Basseterre, St. Kitts (April 14, 2005): The launch of Associate Degrees by the Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC) opens the door for citizens of St. Kitts and Nevis to obtain such degrees without having to go outside the region.
The launch takes place on April 20th at a press conference hosted by the Ministry of Education, at the Nathaniel John hospitality and business Services Centre, at the Clarence Fitzroy Bryant College.
Associate Degrees in nine areas including Business studies, Computer Science, Environmental Science, General studies, Humanities, Mathematics, Modern Languages, Natural Sciences and Technical studies.
CXC registrar Dr. Lucy Steward will participate in the official ceremony.
In order to qualify for Associate Degrees, candidates will have to obtain grades 1 to 5 in a minimum of seven CAPE units, of which Caribbean studies and Communications are compulsory.
CXC chairman, Professor Hon. Kenneth Hall, said at the Barbados launch in March this year that the region has to find creative ways of extending access to quality education and the CXC Associate Degree is a direct response to this need.
Hall said that in doing so, it takes account of the radical changes that are occurring in the education arena. The CXC chairman also noted that this is an era where there is a need for portable qualification, as graduates are now even less likely to be limited to their national space.
Typically, candidates will complete the CXC Associate Degree in two years; however, the programme offers the flexibility for mature and out-of-school candidates to complete the seven units required for the Associate Degree over a maximum period of five years.
The first CXC Associate Degrees will be awarded in 2006.
