Producing critical thinkers vital

Registrar of the Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC), Dr. Didacus Jules, is appealing to the Ministries of Education across the region to pay particular attention to the learning support materials being produced, particularly by private sources.

“What we see happening in the region today is a proliferation of products that are all focused on ‘drill for examination approaches’, and that I want to emphasise runs totally counter to what we are trying to do in CXC,” he stated during the signing of an agreement, which will see CXC granting Macmillan exclusive publishing rights in respect of syllabuses and past examination question papers for all CAPE and CSEC subjects.

Dr. Didacus Jules, Registrar of the Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC).

Dr. Jules disclosed that CXC has been told by some governments and the private sector that they need to ensure that the certification they offer not only speaks to thorough knowledge of the discipline or the subject area, but also addresses issues of critical thinking and problem solving.

“We cannot produce problem solvers and critical thinkers by drill methodology, and many of those sites that are being offered commercially, where people have to pay $30, $40 US a month, puts students through an unending drill process with a hope that they can get it right in exams,” he pointed out.

“Firstly, I want to warn those persons that CXC’s copyright has to be absolutely respected because we are vigorously going to pursue copyright infringement.

“Secondly, you cannot produce critical thinkers by drill. We need to spend less time on testing and more time on teaching and on learning. The understanding of the concepts in our syllabus is what will bring ultimately the results that we are seeking,” Dr. Jules stressed. (TL)