THE Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC) this month is launching five new subjects for the Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination, bringing to 30 the total number of subjects offered at the advanced level exam.

The five new CAPE subjects for teaching in September, 2014, and the first exam in 2015 are: Agricultural Science, Entrepreneurship, Performing Arts, Physical Education, and Sport and Tourism, according to a CXC statement.
The first launch will take place on Friday at the Accra Beach Resort in Barbados under a tourism theme, Guyana will host the launch with the Agricultural Science theme on May 12, Trinidad and Tobago will host the Entrepreneurship event on May 15, St. Lucia will focus on the Performing Arts on May 16, and Jamaica will host the Physical Education and Sport theme on May 20.
CXC is partnering with various stakeholders to host the different events. These include the Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO), the Trinidad and Tobago Chamber of Industry and Commerce, the Cultural Development Foundation of St. Lucia, the Caribbean Agricultural Research and Development Institute, and various tertiary institutions in Jamaica.

CTO Secretary-General, Hugh Riley, said the launch was especially important to tourism as it would make frontline workers more knowledgeable in the field.
“This step is a giant leap toward providing our youth with the knowledge, the confidence and insights needed to change the quality of the experience we sell. Thousands of tourism frontline workers who are in positions to make or break this industry will now have an opportunity to get a tertiary education. For them, a CXC certificate, or just the knowledge gained while studying for that certificate, could be an absolute game-changer,” Riley is quoted as saying.