CXC's AI-Analysed Diagnostic Literacy & Numeracy System for Caribbean Secondary Schools

The Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC), the regional body that sets and grades secondary examinations (CSEC, CAPE, CCSLC) across its member territories, faced a stark diagnosis: only 36% of candidates achieved acceptable grades in CSEC Mathematics in August 2024, part of a broader regional decline in numeracy and literacy. Registrar and CEO Dr Wayne Wesley announced the response at a regional digital-transformation symposium in the Cayman Islands in October 2024, alongside the Caribbean Development Bank, CARICOM Secretariat, OECS Commission, University of the West Indies and the Cayman Islands Ministry of Education.

The core of the initiative is a new system of low-stakes diagnostic assessments for students in Years 7-9 — well before they sit CSEC — set to launch in 2026. Rather than a pass/fail exam, the tool uses AI to analyse each student's results and flag specific gaps, whether in reading comprehension or computation, so schools can design personalised, targeted interventions. CXC is pairing this with the Caribbean Targeted Education Certificate (CTEC), which breaks subjects into three modules so students can demonstrate progressive mastery on the way to full CSEC certification, and from 2026 will also permit supervised AI use in CAPE, CSEC and CCSLC school-based assessments.

As of these reports the diagnostic system had not yet launched, so there is real published evidence of the problem it targets but no independent evidence yet of its effect on literacy or numeracy outcomes. World Bank education manager Andreas Blom, speaking at the same symposium, cautioned that 'these tools need to be bought, implemented and delivered' and that the region still has much to learn about using AI in assessment — a caution this record preserves rather than smooths over.

Read the full analysis: https://www.caribank.org/newsroom/news-and-events/cxc-launch-ai-powered-literacy-and-numeracy-system-part-digital-transformation