CXC Introduces New School-Based Assessment Framework for CSEC and CAPE

The Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC) has announced significant changes to its School-Based Assessment (SBA). A new assessment framework to protect the integrity of regional examinations was introduced by the CXC, as the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) is continuously growing.

This announcement was made by CXC through a press release on Thursday, July 16. Both Caribbean Secondary Certificate (CSEC) and Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination (CAPE) programmes will be affected by these changes and will begin in the 2027 academic year.

According to CXC, these reforms aimṣ to ensure that the examination results accurately reflect the student’s own knowledge and abilities. The reforms are the result of consultation with stakeholders across 21 Caribbean countries and territories.

Registrar and Chief Executive Dr. Wayne Wesley said that the Council does not oppose students using generative AI as a tool of learning, However, he said these changes aim to preserve the confidence in the assessment process as technology rapidly transforms education.

Dr. Wesley assured that CXC will act in the best interest of the region, even if that requires difficult decisions. The SBA has served the Caribbean students for nearly half a century so it would not be reformed lightly.

He added, “but the integrity of our qualification is not negotiable” while explaining that if a system which was designed to assess a student’s work can no longer do so, then a strong action is needed. 

He said that CXC understands today’s challenges, and is fully committed to maintain the high standards that Caribbean families, teachers, and employers trust. 

As per the new framework, SBAs will be retained for the subjects that require practical, hands-on assessment, including Agricultural Science, Visual Arts, Music, Physical Education, Technical Drawing, and Food, Nutrition and Health. CXC said that moderation of retained SBAs would also be made stronger.

However, traditional SBAs will be phased out for non-practical subjects such as Mathematics, English, Caribbean History, Social Studies, Principles of Business and Information Technology.

Instead, candidates will be required to sit Paper 032, the existing alternative assessment, under the examination conditions.

The revised assessment would introduce many changes which aim at preserving extended learning. Students will receive their assessment topics about one month before the examination, they will be given additional time to complete the paper and will be allowed to bring reference notes into the examination room.

CXC Director of Operations Dr. Nicole Manning said that the redesigned assessment aims to balance learning with authenticity of students’ work.

Dr. Manning also shared the timeline of ṣthese changes. The CAPE candidates in non-practical subjects will shift to Paper 032 from the May-June 2027 examinations.

For CSEC, schools will have the option in 2027 of using either the traditional SBA or Paper 032 for non-practical subjects. A full transition to Paper 032 will take effect for the May-June 2028 examination.

CXC also informed that the SBA scores which have been earned already will remain transferable under the existing two-year policy, while Paper 032 will also qualify for transfers under the same rule from 2027 onwards.