Lessons from CXC for Caribbean higher education institutions
| Published date | 03 April 2017 |
| Date | 03 April 2017 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/QAE-10-2015-0040 |
| Pages | 224-236 |
| Author | Stafford Alexander Griffith |
| Subject Matter | Education,Curriculum, instruction & assessment,Educational evaluation/assessment |
Lessons from CXC for Caribbean
higher education institutions
Stafford Alexander Grifth
School of Education, Faculty of Humanities and Education,
The University of the West Indies at Mona, Kingston
Abstract
Purpose –The purpose of this paper is to show how higher education institutions in the Caribbean may
benet from the quality assurance measures implemented by the Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC).
Design/methodology/approach –The paper uses an outcomes model of quality assurance to analyse
the measures implemented by the CXC to assure quality in its examinations. It considers how higher education
institutions in the Caribbean can benet from the approach to quality assurance used by that organization.
Findings –The paper suggests that there are several ways in which the quality assurance in higher
education institutions may be improved by using an outcomes model which focuses on the centrality of the
student experience by learning from the experiences of the CXC.
Research limitations/implications –The research uses a methodology of theoretical analysis, that is
the selection and discussion of theoretical material and descriptive material, in a particular context, and
considers their applicability for improving practice, in this case, in higher education institutions in the
Caribbean. It therefore does not engage the collection and analysis of quantitative or qualitative data.
Practical implications –The paper suggests that quality assurance practices of higher education
institutions in the Caribbean should take into account the lessons that may be learned from the quality
assurance measures implemented by the CXC.
Originality/value –The paper calls attention to the need for higher education institutions to make the shift
away from a purely institutional approach to quality assurance by adopting a more student-centred approach.
Keywords Quality assurance, Assessment, Education, Feedback, Examinations, Outcomes model,
Caribbean examinations council, Educational standards, SBA, Grades
Paper type Conceptual paper
Introduction
The Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC) was fully established in 1972 and had its rst
examinations in 1979. It currently serves 16 member-territories: Anguilla; Antigua and
Barbuda; Barbados; Belize; British Virgin Islands; Cayman Islands; Dominica; Grenada;
Guyana; Jamaica; Montserrat; St. Kitts-Nevis; St. Lucia; St. Vincent and the Grenadines;
Trinidad and Tobago; and Turks and Caicos Islands (Grifth, 2015).
An important development in the history of the Council was the extension of examination
services to the Dutch-speaking territories of Suriname, Saba and St. Maarten. All three
territories enter students for the CXC examinations (Grifth, 2015).
The administrative and operational work of the Council is conducted through ofces
located in the Eastern and Western zones of the Region. The Eastern Zone Ofce is located in
Barbados and houses the Headquarters of the Council. The Registrar, the Council’s Chief
Executive Ofcer, is based at that Ofce. Much of the technical operations of the Council, too,
is managed from that Ofce.
The Western Zone Ofce is located in Jamaica which is the largest population centre of the
Region served by the Council. It has special responsibilities for syllabus development and
maintenance and related activities. It also provides support for the work of the Council in the
The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available on Emerald Insight at:
www.emeraldinsight.com/0968-4883.htm
QAE
25,2
224
Received 18 October 2015
Revised 28 August 2016
Accepted 17 January 2017
QualityAssurance in Education
Vol.25 No. 2, 2017
pp.224-236
©Emerald Publishing Limited
0968-4883
DOI 10.1108/QAE-10-2015-0040
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