Antigua Breaking News

Top Trusted News Source in Antigua

Search
Previous slide
Next slide

CXC to issue e-Certificates across the region

Share this article:

Facebook
Twitter
Pinterest
LinkedIn

The Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC) has announced that after a successful trial period, it will continue to provide students with e-certificates across the region.

While CXC will still be offering the traditional paper-based certificate, students who have
registered unique and valid e-mail addresses, will now have the option to acquire their
official certification through Blockcerts or blockchain based credentials as a free
downloadable E-Certificate in a digital format, immediately available to students on their electronic devices once the certificate is ready and available.

The CXC ambitiously kicked off the first regional blockchain-based credential project last
October, by issuing E-Certificates to a select group of 24,000 students from Barbados and
Trinidad who sat the 2018 May/June examinations. Now students from across the region
will be able to download their certificates conveniently, securely and quickly onto their
devices, once available.

CXC Registrar/CEO Glenroy Cumberbatch said, “Serving 19 countries – this is the first
explicitly multi-national implementation of digital credentials designed specifically to
maximised cross-border employability and transferability of skills in the region. From
inception, our primary goal was to empower students to have ownership of their records
and be able to share them in a secure way, with whomever they choose”.

“The move was also to boost security and transferability of official examinations records. It
also helps to prevent loss of official records. The blockchain, combined with strong
cryptography, provides a new security infrastructure that guarantees the authenticity of
these records and enables convenient verification,” he added

CXC E-Certificates will be offered for Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Exam (CAPE),
Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) and Caribbean Certificate of Secondary
Level Competence (CCSLC).

Be part of the conversation.

Let us know what you think by adding a comment below. Click here to start now!

Cumberbatch said E-Certificates add value to students and to the recipients of the Ecertificate: “Students can now have their original record in their possession and control how it is used. They can choose to share their CXC E-Certificate publicly, like on a social media, or send it privately by email or text message. They can even link it to their resume, public portfolio, or applications, so that people like potential employers can verify their
qualifications with the click of a button”

“E-Certificates are tamper-proof and registered on the Bitcoin blockchain, so they can be
shared to Colleges, University, and Clearing Houses as well. Once received the recipients of
the E-Certificates can be independently verified it anywhere. This is all free to our students
receiving their e-credentials as well as to the colleges, university and potential employers
who can now verify certificates immediately. Verification only requires a mobile device or
web browser,” Cumberbatch explained further.

CXC partnered with Learning Machine in June 2018 to collaborate and develop this opensource standard for blockchain based records for Caribbean students, Kausar N. Samli,
Learning Machine Senior Vice President of Global Services, said, “CXC is among an elite
group of institutions that are leading the charge globally for the issuance of secure,
portable, and shareable digital credentials. CXC is now building upon last fall’s successful
launch of Blockcerts for issuance of official student records. From this March, the next batch of students will be receiving Blockcerts that will empower them with individual ownership of their official records in a digital format that is portable and easily shareable.”

Share this article:

Facebook
Twitter
Pinterest
LinkedIn

Join the Conversation!

Comments are closed.

REQUEST FOR EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST

(CONSULTING SERVICES – INDIVIDUAL SELECTION)

 

OECS MSME Guarantee Facility Project

Loan No.: IDA-62670, IDA-62660, IDA-62640, IBRD-88830, IDA-62650

Assignment Title: Senior Operating Officer (SOO)

Reference No. KN-ECPCGC-207852-CS-INDV

 

The Governments of Antigua and Barbuda, Commonwealth of Dominica, Grenada, St. Lucia and St. Vincent and the Grenadines have received financing in the amount of US$10 million equivalent from the World Bank towards the cost of establishing a partial credit guarantee scheme, and they intend to apply part of the proceeds to payments for goods, and consulting services to be procured under this project. 

The consultant will serve as the “Senior Operating Officer (SOO)” for the ECPCGC and should possess extensive knowledge of MSME lending with some direct experience lending to Micro, small and medium-sized businesses, knowledge of the internal control processes necessary for a lending operation and the ability to design and implement risk mitigation procedures. The ideal candidate should possess an Undergraduate Degree from a reputable college or university, preferably in Business, Accounting, Banking or related field, with a minimum of 5 years’ experience in lending, inclusive of MSME lending. The initial employment period will be for two years on a contractual basis. Renewal of the contract will be subject to a performance evaluation at the end of the contractual period. The assignment is expected to begin on September 30th, 2021.  The consultant will report directly to the Chief Executive Officer of the ECPCGC.

The detailed Terms of Reference (TOR) for the assignment can be viewed by following the attached link below. 

 

https://bit.ly/3iVannm

 

The Eastern Caribbean Partial Credit Guarantee Corporation (ECPCGC) now invites eligible “Consultants” to indicate their interest in providing the Services. Interested Consultants should provide information demonstrating that they have:

  • An Undergraduate Degree from a reputable college or university, preferably in Business, Finance, Banking or related field; and
  • Minimum of 5 years’ experience in MSME lending. Applicants should also have:
  • The ability to design and implement risk management procedures 
  • Extensive knowledge of MSME lending with some direct experience lending to small and medium-sized businesses
  • Extensive knowledge of MSME banking operations
  • Knowledge of the internal controls necessary for a lending operation and the ability to design and implement risk management procedures
  • Experience developing and presenting information in public, including responding to questions in real-time
  • Experience lending to MSMEs located in the ECCU
  • Knowledge of marketing and communicating with the MSME sector
  • Ability to draft procedures to be used in a lending operation
  • Familiarity with the mechanics of a loan guarantee program
  • Exceptional written, oral, interpersonal, and presentation skills, and
  • Proficiency in the use of Microsoft Office suite.

The attention of interested Individual Consultants is drawn to Section III, Paragraphs 3.14, 3.16, and 3.17 of the World Bank’s Procurement Regulations for IPF Borrowers July 2016, [revised November 2017] (“Procurement Regulations”), setting forth the World Bank’s policy on conflict of interest. A Consultant will be selected in accordance with the Approved Selection Method for Individual Consultants set out in the clause 7.34 of the World Bank Procurement Regulations for IPF Borrowers. 

 

Further information can be obtained at the address below during office hours 0800 to 1700 hours:

Eastern Caribbean Partial Credit Guarantee Corporation

Brid Rock, Basseterre,

St. Kitts.

Expressions of interest must be delivered in a written form by e-mail by August 11th, 2021, to [email protected]

 

For further information, please contact:

Carmen Gomez-Trigg                                                            Bernard Thomas

Chief Executive Officer                                                          Chief Financial Officer

Tel: 868-620-8144                                                                  Tel: 869-765-2385

Email: [email protected]                                          [email protected]