Tuesday, May 13 2008

TEACHERS from ASJA Girls’ High School, Naparima College and San Fernando Senior Comprehensive said they welcomed the Ministry’s investigation into the CAPE leak.

Vice Principal of Naparima College David Sammy said there has been a perception among some academics that five and seven year students perform well because pupils can afford to buy examination papers when breaches in security procedures occur.

Sammy said because of this recent breach, there are those who will disapprove of CAPE and decide that Cambridge examinations should continue.

“People will begin to question what is happening now with CAPE examinations, where in the past they did not question Cambridge London.

“This country will get a bad name since any leak that occurs affects the integrity of the entire Caribbean Examinations Council,” Sammy said.

Officials at ASJA and San Fernando Senior Comprehensive both agreed that the breach and the resulting postponement of the exams would have a negative effect on CAPE students. They called for the investigations to be swift.

President of National Parents and Teachers Association (NPTA) Zena Ramatali said the students involved in selling and buying tests papers should be ashamed since their action has impacted on other students who have studied day and night for the exams.

“We want CXC in Barbados to rewrite the examination paper to ensure the validity and reliability of the examinations,” Ramatali said.