Dr. Didacus Jules, Caribbean Examinations Council's (CXC) newly appointed Registrar, on Thursday paid a courtesy call on officials within the Ministry of Education, as part of his travel schedule to CXC territories, to formally introduce himself and present his vision for the further advancement of the Caribbean Examinations Council.

Jules, who before assuming the post served as Vice President of Human Resources Cable and Wireless St. Lucia, held discussions with Education Minister Bertrand Joseph, Chief Education Officer Mrs. Jacintha Pringle, Permanent Secretary Eden Weston and other technicians.

While engaging Principals of Secondary Schools this morning in a meeting to share his vision for the Council, Dr. Jules spoke on the need for CXC to be re-positioned in the region, thereby extending in scope.

"CXC has traditionally focused on certification for the secondary level of the education system; I think the mandate of CXC and the challenges of the current period require that CXC now re-position itself to be the major institution for accreditation and certification across all demographics in the Caribbean."

"We will not just be focusing on the secondary school leaving level, but also looking at those already out of school, who are employed in different capacities, especially areas involving manual work, and Caribbean vocational qualification is meant to be the answer to their certification needs."

The CXC Registrar also stressed the need for the council to become the gateway, through which the Caribbean can benchmark itself internationally, via the programme for international student assessment, to determine where the diaspora stands intellectually on the global stage.

Dr. Jules firmly believes his ideas are workable, noting that wherever the vision has been presented, the response is always positive, and is an attempt to get feedback from Principals so that the strategic plan of CXC for the next 3 years (the duration of his contract), would be reflective of the collective aspirations and desires of persons who are integral to quality and assurance in the education system.

And in the same vane, he is cautioning against complacency in the Caribbean.

"CXC has achieved a great deal over the last 30 years, it is widely recognized and deeply respected, but we just cannot sit by. The global conjuncture is changing rapidly, but one thing we are clear about is that the future of the Caribbean does not reside in any primary product; it really is going to rely on the intellectual genius and capacity of Caribbean people, and that is part of the mandate of CXC to certify and accredit that genius, so we have a role to play in helping to drive motions of excellence in education, in helping to build capacity for excellence, and helping to make that vision possible."

Dr. Didacus Jules while in Antigua, will also hold meetings with the Principal of the Antigua State College, and is expected to pay a courtesy call on Prime Minister Baldwin Spencer

The new Registrar, a St. Lucian, began his duties on 2nd April, and possesses a wealth of experience having worked in both the civil service and private sector.

He is an experienced educator with over 25 years in various senior positions in education, including Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Education, Human Resource Development, Youth and Sports in St. Lucia, where he played a pivotal role in restructuring the country's education system.