Passes for CSEC Maths and English A decline regionally

By Nakinskie Robinson   

 

Passes for critical Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) subjects, including mathematics and English A, have slid further downwards across the region.

 

During the official release of results ceremony for the 2024 May-June exams in Dominica on Tuesday, the Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC) reported a seven per cent dip in maths and a two per cent drop in passes for English A when compared with last year.

 

Director of Operations at CXC Dr. Nicole Manning noted that 76 per cent candidates passed English A, adding that while marks a reduction from last year, "it still is very good". 

 

There was consistency in passes at grade one, while a reduction was reported for grades two and three. 

 

Calling mathematics a sore point, Dr. Manning revealed that 36 per cent of candidates passed across the region. 

 

A regional pass rate of 34 per cent was recorded in 2021 and 37 per cent in 2022.

 

The 43 per cent overall regional passes for mathematics recorded last year was the best performance within the last four years.

 

Dr. Manning said CXC has already crafted new strategies for improving results.

 

These will be implemented next year.

 

She emphasised that a collaborative approach is needed to move the region out of the existing rut.

 

The overall CSEC pass rate for the region was 69 per cent.

 

That figure is consistent with last year's, but is higher than for 2022 and 2021.

 

Information Technology recorded an overall pass of 80 per cent, the region's second lowest pass rate for the subject within the last four years.

 

Meanwhile, Dr. Manning also provided details on the overall performance for the Caribbean Advanced Profiency Eexamination (CAPE) this year. 

 

She reported 92.19 per cent passed, which is a reduction compared with 2023, but better than 2022. 

 

Preliminary results can be accessed on CXC's website via an electronic pre slip.

 

It can be downloaded and used for official purposes, including employment.

 

 

In the meantime, Dr. Manning said there were several breaches that the regional entity had to contend with.

 

Throughout the administering of the external assessments, there was an increase in irregularities, including the use of cell phones and candidate impersonation. 

 

"The candidates for modern languages, candidates were trying to memorise what was the situation and analysis and sharing it with other candidates. So CXC in the middle of that had to push out additional questions, equivalent to what others would have done." 

 

"It would not have affected the quality of the process, but every time we do that, we hit the pockets again of the Caribbean Examinations Council. Examinations were impacted by many things, bomb threats, weather conditions, and other activities that would have happened across several territories," she outlined. 

 

There were 478 cases of hardships - which covers unavoidable disruptions to exams - up from the reported 198 last year.

 

CSEC also recorded a reduction in subject entries despite an increase in candidate registration.

 

CAPE subject and candidate entries, however, recorded an increase this year over 2023.

 

 

At the same time, the regional examination body has said artificial intelligence will soon be incorporated into the teaching and learning process.

 

Chief Executive Officer and Registrar Dr. Wayne Wesley said the move is a critical step to keeping abreast of the changes and developments in technology. 

 

"We realise the exciting potential of artificial intelligence and tools like ChatGPT to be leveraged in the learning and development process. And soon, we will be able to share what we have learned and how to deploy for swift and vast results. Digital literacy is fundamental to how we build life competencies for creative thinking, critical thinking, learning to learn, communication, collaboration, and social responsibilities. We will all do more, quickly, to catch up with the rest of the world and to become truly globally competitive," he declared.