Changes are coming to the way in which the University of the West Indies (UWI) grades its students across all three campuses. As of next September, undergraduate students will be assessed under a new Grade Point Average (GPA) scheme.
The decision has been published by the Board for Undergraduate Studies. The new scheme will change the way in which the performance of students are represented on their transcript, but according to the UWI, it will not affect the standard of degrees offered by the university.
In a release issued on Thursday, the UWI stated that three significant changes will be implemented. Firstly, there will be an adjustment in the percentage bands associated with letter grades, to bring UWI in line with international best practices. This means that the former pass mark of 40 per cent will move to 50 per cent. Secondly, the letter grade bands will be adjusted as well as the quality points associated with them. Quality points are used to calculate the GPA and ultimately, the class of degree awarded. Next, grade descriptors will be introduced to explain the level of skills represented by each letter grade.
The UWI added that this method of assessment will guide percentage scores in an approach that is more transparent and objective, while giving a clearer picture of competencies achieved by each student.
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