The recent CXC® Inaugural Regional Education Conference and Ministerial Forum in Jamaica marked four days of intensive discussions and exchanges among nearly 400 leading education experts and policymakers from across the Caribbean. Attendees included representatives from 27 countries, as well as delegations from Malta, Canada, the United Kingdom, the United States, and the Netherlands, according to a recent press release.
Despite being initially scheduled for October 2025 on Jamaica’s north coast, the event was postponed due to Hurricane Melissa, but CXC reports that the enthusiasm remained undiminished.
Dr. Wayne Wesley, CXC’s Registrar and CEO, emphasized that the eagerness for regional dialogue persisted, noting, “This tells you something about the hunger that exists for this kind of regional conversation.”
Referencing the exponential nature of teaching as a resource across generations, he remarked,“Every other resource — wealth, land, technology — can be hoarded or hacked, bombed or destroyed. But knowledge, once transmitted, multiplies. A teacher reaches 30 students. Those students reach thousands more. The compounding never stops. You are here because you believe Caribbean education can and must be better.”
The release shared that the gathering opened with the stirring notes of the CARICOM Song, setting the tone for discussions focused on advancing digital equity, improving examination relevance, and recognizing the diverse talents within Caribbean education systems.
Reportedly, the conference covered a wide range of topics, including the integration of generative AI in classrooms, ongoing literacy and numeracy challenges, flexible pathways for learners seeking alternative routes to certification, and a milestone signing of a Partnership Engagement Agreement with a consortium of Caribbean employer groups. This agreement signified a shared understanding that preparing students for the workforce extends beyond CXC’s traditional scope.
Conversations centered on actionable solutions and regional collaboration, as per the release. The Ministerial Forum, held on Thursday, underscored the region’s commitment to tackling these issues collectively.
Jamaica’s Minister of Education, Skills, Youth and Information, Dr. Dana Morris Dixon, highlighted the resilience of the country’s education sector, praising the dedication of her team and urging educators to remain bold in the face of rapid technological change.
“Our education systems across the Caribbean are being tested, and reshaped by new technologies, and we have
to be bold to reimagine our realities all at once.”
She added, “In the midst of this AI whirlwind, we must preserve what is most human and essential in education — curiosity, character, critical thinking, creativity, empathy, and purpose — we cannot lose sight of those goals.”
Sonia Parag, Guyana’s Minister of Education and Chair of COSHOD (Caribbean Organisation of Human and Social Development), reinforced this message by cautioning against abandoning fundamental skills amidst the push for digital transformation.
Emphasizing that literacy and numeracy remain core to meaningful learning experiences, she warned that if students lack comprehension and reasoning skills, digital tools will be of limited benefit.
“Digitization must not distract us from these fundamentals; it must strengthen and promote them,” Parag said, urging close collaboration with CXC® to ensure that assessment and teaching methods remain aligned with regional needs.
Furthermore, Dr. Wesley pointed out that the conference exemplified the evolving identity of CXC®, describing it as an “activist” organization committed to educational advocacy.
He highlighted that CXC® has moved beyond examination administration to champion equity, asserting, “Every Caribbean learner deserves a chance to shine, and CXC® is equal to the moment.”
The event coincided with a significant milestone: the successful administration of fully electronic and hybrid examinations across 17 Caribbean states during the January 2026 exam cycle. Over 10,000 candidates participated, with nearly 18,000 subject entries, demonstrating that Caribbean students are prepared for digital assessments.
Dr. Wesley noted, “Our Gen Z and Alpha learners are digital natives. Learning and assessment systems must be congruent with how they process knowledge.”
Meanwhile, Dr. Nicole Manning, Director of Operations at CXC® and Conference Chair, challenged educators to leverage the strengths of the Caribbean educational ecosystem and adapt to the digital era.
“This is not just a conference — this is a covenant with our children, our communities, and the Caribbean future we choose to build,” she said.
In closing, CXC’s Director of Corporate Services, Sheree Deslandes, described the conference as “a clarion call” for all involved in Caribbean education to see excellence not as an aspiration for a select few, but as a fundamental right for all learners.
“The rivers meet,” she said. “The CXC® Inaugural Regional Education Conference and Ministerial Forum have provided analysis, dialogue, and shared conviction. Now, this moment of convergence must turn into action — where commitments are translated into policies that shape the future.”
There are clear and important signals of momentum within the conference. Its regional convening power is evident, bringing together participants from 27 countries alongside international partners, while ministerial engagement and leadership from bodies such as COSHOD provide visible political backing. The discussions themselves correctly identify many of the system’s core challenges, including literacy and numeracy, digital transformation, assessment relevance, and alignment with workforce needs. There is also a noticeable shift in tone from CXC, which now positions itself as an “activist” organisation and signals a move beyond its traditional role as an examination body. Taken together, these elements suggest that the region is increasingly aligned on what needs to change; however, they also reveal a significant gap, in that there is not yet a shared clarity on how genuine system transformation will actually be achieved.