Absenteeism still a concern for CXC

Students who do not turn up to write the Caribbean Examination Council’s exam papers after registering are still a concern for the body.

This vexing issue of absenteeism reared its head again during a CXC press conference to update on the January 2026 CSEC examination session in the context of its e-transition thrust to reshape how student learning is assessed in the region.

“The absenteeism for this session is still an area of concern for CXC and of course for the region. Although we saw a big reduction for Office Administration in particular, we are still encouraging the region because for every student who registers for an exam but you do not turn up, it means that you have missed the opportunity of performing and missed the opportunity of achieving,” noted director of operations, Dr Nicole Manning, during the press event streamed throughout the region from its headquarters at Pine Plantation Road, St Michael, on Friday.

She also appealed to students that it was important to acknowledge the confidence that their teachers, parents and community support is showing [and it] should encourage them “to at least turn up”.

“So we want to encourage . . . those candidates sitting exams in May/ June, please, if even you’re feeling unprepared, we are encouraging you and we are saying that you may be more prepared than you realise, so it’s important just to show up,” she beckoned, while giving a forensic report on students’ performance per subject.

Registrar and chief executive officer of CXC, Dr Wayne Wesley, in his opening remarks reminded that a regional press conference was held on January 7 to execute a key component of CXC’s Regional Disaster and Business Recovery Protocol in support of the students and candidates affected by the passage of Hurricane Melissa in Jamaica.

“You will recall that for our first time in history, CXC was administering a fully electronic and hybrid examination session for the January 2026 cycle, a landmark achievement in our ongoing digital transformation journey across the region,” he said.

He said over 10 481 candidates sat examinations across 17 Caribbean states for a total of 17 695 subject entries in examinations which ran from January 5 to January 29, 2026, four days longer than the 2025 schedule.

“This was done to accommodate the new electronic delivery modality for high-volume subjects such as mathematics and English. In recognition of the devastating impact of Hurricane Melissa on Jamaica, CXC granted special humanitarian consideration to affected schools. A total of 708 subject entries across 29 centres, representing

approximately four per cent of the total entries, were permitted to complete examinations using the traditional paper-based method,” he said adding that students across the Caribbean were ready for e-examinations and CXC was ready to meet the moment.

“The initial feedback from our student candidates, who in the vast majority are digital natives, has been very positive. Living and operating in the digital domain comes naturally for our students. We must design learning assessments that are congregant and align with how they process knowledge and learn and improve new and existing competencies,” posited the registrar and he also noted that positive experiences came from countries where the examinations were conducted with both electronic and hybrid delivery.

He said operational issues were addressed swiftly at the centre level and with support from current ministries of education, IT administrators and technicians or in direct collaboration with CXC.

During the approximately one and a half hour press conference mention was made of CXC’s inaugural regional conference and ministerial forum slated for tomorrow and Thursday in Jamaica with a view to solving the problems of the region. Over 300 educators and practitioners engage in activities such as pre and full conference workshops to share and learn from one another.

Students were told the January results were accessible from Friday. (JS)

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