Marginal increase in overall CSEC pass rate

Aug 19, 2016 News

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—English improves, Mathematics declines

An analysis of the 2016 Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) examination, has

revealed a marginal increase in the overall pass rate at the General and Technical proficiencies for Grade One to Three. This year the pass rate is 63.39 per cent while it was 62.72 per cent the previous year.
However, while the analysis revealed that there was significant increase in the Grade One to Three passes for English, it also showed a very noticeable decline in Mathematics.
The pass rate for English last year was 49.36 per cent but reflected an increased percentage of 59.03 this year. The performance in Mathematics on the other hand declined to 38.37 per cent, falling significantly from 45.07 per cent the previous year.
This disclosure was made by Ms. Ingrid Trotman, Assistant Chief Education Officer (Nursery) during the presentation of the results on Wednesday at the National Centre for Educational Resource Development.
Local candidates wrote a total of 35 subjects at the Caribbean examinations, and according to Trotman “of these subjects the results indicated excellent performances in 15 subjects where the Grade One to Three passes exceeded 75 per cent.”
The 15 subjects are: Agriculture Science (DA), Agriculture Science (SA), Biology, Food and Nutrition, French, Home Economics Management, Information Technology, Principles of Business, Religious Education, Theatre Arts, Electronic Document Preparation and Management, Physical Education and Sport, Music, Building Technology (Construction) and Building Technology (Woods).
Satisfactory performances were recorded in 18 subjects where the Grades One to Three passes exceeded 50 per cent and the Grades One to Four passes were in excess of 75 per cent. These subjects are: Caribbean History, Clothing and Textiles, Economics, English A, English B, Geography, Integrated Science, Office Administration, Physics, Principles of Accounts, Social Studies, Spanish, Technical Drawing, Visual Arts, Human and Social Biology, Additional Mathematics, Electrical and Electronic Technology and Mechanical Engineering Technology.
Meanwhile, the overall performance in Chemistry was unsatisfactory, with a pass rate of 41.13 per cent, Trotman observed.
She however noted, that excellent performances were recorded in Agricultural Science – Single Award (SA), Agricultural Science – Double Award (DA) and Biology. Significant improvement was noted in Biology and Physics performance. Biology moved from 59.3 per cent in 2015 to 76.38 per cent in 2016 while Physics moved from 44.81 per cent in 2015 to 55.83 per cent in 2016. The performance in Chemistry and Integrated Science declined in comparison to 2015; however Human and Social Biology showed improvement from 49.35 per cent in 2015 to 58.42 per cent in 2016, Trotman said.
In the Business Education subjects, the performance in most of these subjects’ was satisfactory; Principles of Business recorded an excellent performance with a pass rate of 84.91 per cent. Principles of Accounts moved from 65.43 per cent in 2015 to 70.81 per cent in 2016.
But excellent performances were recorded in both Information Technology (General) and Electronic Document Preparation and Management, where the pass rates were 84.94 per cent and 91.07 per cent respectively in 2016.
According to Trotman, improved performances were recorded in Caribbean History and Geography with the pass rate for Caribbean History improving from 59.7 per cent in 2015 to 66.04 per cent in 2016. The Geography Grade One to Three pass rate is 61.9 per cent.
In the Home Economics subjects, an increase was recorded in Food and Nutrition – the 2015 pass rate was 72.14 per cent as against 73.35 per cent in 2016. Satisfactory performance was recorded in Clothing and Textiles and Home Economics Management with a pass rate of 51.02 per cent and 75.64 per cent respectively, Trotman added.
She also highlighted that in the Industrial Technology subjects, improved performance was noted in all subjects except Building Technology (Const) where the performance remained relatively constant. Building Technology (Woods) however, improved from 79.67 per cent in 2015 to 83.64 per cent in 2016. Electrical and Electronic Technology recorded 61.9 per cent in 2015 and 63.3 per cent in 2016 Grade One to Three passes.
In the Modern Languages subjects, the ACEO (Nursery) said that French recorded an excellent performance with a pass rate of 79.86 per cent in 2016 as compared to 54.96 per cent in 2015. Spanish recorded satisfactory performance and improved from 60.51 per cent in 2015 to 66.33 per cent in 2016.
But Music gained 100 per cent Grades One to Three pass in 2016, Trotman noted, as she pointed out that Theatre Arts and Physical Education and Sports both recorded over 95 per cent Grade One to Three passes. Religious Education’s performance in 2016 as compared to 2015 showed improvements, with the pass rate being 81.45 per cent in 2015 as against 88.1 per cent in 2016.
Satisfactory performance was recorded in Visual Arts with a pass rate of 55.55 per cent, and Trotman disclosed that this has improved from 34.25 per cent in 2015 and 41.12 per cent in 2014.

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