– boy tops CSEC

THE Ministry of Education will announce results for the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) and Caribbean Advance Proficiency Examination (CAPE) on Friday.

According to a press statement from the ministry, a boy secured the top spot at this year’s CSEC exam. The ministry did not provide the boy’s name or which school he attended.

“All other information will be provided at Friday’s press conference. The ministry will not be providing any information prior to Friday with regard to the subject,” said the ministry, adding that the announcement will be done at the National Centre for Education Resource Development (NCERD).

The sitting of the 2018 Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) and the Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examinations began on May, 7. The Guyana Chronicle had reported that according to information received from the Superintendent of Examinations within the Ministry of Education, Ms. Sauda Kadir, 12,266 candidates registered to sit the examinations this year as compared to 12,684 candidates in 2017.

Further, she had said that this year 923 candidates would be writing the CAPE examinations this year, while 851 wrote it in 2017. On Saturday, the Caribbean Examination Council (CXC) reported that 11,000 pupils across the Region who wrote CSEC last May/June got no passes.

In 2017, Guyana had recorded a marginal increase at CSEC examinations, gaining a grade 1-3 pass rate of 63.8 per cent as compared to that of 2016, which was 63.39 per cent. However, there were appreciable increases in a number of subject areas, although mathematics remains dormant and English Language fell. Though not pleased with those results, Minister of Education, Nicolette Henry, had pointed out that the pass rate has consistently increased over the past five years, moving from 60 per cent in 2014 to 62.72 per cent in 2015 and so on.

Some of the key subject areas did not see improvements. However, there was a 100 per cent pass rate for Music and Theatre Arts. Those were supported by outstanding performances in 10 subjects, in which over 90 per cent of students gained Grades 1–3.