Education Ministry creates new post to “improve the integrity and structure” of the exams system

Last Updated on Wednesday, 25 November 2020, 13:01 by Denis Chabrol

Mr. Ameer Ali

Two months after a region-wide controversy over the accuracy of Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC) results largely due to the 100 percent check of School-Based Assessments (SBA),  Guyana’s Ministry of Education on Wednesday announced the creation of a new post of Assistant Chief Education Officer (Examinations) to “improve the integrity and structure of the examination systems.”

Performing the duties of that office until someone has been appointed would be Senior Education Officer, Ameer Ali.

CXC has said it would from next year be conducting 100 percent moderation of all SBA), based on an independent review of the administration of the CXC July/August 2020 Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate® (CSEC) and Caribbean Advanced Proficiency examinations.

Against the background of the fact that the Ministry of Education already has an Examinations Division and a Superintendent of Examinations, the Education Ministry sought to assure that they would not be over-ridden by the new post.

“This post, though new, will serve to improve what obtains so that the Ministry can efficiently administer all examinations whether local or regional. The creation of this post will not replace what already exists but will bolster the Ministry’s capacity in
managing all examinations,” the Ministry said.

The Education Ministry explained that the the post of ACEO (Examinations)  has been created to bring synergy to the various departments
of the Ministry as far as measuring and evaluation goes in administering examinations, analysing results therefrom and discerning and implementing systems and programs to ensure the efficient delivery of the curriculum which will be measured by output.

According to Mr. Ali he believes the position that has been created is a progressive move as it addresses the need for greater collaboration and synergy between the Examinations Division and the Testing Unit.

He said that for several years, the Examinations Division and the Testing Unit at the National Centre for Educational Resource Development (NCERD) has been working diligently, tireless and beyond the call of duty to ensure acceptable standards in the development and administration of national examinations across the education system.

He added that due to COVID-19, a demand was evident for innovation and adaptation to new and modern assessments. “All our children, at the various levels, must have an equal and fair chance at succeeding at whatever examinations they write, including CSEC and CAPE. Therefore, the guidance of children’s preparation and skill development in specific and strategic areas and levels will be crucial and necessary. This would also mean specific and in-depth training of teachers and other stakeholders in the
completion of syllabi, SBAs and practical assessments.”

Mr. Ali has been a part of the education fraternity since 1996 when he began teaching mathematics, integrated science and English at the City College in Georgetown.

In 1999 he began teaching at the St. Ignatius Secondary School in the areas of mathematics, integrated science and technical drawing. In 2002 Mr. Ali graduated from the Cyril Potter College of Education (CPCE) with a Trained Teacher’s Certificate (Secondary Education). In 2009, he went on to graduate from the University of Guyana with a Bachelor’s of Science Degree in Mathematics and is currently reading for his Master’s in Education – Mathematics. He also possesses an International Program for Development Evaluation Training (IPDET) Certificate in Monitoring and Evaluation. During the period from 2010 to 2013, he taught as a lecturer at the CPCE in mathematics content and methodology and from 2013 to present he has been serving as an Education Officer within the Ministry.