Brian Bennett-Easy, chairman of the Overseas Examination Commission (OEC), is urging members of the public who may have information relating to the theft of fireproof cabinets containing Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC) examination papers at St James High School to contact the police.

“This is a shameful act and the first incident of its kind for us as a country. We will not be deterred from our mission of fairness and transparency in the examination process, and are doing everything within our power to ensure that no candidate is disadvantaged as a result of this. We are appealing to anyone who has information about this incident to do the right thing for our students and contact the police immediately,” the chairman said.

In a statement on Wednesday (June 14), the OEC says it takes this matter very seriously and has reported it to the relevant authorities.

Hector Stephenson, OEC executive director, has also assured the public that the commission is committed to maintaining the integrity and fairness of the examinations in Jamaica and will update stakeholders on the status of the papers as soon as more information becomes available.

The OEC further apologised for any inconvenience or potential anxiety that may be caused by this
unforeseen event and asks for students’ patience and cooperation, as it seek to resolve the matter in the best interest of all affected.

The examination commission said it is also working closely with the Principal of the institution and the CXC to determine the full extent of the loss and the possible impact on the examination process.

Reports are that the administrative building of the St. James High School was reportedly broken into Tuesday night (June 13) where thieves made off with documents including Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC) Math Paper 1 written papers.

This incident follows the CXC Math Paper 2 leak in earlier weeks.