Dear Editor,
For months now students have been anxiously awaiting the publication of the full results of the CSEC and CAPE examinations. Time for the writing of the regional examination for 2021 is upon us, yet official results of the prior year are still unavailable. The Ministry began its review of the controversial results a few months ago, but the public has not been informed of its progress or the outcome of the review. The silence of the Ministry of Education causes much pain and anxiety to students, parents and the country which repose hope in a government that has promised transparency and openness. We dwell on two issues in this letter.
First, the apparent cold indifference of the Ministry of Education, which flies in the face of the Government’s pledge to be open in its dealings with the public, leaves the students in limbo. We must ask the question: why has the Ministry of Education not released the results of the last CXC examination? In past years, political expediency and secrecy by the government created a lack of trust and cynicism from the public, which has been willing to give the current government some leeway. However, the shrouded mystery behind the reluctance of the Ministry of Education to publish the results undermines trust and leaves students and parents disappointed. That is most unfortunate as students do not know what to do: should they be thinking of writing the examination again, the same subjects again? Should they apply to a college or university to pursue a degree? Sadly, they cannot do the latter as they have no proof of their performance in the last CXC examination?
Second, the failure to publish the CSEC and CAPE results amounts to inflicting damage upon the country’s economic potential. It is a loss perpetuated by an uncaring government. There is a general consensus that labour is the most important factor of production and, consequently, investment in education is an investment in the country to develop the technical and intellectual capacity of its people, which expands the productive capacity of the country. This fundamental truth – that labour is the important factor of production – is revealed if one examines the contribution of labour, capital and other factors to GDP. The result will show that labour is the only factor that contributed positively to the country’s output since at least 1960.
At a time when the country is on the cusp of economic take-off and where its most binding constraint is trained, educated and disciplined labour, it is a tragedy that the Ministry of Education chooses to delay the publication of the CXC results, which contributes to the undermining of the country’s potential. Little wonder that we have to import skilled labour to power the emerging oil and gas industry and associated industries.
We urge the Ministry of Education to take urgent action on this issue.
Yours truly,
Ramdular Singh
Richie Pooran
Ramesh Deochand
Parabati Tej Singh
Sanjiv Kumar
Somdat Mohabir
Ramesh Gampat
