace it whether the party in power is purple, orange, pink …..you know what I mean……….

  9. Conscious Mike
    August 27, 2010

    Keep on advocating for excellence in education, Mr. Sabaroche. We need more earnest and tireless adocates like you.

  10. GOOD
    August 27, 2010

    You are several steps ahead of the group of incompetent men/women who are at the helm of our educational sector…KEEP ON EXPRESSING YOU POINT OF VIEW..!!!

  11. BossLa
    August 26, 2010

    I definitely agree. i should have done CAPE in 2005. unfortunately we seem to crawl in making crucial yet obviously beneficial decisions.

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