The first panel discussion on the 2018 Caribbean Association of Historians was sponsored by CXC. The session, entitled “Perspective on the Future of Caribbean History” was chaired by Norlette Yearde, Manager at the Syllabus and Curriculum Development Division.

The panel included Dr Richard Goodridge of UWI Cave Hill Campus, who presented on the topic, “The Need for African History in the Anglophone Caribbean”; Dr Janice Mayers presented on the findings of the CXC History Taskforce; and Dr Halima Kassim presented on the topic “Taking the Bull by the Horn: Charting New Directions for Sustainable and Exciting Futures for History and the Humanities.”

The 90-minute discussion stimulated fierce debate about the state of history in the region’s schools, both secondary and tertiary and offered some reasons for it. It concluded that in both secondary schools and universities, the interest in history has declined as evidenced by the low number of entries for CSEC and CAPE and at UWI Humanities faculties.