Category: CANA News

The Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC) has announced significant changes to its School-Based Assessment (SBA) programme, introducing a new assessment framework designed to protect the integrity of regional examinations as the use of generative artificial intelligence (AI) continues to grow.

According to a CXC press release, the changes will affect both the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) and Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination (CAPE) programmes and will begin rolling out in the 2027 academic year.

CXC said the reforms are the result of extensive consultations with stakeholders across 21 Caribbean countries and territories and are intended to ensure that examination results continue to accurately reflect students’ own knowledge and abilities.

Registrar and Chief Executive Officer Dr. Wayne Wesley stressed that the Council is not opposed to students using generative AI as a learning tool. Instead, he said the changes are aimed at preserving confidence in the assessment process as technology rapidly transforms education.

“CXC® will always act in the best interest of the region, even when that requires difficult decisions. The SBA has served Caribbean students well for nearly half a century, and we do not reform it lightly,” Wesley said.

“But the integrity of our qualifications is not negotiable. When the system that was designed to assess a student’s work can no longer reliably do so, we have an obligation to act, and to act decisively. That is precisely what this reformed framework represents. CXC® is cleareyed about the challenges of our time, and we are resolute in our commitment to the standard that Caribbean families, educators, and employers have come to trust.”

Under the new framework, School-Based Assessments will continue for subjects that rely heavily on practical or project-based work, where hands-on demonstrations are considered essential to measuring students’ skills.

These include Agricultural Science, Visual Arts, Music, Physical Education, Technical Drawing, and Food, Nutrition and Health. CXC said moderation of these assessments will also be strengthened.

However, for subjects that are primarily theory-based, the traditional SBA will gradually be phased out.

The change will affect subjects including Mathematics, English, Caribbean History, Social Studies, Principles of Business and Information Technology.

According to the CXC’s Director of Operations Dr. Nicole Manning the redesigned assessment balances meaningful learning with greater confidence in the authenticity of students’ work.

“The new, deliberate and necessary design of the SBA, preserves the spirit of extended, reflective assessment while restoring CXC’s confidence in authorship and authenticity.”

She also urged students, parents and teachers to continue protecting the value of CXC qualifications.

“A CXC® qualification means something. It means something to employers, to universities, to parents, families and guardians, who have invested years of commitment and sacrifice into a child’s education,” Manning said.

West Indies posted 140 in 37.1 overs after being sent in to bat by New Zealand in the third One Day International at Providence Stadium here on Thursday.

WEST INDIES 140 in 37.1 overs (Keacy Carty 48, Shimron Hetmyer 26, Ackeem Auguste 26, John Campbell retired hurt 6; Jayden Lennox 4-52, Mitchell Santner 2-15, Michael Bracewell 2-33).

West Indies’ batting frailties were once again exposed against New Zealand’s spinners as the visitors secured a six-wicket victory in the third ODI to take a 2-1 lead in the 5-match series here on Thursday.

Despite teenage wrist spinner Vitel Lawes producing another impressive performance to make the tourists work for their win, the Windies batting continues to struggle against quality slow bowling, which continues to hamper the side’s progress.

New Zealand captain Tom Latham won the toss and elected to bowl first on the same Providence pitch used for the series opener, where runs proved difficult to come by.

West Indies head coach Daren Sammy had urged his side to show greater determination and post bigger totals when batting first to give their bowlers something to defend, but his plea went unheeded as the hosts suffered a dramatic collapse.

The innings began promisingly; however, the turning point came when John Campbell was forced to retire hurt on six, after collapsing with what appeared to be a hamstring injury while sprinting for a single. The opener was stretchered off, leaving the hosts to regroup.

Akeem Auguste played a couple of handsome drives to get to 26, but he went to a brilliant running catch by Santner off Jacob Duffy with 38 runs on the board.

Shai Hope, who had looked settled, fell to Jayden Lennox’s arm ball for the second consecutive match for eight, and Sherfane Rutherford followed shortly for four to leave the host 72 for three in the 20th over.

Keacy Carty and recalled Shimron Hetmyer steadied the ship, taking West Indies to 121, with Hetmyer twice clearing the leg side against Lennox, demonstrating the aggressive intent Sammy had called for.

But the collapse was swift and brutal. Carty, who looked good for 48, was trapped lbw by Michael Bracewell’s turning delivery, and Hetmyer, attempting a third six, picked out deep square leg in Bracewell’s next over for 26.

From 121 for 4, West Indies lost 6 for 19 to slump to 140 for 9, with Lennox completing figures of 4 for 52 from his 10 overs.

The left-arm spinner’s haul saw him equal the record for most wickets by a New Zealand spinner in a bilateral ODI series. The last six wickets fell in just 51 balls, with Gudakesh Motie and Alzarri Joseph both bowled by excellent deliveries from Lennox.

Chasing a modest 141 for victory, New Zealand’s openers Will Young and Henry Nicholls navigated the powerplay cautiously.

Nicholls was twice grateful for the DRS after being given lbw against Motie and Joseph, but Lawes’ introduction changed the complexion of the chase dramatically.

The 19-year-old, playing just his third professional game, struck with his second delivery, skidding one through to remove Nicholls’ off stump for 24.

Lawes continued his impressive spell, trapping Mark Chapman lbw for seven, before Young drove a wide delivery to cover for 23, leaving New Zealand wobbling at 77 for 3.

Daryl Mitchell batted 49 deliveries in a bid to slow the home side’s roll, but he too was then beaten and bowled by a Khary Pierre spinning delivery, and the game hung in the balance at 89 for four.

However, Lawes, despite showing improved control throughout the series, served up two full tosses in his eighth over, which Latham and Dean Foxcroft gratefully dispatched to ease the pressure.

The contest might have taken another twist when Lawes appeared to have Foxcroft lbw with 33 still required, but West Indies failed to review.

Replays confirmed there was no edge, and the ball was hitting halfway up the leg stump.

From there, Latham and Foxcroft ensured there would be no further alarms, sharing an unbroken fifth-wicket stand of 52 to guide New Zealand across the line with six wickets in hand.

West Indies now face a must-win situation in the remaining two matches in Barbados to claim the series, needing to address a batting collapse that has become a recurring theme against New Zealand’s spin attack.

New Zealand elected to field after winning the toss against West Indies in the third One Day International at Providence Stadium here on Thursday.

West Indies have made two changes with Keemo Paul replacing Matthew Forde and Shimron Hetmyer coming in for Amir Jangoo, while New Zealand has also made a solitary change with Nathan Smith coming in for Matt Fisher.

WEST INDIES: Shai Hope (captain), John Campbell, Ackeem Auguste, Keacy Carty, Sherfane Rutherford, Shimron Hetmyer, Gudakesh Motie, Khary Pierre, Alzarri Joseph, Keemo Paul, Vitel Lawes.

NEW ZEALAND: Mitchell Santner (captain), Will Young, Henry Nicholls, Mark Chapman, Daryl Mitchell, Tom Latham, Michael Bracewell, Dean Foxcroft, Nathan Smith, Jacob Duffy, Jayden Lennox.

Umpires: Alex Wharf, Deighton Butler

TV Umpire: Ahsan Raza

Reserve Umpire: Zahid Bassarath.

Match Referee: Javagal Srinath

Scoreboard of the third One Day International between West Indies and New Zealand at Providence Stadium here on Thursday.

WEST INDIES

John Campbell retired hurt 6

Ackeem Auguste c Santner b Duffy 26

Keacy Carty b Bracewell 48

*+Shai Hope b Lennox 8

Sherfane Rutherford c Smith b Santner 4

Shimron Hetmyer c Smith b Bracewell 26

Keemo Paul lbw b Lennox 4

Gudakesh Motie b Lennox 0

Khary Pierre b Santner 4

Alzarri Joseph b Lennox 7

Vitel Lawes not out 1

Extras (b1, lb2, nb1, w2) 6

TOTAL (37.1 overs) 140

Fall of wickets: 0-25* (Campbell retired not out), 1-38, 2-67, 3-72, 4-121, 5-128, 6-128, 7-129, 8-137, 9-140

Bowling: Duffy 5-0-15-1, Smith 4-0-22-0, Santner 8.1-3-15-2, Lennox 10-0-52-4, Bracewell 10-0-33-2

NEW ZEALAND

Henry Nicholls b Lawes 24

Will Young c Pierre b Lawes 23

Mark Chapman lbw Lawes 7

Daryl Mitchell b Pierre 28

+Tom Latham not out 31

Dean Foxcroft not out 22

Extras (lb 2, w4) 6

TOTAL (four wickets; 39.3 overs) 141

Did not bat: Michael Bracewell, *Mitchell Santner, Nathan Smith, Jacob Duffy, Jayden Lennox.

Fall of wickets: 1-38, 2-50, 3-77, 4-89

Bowling: Pierre 10-1-25-1, A. Joseph 5-0-20-0, Motie 10-0-34-0, Lawes 10-0-39-3, Paul 1-0-6-0, Auguste 3-0-12-0, Carty 0.3-0-2-0

Toss: New Zealand elected to field.

Result: New Zealand won by six wickets to lead the five-match series 2-1.

Player-of-the-Match: Jayden Lennox.

Umpires: Alex Wharf, Deighton Butler

TV Umpire: Ahsan Raza

Reserve Umpire: Zahid Bassarath.

Match Referee: Javagal Srinath

Suriname’s Minister of Justice and Police, Harish Monorath, has warned that the challenges of governing the country’s vast interior cannot become an excuse for lawlessness after 14 armed Chinese nationals were arrested during a joint police and military operation.

The arrests late Tuesday followed public alarm after videos surfaced showing Chinese nationals clad in military-style uniforms displaying the Chinese flag while marching through the Surinamese rainforest carrying firearms.

‘As far as we know at this moment, they were reportedly carrying out security duties. But the criminal investigation must determine exactly what they were doing there and why it happened in this manner,’ said Monorath, noting that Suriname has its own security services. ‘We have a National Army and a police force. The investigation will have to determine why these individuals operated there in this way.’ The video footage quickly spread on social media, triggering concerns about the presence of an organized armed group operating in the country’s interior.

The images were reportedly recorded near Sarakreek in the Brokopondo district, an area known for widespread illegal gold mining activities. The remote region is home to thousands of illegal miners, including Surinamese, Brazilian, and Chinese nationals. Due to the enormous size of the rainforest and the limited accessibility of many areas, controlling the interior remains difficult.

But after the authorities received the reports about the armed foreign nationals, a joint police and military unit, supported by helicopters was deployed to investigate the situation, resulting in the arrest of the 14 Chinese nationals and the seizure of a large quantity of weapons and ammunition.

‘The action was carried out by a mixed unit of police and army under the leadership of the Central Regional Commander,’ the minister said, noting that not all the Chinese nationals are residing illegally in Suriname.

He said some possess valid documents and the authorities are awaiting the results of the arraignment and the criminal investigation before taking an official position on the case.

The circumstances surrounding the men’s presence and their use of military-style clothing remain under investigation. Authorities have not yet determined why the members of the group were armed or whether they were acting as private security for a mining operation, which is one of the possibilities being examined.

Following the arrests, Monorath said that Surinamese laws must also be enforced even in the country’s remote interior areas. He acknowledged that policing the rainforest presents major logistical challenges, but said those difficulties cannot lead to a situation where individuals operate outside the law.

‘The challenges we face in reaching these areas must not result in lawlessness and impunity,’ Monorath added.

The incident has also drawn attention to the broader problems surrounding illegal gold mining in Suriname.

Thousands of miners and unauthorized mining sites continue to threaten the country’s rainforest, rivers, and communities. The gold sector has long been associated with environmental damage caused by the use of toxic substances, including mercury, during extraction processes.

Environmental concerns increased further last month after a large-scale fish die-off occurred in the Upper Saramacca River, reportedly linked to contamination from mining activities. Several Indigenous communities in the area were affected by the incident, raising renewed concerns about the impact of illegal mining on local populations.

Environmental organizations have repeatedly warned that uncontrolled gold mining in Suriname’s interior is causing serious ecological damage and placing pressure on communities that depend on the forest and rivers for their livelihoods.

West Indies Women were dismissed for 257 in 50 overs after being sent in by Ireland Women in the third and final One Day International at Bready Cricket Club here on Wednesday.

WEST INDIES WOMEN 257 in 50 overs (Stafanie Taylor 105, Aaliyah Alleyne 33, Jahzara Claxton 30, Deandra Dottin 21, Realeanna Grimmond 14; Orla Prendergast 2-37, Jane Maguire 2-44, Georgina Dempsey 2-61).

Results of the third round of matches in the CWI Rising Stars Under-19 Men’s 50-over Championship here on Wednesday.

At Coolidge Cricket Ground: Barbados defeated Guyana by 63 runs.

BARBADOS 258 in 49.5 overs (Jordan Graham 78, Justin Parris 67, Seth Smith 39, Kelani Clarke 19, Raphael Lovell 13; Romario Ramdehol 3-27, Gilbert Griffith 3-37, Parmeshwar Ram 2-39).

GUYANA 195 in 44.1 overs (Adrian Hetmyer 61, Dhanesh Persaud 35, Romario Ramdehol 21, Khush Seegobin 20, Jonathan Mentore 12, Darwin Joseph 10 not out; Justin Parris 4-19, Rajeev Parsooram 2-49).

At Liberta Sports Club: Jamaica defeated Trinidad and Tobago by 106 runs.

JAMAICA 225-8 in 50 overs (Adrian Silvera 52 not out, Ryan Lyttleton 41, Pajay Nelson 25, Perico Henry 24 not out, Geovanni Grey 19, Odane Binns 18, Tyson Gordon Jr 17; Daniel Holder 3-52, Daron Dhanraj 2-37, Brendan Boodoo 2-43).

T and T 119 in 35.3 overs (Brendan Boodoo 54, Daniel Holder 12, Christian Lall 12, Levi Ghanny 11, Tariq Richards 10; Jahdae Moore 3-10, Perico Henry 3-27, Nicoli McKenzie 2-29).

At Bethesda Sports Ground: Leeward Islands defeated Windward Islands by 144 runs.

LEEWARD ISLANDS 269-9 in 50 overs (Tanez Francis 79, J’Quan Athanaze 55, Lawshorn Bergan 47, Lyhte Browne 38, Rondre Daniel 16; Earshino Fontaine 3-32, Tyler Venner 2-54).

WINDWARD ISLANDS 125 in 29 overs (Cody Fontinelle 22, Theo Edward 18, Tyler Venner 17, Kevin Joseph 15, Kazado Henry 13, Aiden Burton 10; Matthew Miller 2-17, Tayari Tonge 2-25, Kerique Mentore 2-26).

The Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) Wednesday said that Uruguay will host the sixth session of the Regional Conference on Population and Development in Latin America and the Caribbean in August.

It said that the August 18-20 in Montevideo, will bring together representatives of the United Nations, multilateral organizations, parliaments, the private sector, academia and civil society.

ECLAC said that at this meeting, participants will discuss the effects of demographic change in Latin America and the Caribbean, and they will analyse the progress, challenges, good practices and current priorities related to implementation of the Montevideo Consensus on Population and Development.

The Conference was created in 2012 by ECLAC which serves as the Secretariat, in coordination with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and on August 19, ECLAC will present its position document ‘Impacts of Demographic Change in Latin America and the Caribbean: Public Policy Challenges and Options’, aimed at stimulating the session’s debates.

The programme includes four discussion panels on issues such as ‘Decline in fertility,’ ‘Ageing and long-term care,’ ‘Intergenerational solidarity’ and ‘Public policies in response to demographic change.’

Prior to the start of the Conference, multiple stakeholders will carry out various activities. On Monday, August 17, the First Regional Private Sector Forum will be held at the headquarters of the Development Bank of Latin America and the Caribbean (CAF) with the aim of accelerating implementation of the Montevideo Consensus on Population and Development through private sector leadership, impact investment and public-private collaboration.

Ireland Women elected to field after winning the toss against West Indies Women in the third and final One Day International at Bready Cricket Club here on Wednesday.

West Indies Women have made one change with Ashmini Munisar replacing Shawnisha Hector, while Ireland Women have also made one change with Kia McCartney in for Cara Murray.

WEST INDIES WOMEN: Hayley Matthews (captain), Realeanna Grimmond, Stafanie Taylor, Deandra Dottin, Jannillea Glasgow, Shemaine Campbelle, Jahzara Claxton, Aaliyah Alleyne, Afy Fletcher, Ashmini Munisar, Karishma Ramharack.

IRELAND WOMEN: Gaby Lewis (captain), Amy Hunter, Orla Prendergast, Sarah Forbes, Leah Paul, Rebecca Stokell, Louise Little, Aimee Maguire, Kia McCartney, Jane Maguire, Georgina Dempsey.

Umpires: Claire Polosak, Roly Black.

TV Umpire: Gareth Morrison.

Reserve Umpire: Jareth McCready

Match Referee: Phillip Thompson