This year’s Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) exam saw a disappointing performance in Mathematics by secondary school students, which has become a concern for the Caribbean Examination Council (CXC).
Yesterday, CXC released the results for both CSEC and the Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Exam (CAPE).
Based on the results, CSEC students had an overall acceptable performance of 36 per cent, down from 43 per cent last year.
According to CXC CEO Dr Wayne Wesley, students’ failure to get a full certificate inclusive of Mathematics and English is an obstacle to regional growth and development and since 2018, has averaged at over 11,000.
“We have been losing almost 11,500 students on average who will not fully matriculate into university because you need Math and English. You’ll have 11,500 students who will be under-employed if they are because if you don’t have Math and English, employers are going to pay you less. You have students who will require rework,” Dr Wesley said.
“Most importantly, it is having a negative effect on the economic competitiveness of the region because you’re having less students being able to drive the innovation that is required for the economy to advance and for critical thinking and problem-solving attitudes to be developed. So, we are in a very challenging time that we need to give greater attention to Mathematics and English. Let’s ensure that students leaving the school system, if they don’t have anything else, let’s ensure that they are numerate and literate.”
To address these issues, Dr Wesley said CXC has assembled a team to create standards for literacy and numeracy. This team will collaborate with AI to devise specific interventions for improvement and identify opportunities for development. The aim of this programme is to support the existing education system.
Additionally, Dr Wesley said CXC is looking into using AI tools, such as Chat GPT, to enhance the teaching and learning process.
“This is not intended to be the panacea, but I think as an examining body, we need to assist the ecosystem collectively, us together will have to sit down and figure out a way to correct this serious problem impacting the development of the human capital of the region.”
Meanwhile, CXC also reported an increase in student infractions. There were a total of 54 irregularities (six at CAPE and 49 at CSEC), compared to 36 last year (17 at CAPE and 19 at CSEC).
The cheating methods included the use of cellphones, smartwatches, passing notes, and even one attempt to impersonate a candidate.
“Of course, the situation was identified, and the candidate is not only disqualified but debarred for two years. So, it’s a very serious matter,” CXC’s Director of Operations Dr Nicole Manning said.
“Materially, the increase is really the utilisation of unauthorised devices. Predominantly, that’s your smartwatch, phones. While it is important for us to actually do the investigation and the research as to why this has increased, usually, as I made mention, candidates are admittedly saying ‘I would not have been prepared because I’m Googling the answer’, or ‘I am trying to check my phone for some information that I would have placed there’. You also have unauthorised materials where candidates take actual paper and try to take the paper in and they are caught. Sometimes candidates share information across. So, it’s speaking to a level of ill-preparedness for the exam,” she added.
There were also concerns raised about absenteeism. At the CAPE level, there was a five per cent absenteeism rate, which was higher than in 2023.
Similarly, CSEC had a 6.66 per cent absenteeism rate compared to last year’s 6.9 per cent. The main reasons for absenteeism were personal emergencies, students not feeling adequately prepared, documented illness, a death in the family, or personal preference not to attend.
Although there was a slight reduction compared to last year, CXC is concerned about an average of three per cent and four per cent of students failing to submit school-based assessments to the council and their teachers respectively.
When contacted for comment about Trinidad and Tobago’s CAPE and CSEC results, Education Minister Dr Nyan Gadsby-Dolly said she was in Barbados on assignment. She confirmed receiving the statistics and committed to perusing it before issuing a statement.
Other exam results
CSEC
Biology – 76% in 2024 compared to 76% in 2023
Caribbean History – 68% in 2024 compared to 72% in 2023
Chemistry – 67% in 2024 compared to 64% in 2023
English A – 77% in 2024 compared to 76% in 2023
French – 58% in 2024 compared to 57% in 2023
HSB – 71% in 2024 compared to 80% in 2023
IT – 86% in 2024 compared to 81% in 2023
Integrated Science – 67% in 2024 compared to 58% in 2023
Math – 43% in 2024 compared to 36% in 2023
Office Admin – 89% in 2024 compared to 91% in 2023
Physics – There was an increase in overall performance but data wasn’t shown
POA – 72% in 2024 compared to 67% in 2023
POB – 80% in 2024 compared to 80% in 2023
Social Studies – 54% in 2024 compared to 62% in 2023
Spanish – 54% in 2024 compared to 50% in 2023
CAPE
Biology Unit I- 88% in 2024 compared to 84% in 2023
Biology Unit II – 92% in 2024 compared to 91% in 2023
Caribbean Studies – 97% in 2024 compared to 95% in 2023
Communication Studies – 92% in 2024 compared to 95% in 2023
French Unit I – 95% in 2024 compared to 95% in 2023
French Unit II – 100% acceptable grade, 10% reduction for Grade 1
IT Unit I – 94% in 2024 compared to 95% in 2023
IT Unit II – 96% in 2024 compared to 96% in 2023
Integrated Math – 68% in 2024 compared to 73% in 2023
Literatures in English Unit I – 94% in 2024 compared to 94% in 2023
Literateurs in English Unit II – 97% in 2024 compared to 95% in 2023
Physics Unit II – 96% in 2024 compared to 97% in 2023
Pure Math Unit I – 93% in 2024 compared to 86% in 2023
Pure Math Unit II – 91% in 2024 compared to 94% in 2023
Tourism Unit I – 92% in 2024 compared to 94% in 2023
Tourism Unit II – 98% in 2024 compared to 98% in 2023
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Cxc gives the hardest exams compared to other countries and to me it just keeps Caribbean people down. Just my opinion
I am not encouraging anyone not to pass their CXC but you do not need any CXC to get into any universities in the US. As only your highschool/secondary school grades/diploma/transcript is used to determine whether you are accepted into a university.
I remember when I proudly handed over my CXC results to various universities in the US, and not one of them looked at it. The most memorable moment was when I applied to a master’s program and the Dean said, “what is that? We do not use that here and brush it right back over to me. She was so rude and I do not really like her personality.” But she was referring to my CXC results.
At no time did any of my CXC help me in getting a job or getting into top Universities. Again, I am not saying not to take CXC or that it may not be important in other ways but definitely NOT for college or UNIVERSITIES in the US
Here’s the thing: Outside of the Caribbean, CXC holds little weight. So if you go to universities Outside of the region, your high school transcript is what makes the difference, not CXC.
Hence, if you pass it in high school, universities will accept it.
Until CXC gets in line with international frameworks, the only other institutions Outside of the region that would probably take CXC into consideration would be those in the UK.
@ My Way of Helping, a very valid point. We MUST get away from this one shot,highly pressurized CXC exam being used to determine students future.
Students yearly go abroad WITHOUT passing Mathematics at CXC,and do well.
I attended university in the U.S. and all they asked for was a high school diploma.
Can we not see that CXC is about money. Our education system is in the dumps and those in authority are clueless.
They used transcripts instead of common entrance, and transcripts for State College a few years ago and many students had opportunities they would not normally have had.
They just don’t learn.
The Caribbean [CARICOM] is in need, of an Agency/Department made up of Education, Agriculture and Health.
It’s not, that CXC Certification(s) are ‘useless,’ the Education System which manages the CXC Programs are not linked to the Private Industry, and even partner with them versus say, North America.
They appear to be more tied to the bureaucracy of government/public funding.
An example:
The Tourism Industry which is primarily privately managed, in the Caribbean has their own training and educational programs to fit their needs. Sandals even have their own hospitality institute; and, even Antigua has several Hotel & Hospitality Institutions.
Additionally, more attention must be paid, to what are considered [trades] such as, plumbing, electrical, landscaping, carpentry, bs the likes. They’re making a huge mistake here in the Caribbean Educational system by not investing more in these [vocational] centers; since, not ONLY are they paying better than several earned and learned degrees, they (the trades – Vocational Institutions] are the backbone, the skeleton upon which society is physically built.
Jumbee Picknee aka Ras Smood
De’ole Dutty Peg🔔Garrat_Bastard
Vere C. Edwards
as long as you can count your money , you good…no need for the stupid algebra, trignometry, calculus bullshit!!!!
@my way of helping EXACTLY! It is misinformation like this that makes people think they can’t go to university. So this man is a part of the problem. There are even faculties at UWI that do not require a student have Math so he is clearly misinformed and misdirecting people.
My understanding has been that many universities in North America understand the CXC system as it is similar to UK O and A Levels. Perhaps less competitive lower level universities that accept just anyone don’t care much about them, but they would add value when trying to get into more competitive programmes at higher level institutions. They also add value when trying to get into universities in other countries around the world whose systems are closer to ours. CXC’s associate degree is also more highly recognized than just a college transcript from a non-accredited college. So, for students trying to get into more competitive programmes where there is a limit on accepted candidates, having good CXC grades does help.
I think people should think of final Math grades more along the lines of what sort of programmes and careers they are likely to succeed in. Grade I means is prepared to do well at such and such careers. Grade II would do ok at … but well at … Grade III is more suited for … Grade IV talents lie more in a different area so suitable for…, Grade V for… Then either try to improve your grade or just go and sign up for whatever matches you best with no shame.
The education system is fine, but people get too obsesses with grades. The purpose is to learn something sure, but also to see where your talents or aptitude and interests lie and then pursue that. Whether people go on to college/university or focus on more practical skills/trades, every single person should be able to earn a proper wage and be able to afford the essentials of life. It is not a competition. We need all types of people and everyone deserves to live well. Beyond a general education, grades are just a guide to what path to pursue.
The Math concepts contained in the syllabus need to be made more relevant to living and career choices. There is no reason for learning calculus and trigonometry if one is not going to select a career in engineering.
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