The University of Guyana (UG) and the Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC) on Wednesday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) which allows CXC members to collaborate on the further advancement of tertiary level education offered at the university.
The MoU was signed during a virtual ceremony. According to UG Vice-Chancellor, Dr Paloma Mohamed-Martin, the MoU formalises another aspect of the 54-year-long relationship between the two entities. “This MoU covers joint exploration and coordination for access of faculty to act as moderators, resource persons are to sit on subject panels, to sit on review committees, examining committees as chief examiners and assistant chief examiners. It also allows CXC research and advisory groups and resource persons from the university to sit on those groups in the development of learning and support resources,” the Vice-Chancellor explained.
She further noted that it allows for UG staff to become online markers and solidifies UG’s role and place in collaborative Caribbean-wide pedagogical research on digital transformation in the education system. The MoU will allow for closer and more systematic and strategic relations on teacher development learning and advancement in the Caribbean and later worldwide, she added. She also said that it supports the cross matriculation from one university to the next and makes way for formal extension of credentials of CXC and the degree-granting institutions who are a part of it affiliate group.
“The University of Guyana is doubly pleased that the forward thinking of the council to streamline its arrangements and to leap forward into the era of virtual space education through the use of digital techniques and technology is again useful through a signing of the MoU today,” Dr Mohamed-Martin said. She noted that this is the third MoU signed this year and that hopefully there will be many more to come.
The Council’s registrar, Dr Wayne Wesley, who spoke at the ceremony, said that the university has played an integral role in the development and governance of CXC through its permanent seat on the CXC Council. Therefore it is only fitting that just after celebrating CARICOM day the two entities have agreed to this collaboration “which seeks to advance the region in the area of curriculum assessment development and processing.” He added that under the MoU, UG will formally recognise the CXC associate degree and its use for the purpose of matriculation by candidates. CXC will also facilitate the sharing of candidates’ results allowing for the smoother matriculation process for students seeking to access the higher tertiary level education available at the University.
“The two bodies will also collaborate on Caribbean-wide research for the digital transformation of the education system,” Dr Wesley was quoted as saying.
