Cape should go global

The architects of the Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examinations (CAPE), the Car-ibbean Examinations Council (CXC), who are today set to have CAPE replace the University of Cambridge Advanced Level examinations in regional secondary schools, should proceed to yet another stage, that of the marketing and expanding of CAPE internationally. The Council, understandably, will need first to market the concept to the various Ministries of Education in the region, under whose collective umbrella it (the Coun-cil) falls, and which first promoted the change from the Cambridge GCE ‘O’ Level examinations to the CXC ‘O’ Level. Already, CAPE is the accepted final secondary school examination in several Caribbean countries, while Trinidad and Tobago has advised it would effect the changeover from 2005. The Caribbean Examinations Council  “is recognised as the examining body” by 15 Commonwealth Caribbean countries.

It cannot be disputed, indeed there is ample proof, that the standard set by the Caribbean Examinations Council for its Ordinary Level Examinations has been high and proudly bears  a commitment to excellence. This has carried over to the Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examinations. The proof of the pudding, as the English have a way of saying, lies in the eating.  This year, 37 of a whole new generation of Trinidad and Tobago students, who had been nurtured in the Caribbean Examinations Council’s structured approach to its Ordinary Level Examinations and had excelled, went on this year to be among 420 students acclaimed as world rankers by Cambridge University on the basis of its (2004) Advanced Level Examinations. They had ranked in various subjects, coming, individually, in the first ten in the world in several of the 42 subjects set and marked by Cambridge University.

It was a credit, as I had stated in this column on September 8, to this country’s education system, and repeat for the record that three of this country’s Advanced Level students placed first in the world — Dennis Ramdass of Naparima College, in Physics; Maria Abdool of Holy Faith Convent, in Business Studies, and Anushka Ramjag, of St Augustine Girls High School, in Geography, while an additional two placed a joint first in the world in Cambridge’s Advanced Level Subsidiary Examinations in General Paper - Kendall Richardson, of Carapichaima Senior Comprehensive, and Simone Fortune, of Pleasantville Senior Comprehensive. In addition, four Trinidad and Tobago students, all girls, were among the top ten in the world in English Literature - Candace Davis, who placed third; Zindsziswe Morris-Alleyne and Damali Nicholls, who tied for fifth place, all of them from Bishop Anstey High School, and Anamika Madoo, of St George’s College.

What it all added up to was that approximately nine percent of the students at the summit from 102 countries that had sat the University of Cambridge International Examinations had come from Trinidad and Tobago, had been products of this country’s education system, and had been products as well of the Caribbean Examinations Council’s crucible. Now the time has come for Trinidad and Tobago and the 14 other Commonwealth countries which had set up the Caribbean Examinations Council in 1972 to accept that they have come of age and move on setting their own educational standards and educational goals, in keeping with what has been demonstrated and achieved this year. But the Council should not have a tunnel vision approach to the audience it wishes to embrace. Instead it should have the broadest possible view of itself, and start from now to plan strategies for the seeking out and winning of a larger examination audience.  The initial strategy will call for the gathering of data on Caribbean students,  who have done well, educationally, not merely at home but abroad as well since the Council came into being and began the setting and marking of examination papers.

It must seek to find out and list the names of post 1972 students who within recent years did well at universities, distinguished themselves in their chosen professions/fields or excelled at SAT. Of particular concern should be former students, who either went on to be inventors or upgraded earlier inventi-ons. Research the names of high profile Caribbean-born and educated University professors and/or lecturers as well as those who have made a decided contribution to business, science, the world of the Arts and Letters in the North American and British market place. With the material gathered, the Caribbean Examinations Council will be in a favourable position to target, where this is a feasible exercise, school boards, embracing both public and private schools in the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom, to market the idea of their using CXC’s CAPE quoting examples of CAPE achievers, to demonstrate standards set.

Next in line could be schools in India and South Africa, two countries with not insubstantial English-speaking populations and which have increasingly expressed the expanding of ties with the Caribbean.  In India it would mean beginning the marketing of the idea in Uttar Pradesh and other areas of the Gangetic plain with which the Caribbean’s Indian Diaspora has familial ties.  Additionally, should Trinidad and Tobago be selected as the headquarters of the Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA) it is likely to trigger an increasing focus on the English speaking Caribbean.  In turn, the siting of the FTAA headquarters here should provide an added interest in Caribbean culture, the studying of English and spark an interest in Caribbean educational standards.  And who knows, should CAPE be expanded to Central and South America it may even lead to the development of new trading links!