TRINIDAD-EDUCATION-Two arrested in CXC scam

 

PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad, CMC – Two employees of the Ministry of Education were released on bail totalling TT$1 million (US$166,600) after they appeared in court on charges related to a scam involving the sale of the examination papers set by the Barbados-based Caribbean Examination Council (CXC).

 

Police charged Michael Thores, 21 and Harianna Lakatoo, 18, with unlawful possession of the Mathematics and English O’Level exam papers. They were not called upon to plead when they appeared before Magistrate Alicia Chankar in the San Fernando Magistrates’ Court , south of here on Friday.

 

Both accused were granted bail in the sum of TT$500,000 (US$83,300) each and will re-appear in court on June 24.

 

CXC Registrar Dr. Didacus Jules said the investigation into the scam would continue despite the court appearance of the two persons.

 

"This is only the first step. I expect the matter will go through to its conclusion, in terms of the legal process," he said.

 

Jules said that CXC remains committed to finding out how the security procedures had been breached and that it would continue to work with local authorities and in Barbados on the matter.

 

"Where we have fallen through is on the administration of the exam, and that is going to be a point of serious focus going forward…to tighten up, in every way possible, on that administration in order to preserve the integrity of the product itself,” he said. 

 

Reaffirming CXC's promise to review its internal processes, Jules said the Caribbean Development Bank has provided a timely grant to the exam body that would be used to strengthen security measures.

 

CXC and local investigators were also investigating the sale of Communication Studies papers at the  Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examinations (CAPE) level after they were being offered for sale here.

 

CXC, which had suspended all exams here pending further investigations, said that the Communications Studies exams would now be offered on June 16 while the other examination papers would commence on June 23 and be completed July 25.

 

It said that the CAPE results for Trinidad and Tobago would be released on August 16, five days later than originally scheduled.

 

CMC/rl/pr/dmb/08