Improved Pass Rates for 18 of 34 Subjects in CSEC

August 21, 2017 News Room

Improved pass rates were recorded for 18 of the 34 subjects sat in the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) Examination this year.

Minister of Education, Youth and Information, Senator the Hon. Ruel Reid, revealed the results of the exam during a press conference at his National Heroes Circle offices in Kingston, on August 18.

He noted that overall, the highest increase was in Economics, which recorded an improvement of 12.6 per cent.

“There were also increases in the average pass rates for Additional Mathematics (3 per cent); Agricultural Science Double and Single Awards (2.5 and 4.4 per cent); Principles of Accounts (8 per cent); Information Technology (7.3 per cent); Technical Drawing (7.2 per cent) and Theatre Arts (9.3 per cent),” he said.

However, there were declines in English B of 13.2 per cent, and Biology, 12 percent, compared with the previous year.

The Minister further informed that five subjects had average pass rates of over 90 per cent. These are: Agricultural Science Double Award (96.8 per cent); Agricultural Science Single Award (91.3 per cent); Principles of Business (91.4 per cent); Physical Education and Sport (96.2 per cent); and Food (92 per cent).

Turning to Mathematics and English Language, specifically, Mr. Reid noted that these subjects recorded passes of 50.2 and 70.8 per cent, respectively.

“When the average attainment rates for Mathematics and English Language were compared with 2016 results, there is a satisfactory movement of 2.5 per cent increase in Mathematics and a little marginal decline in English Language of 0.4 per cent,” he said.

A total of 33,799 students sat the exam of the 35,619 that were registered. Sixty seven per cent (22,556) obtained passes at grades 1 to 3. Some 307 more students were registered when compared to 2016.

There were 195,498 subject entries of which 188,307 were sat. Of the subjects that were sat, 69.1 per cent were awarded grades 1 to 3.

This was a 1.1 per cent increase compared to the previous year.