Digital era demands new education standards, Minister Parag tells CXC conference

Caribbean Community (CARICOM) countries must reform student assessments to move away from traditional test-focused models, the region’s Education Minister, Sonia Parag, said on Wednesday.
Speaking at the inaugural CXC Regional Education Conference, Minister Parag highlighted the growing role of artificial intelligence in generating essays, images, and solutions to complex problems, arguing that the value in education should now shift towards critical thinking and reasoning.
“When a machine can generate an answer, the value shifts from the answer itself to the thinking behind it,” she said, calling for assessments that capture a child’s thought process and stimulate curiosity rather than academic exhaustion.
Minister Parag stressed that digital access alone does not equate to understanding. “Connectivity without competency is merely noise,” she said, emphasising that literacy and numeracy remain foundational.
While noting AI’s potential to support learning, she insisted that it cannot replace teachers. “An algorithm can provide a fact, but it cannot provide the mentorship, the emotional intelligence, or the moral guidance that a Caribbean teacher brings to a developing mind,” she said.
The minister also said technology can help level the educational playing field, giving students in remote communities access to the same resources as those in urban centres.
Minister Parag congratulated CXC for hosting the forum and called for a second phase focused on action, including drafting policies and frameworks to modernise Caribbean education.