00:05good evening ladies and gentlemen I am Nicole M Romany and welcome aboard with the wider region
00:10tonight we leave Trinidad and Tobago for a journey across the Caribbean one island one story one
00:18people at a time your destination this evening Barbados Barbados is set to abolish the common
00:25entrance examination with 2027 confirmed as the final year the test will be administered the
00:32government intends to replace the high-stakes exam with a more equitable continuous assessment
00:37model aimed at reducing pressure on 11 year old students and reforming the secondary school
00:43placement system the wider region spoke with lecturer at the University of the West Indies
00:48Barbados Dr George C Braffitt who is in support of the move he says the examination has become
00:55obsolete and no longer serves the purpose it once did 40 to 50 decades ago I think too many persons
01:03are too many students are left behind and you see this at the secondary level after they've done the
01:14CXC's and tape and stuff like that you realize how many actually live uncertified I think they have to
01:22the other there can be fair ways of assessing students I think it's all about continuous
01:30learning development he argues that a shift towards specialist teachers and more targeted
01:36school systems is the way forward he also notes that opposition to the reform may be influenced by
01:44long-standing social biases it worked out for them in that they were able to walk to some of the
01:50more
01:51local schools but that is part of the embedded discrimination that is already in the education
01:58system so the resistance is part of that contact those who want to continue in a tradition that has
02:06technically marginalized a greater number than it helps the push to remove the exam is being driven by
02:13concerns around inclusivity with critics arguing that it disadvantages students with special educational
02:20needs and places unnecessary academic pressure on children however Dr Braffitt says Barbados could
02:27serve as a regional blueprint while emphasizing that education systems must reflect each country's unique
02:34context and each country has its own peculiarities although we are in the same way and stuff like that
02:42the reality is that you have to open up spaces but receiving information from the public and seeing how the
02:52public feels about it the common entrance exam originated in early 20th century Britain designed to
02:59standardize entry into independent schools before being adopted and adapted across the Caribbean as a
03:05mechanism for allocating secondary school placement our journey through Barbados continues tonight an online
03:14video appearing to show people in Barbados preparing green monkeys for consumption has sparked a new
03:19discussion about the island's rising monkey population and how it should be managed the development comes as
03:27regional agricultural officials are urging residents to consult the Ministry of Agriculture for guidance on
03:34dealing with the issue according to a news report out of Barbados Caribbean agricultural research
03:39development institute country representative Christina Pula said she was not in a position to determine whether green
03:47monkeys could be considered a viable source of protein for the country however she highlighted the ongoing
03:53challenges the animals pose for agriculture noting the persistent damage caused by roaming troops and
04:01encouraging farmers to seek official support and approved management strategies and as the sun sets on our journey
04:08tonight through Barbados thank you for flying with us on wider region I am Nicole M Romany join us next
04:15Friday
04:16for a journey somewhere else across the Caribbean uncovering the stories people culture and conversations shaping our region
04:25until then
04:26you
04:27you
04:31you
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