The Caribbean Examinations Council has revealed its first instances of artificial intelligence misuse during assessments, as the regional body also recorded more than 35 000 candidates missing this year’s exams and a sharp rise in cases of misconduct.
Dr Nicole Manning, CXC’s director of operations, said the council recorded its first official instances of AI misuse during exams as she gave a regional performance update in Anguilla.
She said: “The top three issues we had this year: the use of unauthorised devices, collusion where candidates are trying to work with each other in an exam to complete the exam, thirdly, use of unauthorised material and the new one on the block, AI misuse.
“We have never had this before. This is new.”
To combat this, CXC adapted an international AI assessment framework to help regional schools set clear standards for responsible technology use.
Dr Manning also warned students against uploading sensitive data to AI platforms: “Students, and I’m looking at you, do not put your personal identifiable information in any source in any and any platform because that’s taking you, your identity.”
Students caught breaking exam rules risk disqualified results or full banishment from the cycle.
CXC figures show that 3 534 candidates were absent for the pre-university Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination (CAPE). The numbers were far more critical at the lower Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) level, where 32 403 registered students failed to appear for their tests.
Missing an examination automatically deprives a student of the chance to earn a final qualification, Dr Manning warned.
He said: “A candidate who’s absent has no opportunity to be graded because they have missed a component and cannot be graded, so that candidate would have lost out on that opportunity.
“The surveys tell us that sometimes candidates just feel that they’re unprepared and decide not to turn up. This is not a reason to be absent. Just try. As we say, nothing beats a trial.”
Academic integrity faced fresh challenges this year, with reported examination irregularities jumping from 80 cases in the previous cycle to 128. Common infractions included disruptive behaviour, unauthorised notes and candidate collusion.
The CXC also highlighted a parallel crisis involving school-based assessments (SBAs). Non-submissions stem from two sources: school centres failing to send in completed projects, and students failing to do the work altogether.
With candidate non-submissions climbing, Dr Manning urged regional education ministries to step in and help students understand that skipping any assessment component leads to an ungraded result.
Addressing demographic shifts, Dr Manning pointed out a widening gender gap as students advance through school. While boys and girls attend primary school in equal numbers, male participation drops significantly in secondary and post-secondary exams.
Females accounted for 62 per cent of CAPE candidates, compared with just 38 per cent for males. At CSEC level, females made up 59 per cent of candidates, compared with 41 per cent for males.
“I have no apologies for this for me: men are born leaders, and we have to respect that and help them to stay in that place,” Dr Manning remarked, calling for a coordinated regional response. “This disparity has come about for whatever reason, and together as educators, we are going to try and see what we can do to ensure that the candidates, students, our own children that start at the primary level 50/50, we remove that disparity.”
Despite these issues, CXC highlighted significant administrative progress, including support for students with special needs. Customised provisions – such as extra writing time, braille papers and readers – were used across 16 territories for CSEC and eight countries for CAPE.
The CXC also pointed to its emergency protocols following a severe Category 5 hurricane that struck Jamaica in October 2025. By offering a modified assessment pathway to affected examination centres in western Jamaica, CXC ensured candidates who lost homes and property were not left behind.
The exam body praised Anguilla for advancing digital testing across the region. A new hybrid e-assessment format – in which students view questions on screen but write answers in physical booklets – was successfully introduced for CSEC, easing candidates into digital testing while maintaining regional standards.
(RR)
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