Mathematics performance in Antigua and Barbuda has become a growing concern, as the latest Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) results reveal a significant decline in pass rates. This worrying trend stands in contrast to the country’s strong results in other subjects.
Myrick Smith, Antigua’s CXC registrar, offered a thorough breakdown of the nation’s performance, pointing out both the achievements and areas in need of urgent attention. While many subjects recorded pass rates in the 70-80% range, mathematics was notably challenging.
“In 2024, Antigua’s CSEC mathematics pass rate fell to 28.4%, compared to 32.6% in 2023,” Smith reported.
This drop is particularly alarming when compared to the regional average, which, despite also decreasing, still exceeded Antigua and Barbuda’s results.
“When we look at the regional average, it was 36.3% in 2024, down from 43.4% in 2023,” he observed.
The 2023 pass rate had already declined from 2022, indicating a continuing downward trend.
On a brighter note, English language results were more encouraging. “In 2024, the average pass rate for Antigua and Barbuda was 82.8%, well above the regional average of 76.3%, marking an improvement from the previous year’s 81.8%,” Smith noted.
However, the concerns were not limited to mathematics. “Several subjects maintained pass rates in the 70-80% range, but some, like geography, experienced a sharp decline to 36.7%, down from last year’s 48.72%,” Smith pointed out.
He also highlighted a drop in French, with pass rates decreasing from 51.4% in 2023 to 39.8% in 2024.
Despite these challenges, Smith emphasized that Antigua and Barbuda’s overall performance remained strong, with most subjects achieving pass rates above 70%.
These mixed results underscore the importance of targeted interventions, especially in mathematics, to ensure that Antigua and Barbuda’s students remain competitive both regionally and globally.
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Mastering Mathematics is an art that only a few has been able to do. Being a teacher that is proficient in Maths doesn’t make you a good Maths teacher and it takes a really good and masterful teacher to impart knowledge and understanding in Maths to students. If the teacher isnt “solid” then the students will have a very torrid time understanding and grasping the fundermentals. I hate to call names but a few great Maths teachers came to mind. The late Cornelius Glasgow and Ms Weston just to name a few. And I know there are many others. They made mastering and learning Maths easy.
We need to get the Maths teachers properly trained in the art of teaching and making Maths easy or we run the risk of continuing in a spiral decline in CXC passes in the subject area.
priligy buy 2017; 2 3 122 126
We should abandon this CSEC nonsense and take control of our curriculum! We are simply to unique to be held to the same rules as the foreigners!
– Christopher Michael
@Brix. This is not Brixtonian’s poetic writing. Please find your own username. We miss the real Brix.
@Brixtonian
I totally agree Brixtonian. It is time to vote ABLP and truly take control of our own country’s destiny!
Anexit!
A comprehensive analysis from Primary through Secondary with input from all stakeholders (students, teachers, parents etc.) is probably needed to identify the problem. E.g. are primary school children getting enough practice in fundamental skills e.g. addition, subtraction, multiplication, division BEFORE being introduced to calculators? Are too many other subjects in their schedules these days? Sometimes the problem is as simple as kids don’t learn their times tables properly these days. This makes them slow and gives them trouble with the high school math e.g. working with fractions, simplifying equations etc. requires good knowledge of multiplication factors. Also, do kids get enough practice in the most important concepts or are they just rushed on to the next less important topic because that’s the plan the teacher must follow? Are teachers allowed to slow down and make sure kids learn important topics properly or will they be punished for not sticking to the plan?
Possibly just a COVID thing. Those students went through three years of online or partially online learning at a critical point in their education. Maths is hard to learn online. Let’s see if the numbers improve in a year or two.
Mathematics is the language of life.
Once they stop separating the #arts and the #sciences, the symbiotic relationships between the arts and the sciences will make comprehension of many things, to include languages much easier.
Jumbee Picknee aka Ras Smood
De’ole Dutty Zpeg🦉Garrat Bastard
Vere C. Edwards
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