CXC goes digital, expands access, rolls out disaster plan

Jan 09, 2026 News

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…as 10,000 sit January exams

(Kaieteur News) – As more than 10,000 candidates across the Caribbean sit the January 2026 CSEC examinations, the Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC) is pressing ahead with sweeping reforms aimed at modernising assessment, strengthening disaster preparedness, and widening access for students across the region.

Addressing a news conference in Trinidad and Tobago on Wednesday, Registrar and Chief Executive Officer Dr. Wayne Wesley outlined key decisions and initiatives approved by CXC’s Board of Governors, signalling what he described as a renewed push to “ignite the potential and shape the future” of Caribbean learners.

According to a press release from CXC Dr. Wesley confirmed that the January 2026 CSEC examinations began on Monday and will run until January 29, with English B Paper 2 and Human and Social Biology Paper 2 written on Wednesday. Significantly, the exams are being administered primarily on-screen, using CXC’s digital and hybrid e-assessment platforms. According to the Registrar, this marks a major milestone in the Council’s push to modernise testing across the region. “It is our intention to offer all exams on-screen in the next three to five years,” Wesley said, describing the digital shift as central to improving efficiency, reliability, and access.

Even as the January sitting continues, CXC is already preparing for the traditional May–June examination period, when more than 100,000 candidates are expected to sit over 600,000 CSEC and CAPE subject entries. “The work never stops at CXC,” Wesley noted.

One of the most significant announcements was the formal approval of CXC’s long-standing Regional Disaster and Business Recovery Protocol, which governs how the Council responds when participating states are affected by natural or man-made disasters. The six-step protocol outlines CXC’s response, beginning with immediate engagement with affected states and ministries of education, followed by stakeholder consultations, recommendations to the Board, and ongoing evaluation. The protocol is already being applied in Jamaica following the devastation caused by Hurricane Melissa.

Special Measures

Under a disaster recovery action plan approved for Jamaica, CXC has introduced a suite of accommodations for affected students sitting the upcoming CSEC and CAPE examinations. These include flexibility in exam administration through a modified approach for schools impacted by the hurricane, extended deadlines for School-Based Assessments (SBAs) until June 15, 2026, and the waiving of late registration and SBA submission fees. Candidates who feel unprepared to sit the exams due to disruption may also seek refunds or defer to a later sitting in 2027. Importantly, all Jamaica-based candidates will receive their results in August 2026 alongside the rest of the region. Boosting Literacy and Numeracy Across the Region Turning to CXC’s core mandate, Dr. Wesley announced the approval of two major policy documents aimed at improving learning outcomes across the Caribbean.

One establishes approved literacy and numeracy standards for the first three years of secondary school, while the other focuses on strengthening primary-level education through revised targets and performance benchmarks under the Caribbean Primary Exit Assessment (CPEA). These standards, Wesley said, are aligned with both regional priorities and international best practices. CTEC Pilot Oversubscribed Wesley also provided an update on the Caribbean Targeted Education Certificate (CTEC), a relatively new initiative designed to offer alternative pathways for learners. Originally planned for 3,000 participants, the pilot has attracted more than double that number, with 6,453 candidates from 13 member states participating across 48 examination centres. The oversubscription, Wesley said, underscores strong regional demand for flexible and targeted certification options.

In a move aimed at deepening stakeholder engagement, CXC has strengthened collaboration with the Council of Caribbean National Parent-Teacher Associations (CCNPTA). For the first time, parent-teacher representatives will have an opportunity to influence decision-making at the highest levels of the Council, a development Wesley described as critical to improving education policy outcomes.

CXC is also expanding its advocacy for inclusive education, particularly for visually impaired and print-disabled students, in line with the WIPO Marrakesh Treaty. During the 2025 examination sittings, special arrangements were made for 3,444 candidates with visual impairments and other special needs. Wesley pledged that CXC would continue refining its assessment technologies and approaches to ensure no candidate is left behind. As the region grapples with climate shocks, educational inequality, and rapid technological change, Wesley said CXC remains committed to resilience, inclusion, and quality. By modernising assessments, standing with disaster-affected states, and widening access for all learners, he said, the Council is positioning itself for what it hopes will be a “remarkable and successful” year in 2026.

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• Caribbean, CXC, Digital, disaster plan

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