An unfair question in the CPEA Examinations

An open letter to the CXC regarding the 2025 CPEA exams

15 May 2025

The Registrar,

Caribbean Examination Council,

St. Michael, BB 14068

Barbados, W.I.

Dear Registrar,

This letter is being submitted on behalf of concerned individuals regarding a question that appeared on the recent Caribbean Primary Exit Assessment (CPEA) social studies examination. While I do not know the exact wording of the question, candidates were asked to select the soca artiste with options being Alison Hinds, Sean Paul and Rihanna. Posing a question of this nature is well within the rights of the examination body since music is a big part of the region’s culture and is expected to be covered as per the OECS primary grades learning standard.  However, we wish to bring to your attention several issues with the question that may have negatively impacted the ability of candidates across the region to respond fairly and accurately:

1. Relevance and time frame: The options of the question referenced not one but two figures that are not relevant for today’s primary-level students. While both Alison Hinds and Sean Paul are respected, influential Caribbean artistes, they reached peak popularity in the early 2000s, well before today’s 11-12-year-olds were born. Both artists have continued to release great music, however, their music is not part of the current cultural content that these children are typically exposed to. The generational gap is just too wide.

2. Lack of regional familiarity: The generational gap between the candidates and two of the options presented has resulted in a lack of regional familiarity of these two artistes. Students may be familiar with a few songs by these artists, but to associate the specific name of the artist to the song or even the genre is not something most candidates were able to do. Alison Hind’s name would be well known in Barbados, and Sean Paul’s in Jamaica, but throughout the countries sitting the CPEA exam, the age groups are simply not familiar with them.

3. Limited use of reasoning: The options presented did not support a process-of-elimination approach, making it difficult for students to reason their way to an answer. With Rihanna’s strong presence on the international scene with her music, make-up brand and recently being honoured as a national hero of Barbados, it would be pretty easy for candidates to eliminate that option. With two other names which students are now unfamiliar with, students cannot confidently eliminate and are left to guess blindly. This therefore, increases unfairness and reduces the validity of the question.

The nature of the question undermines the purpose of assessment and introduces issues of fairness and validity. The options given risks excluding a large portion of candidates who simply have not encountered the work of the artistes and to use them as reference points in a standardised exam should not occur. As the CPEA plays a significant role in the academic development of our students, we respectfully request that the Caribbean Examinations Council review this question and consider any necessary steps to address the potential impact.

We appreciate the Council’s continued efforts to ensure fair and culturally relevant assessments for all learners.

Respectfully,

Concerned Stakeholders in Regional Education

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