The Ministry of Education has instructed schools to submit to the government the list of students for the 2027 CXC examination sitting for CSEC, CTEC and CVQ, so that the government can pay for their subjects.
The ministry said that in keeping with the government’s policy, the state will pay for up to a maximum of nine subjects per student.
“The government will pay the CXC entry fee and the per-subject fee for every eligible candidate on the approved list, coordinated through the CXC Local Registrar’s office,” the ministry said in the note to principals of secondary schools and technical institutes.
In the lead-up to the November 2025 general election, the New Democratic Party government had announced that if elected to office, it would pay the fees for the examinations that students take at the end of secondary school.
In its note to educational institutions, the Ministry of Education said that schools will not collect examination fees from parents or guardians for entries within this scope.
The nine-subject maximum
The cap will be an aggregate. That is, CSEC subjects, CTEC subjects and CVQ qualifications entered for the same candidate will count together towards the nine.
The ministry further said that nine subjects will be “a ceiling, not a target”, saying that candidates will be entered only for subjects they will be prepared to sit, informed by internal assessment results and school-based assessment or coursework completion.
Additional subjects may be entered at the candidate’s own cost, to be paid directly to the treasury, through the CXC Local Registrar.
“These entries should be reflected separately in the cover letter that will be submitted,” the ministry said.
The cost of CCSLC subjects will be borne by the candidate/parent/guardian and late-entry and amendment fees arising from a late or incorrect submission will not be covered by the government.
Who may be included
Candidates who will be enrolled and in attendance at secondary school and technical institutes at the time of registration will be eligible for inclusion — CSEC, CTEC and CVQ candidates — except for candidates repeating a subject and private candidates.
All entries will be validated against the school’s student register, the ministry said.
The principal or head of the institution must sign and date all documents that are submitted, certifying that each candidate is enrolled and in attendance, that the entries reflect the subjects the candidate has been prepared for, that school-based assessment or coursework requirements are on track, and that no funded candidate exceeds nine entries.