“History of the CXC” to be launched December 2

The Daily Herald writes that a chronicling the forty years since the establishment of the Caribbean Examinations Council CXC will be launched during a ceremony at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel in Kingston, Jamaica, on Tuesday, December 2. Entitled “A History of the Caribbean Examinations Council, 1973-2013” , the book was written by University of the West Indies (UWI) Professor Emeritus and Historian Patrick Bryan in celebration of CXC’s 40th anniversary in 2013.

The fascinating history chronicles the story of pre-independence Caribbean leaders who fought for an examinations council that would ultimately transform the regional school system into one that addresses the specific education needs of the region head-on.

From the meeting of Heads of Government of the Commonwealth Caribbean countries in 1964, to the first meeting of the Caribbean Examinations Council in 1973, to the first examinations in 1979, readers will witness all the obstacles the Council faced as it fought for regional and international acceptance in the midst of UK-based examinations’ continued presence in the Caribbean.

In his Foreword to the book, Professor E. Nigel Harris, Chairman of CXC notes, “The decision to commission a history of the CXC comes at an important moment when so many in the Caribbean are beginning to doubt the resilience of our people either as single nations or as a united entity. The importance of CXC is best manifest by the fact that nearly every family in the English speaking Caribbean is impacted, whether it is one’s child, relative, neighbour or friend’s child, all are, will be or were involved in taking one or more of the CXC-administered exams.”

“…This book chronicles the evolution of CXC and the twists and turns of an indigenous Caribbean institution that is intrinsically linked to the broader search for Caribbean freedom and nationhood,” writes Dr. Wendy Grenade, Lecturer in Political Science at the University of the West Indies, Cave Hill Campus, in her review of the book. “The 10
chapters of the book weave together a story that takes the reader to the early beginnings and the struggle against elitist education and external examination that were not designed for the Caribbean experience as they were not sufficiently sensitive to a Caribbean consciousness.”

Former Prime Minister of Jamaica P.J. Patterson will deliver the feature address at the book’s launch. Minister of Education in Jamaica Reverend Ronald Thwaites; Chairman of CXC Professor Nigel Harris; former Registrar of CXC Dr. Didacus Jules; Acting Registrar of CXC Glenroy Cumberbatch and the book’s author Professor Patrick Byran will speak at the launch.

The book will be available on Amazon.com from January 2015 and in bookstores across the Caribbean. For further information, please contact Cleveland Sam, Public Information Officer at (246) 227 1892 or via e-mail  CSam@cxc.org.