SBAs remain mandatory for 2027 CSEC candidates – MoE

Grade 11 students preparing to sit the 2027 Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) examinations must complete all prescribed School-Based Assessment (SBA) requirements. The Ministry of Education today issued these instructions to all secondary schools following an advisory from the Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC).

The Ministry emphasised that Paper 3 is strictly not authorised as an SBA substitute for secondary school students for the 2027 examination cycle. Secondary schools are therefore prohibited from directing or permitting students to undertake Paper 3 in lieu of an SBA, or communicating to parents and students that such a replacement is permitted.

All Grade 11 students enrolled in CSEC subjects requiring an SBA are directed to resume or continue their assessment tasks immediately to meet the prescribed March 2027 submission deadline. Schools must allocate sufficient instructional time, guidance and supervision to ensure students refine and complete their work on schedule.

Headteachers are required to oversee the immediate resumption of SBA activities across all departments, monitor progress towards completion and provide targeted interventions for students who may need additional support. Moreover, Education Officers will be required to conduct regional school visits, review SBA progress records and engage school administration to ensure that all of our candidates are on track.

These directives clarify local requirements following advice from the CXC regarding plans to discontinue SBAs for thirteen subjects starting in 2028, with conditional implementation beginning in 2027. The Ministry confirms that for Guyana’s 2027 CSEC cohort, all existing SBA requirements remain fully in effect.