Schools outside of Georgetown offering the Caribbean Advance Proficiency Examinations (CAPE) have recorded commendable improvements in students’ overall performance at this year’s sitting compared to the previous year.
According to the Examinations Division, the New Amsterdam Multilateral, Region Six (East Berbice Corentyne) gained an 87.8 per cent pass rate at the recent examinations, as against the 78.91 per cent in 2009.
The Adult Education Association, a private centre also in Region Six, secured an overall 62.5 per cent pass, a 12.5 per cent increase from last year.
The Examination Divisions reported that the Mackenzie High School in Linden registered an 89.29 per cent pass, a slight improvement from the 88.46 per cent pass in 2009.
Notably, the Berbice High School, which offered the examinations for the first time, registered an 86.67 overall pass.
New Amsterdam Multilateral produced the country’s top student, Eileen Marray, who secured Grade Ones in Caribbean Studies, Communication Studies, Accounting and Economics Unit One and Business Management Unit 11.
Suzanne Hamilton, a student of Mackenzie High School was also among the country top performers. She obtained Grade Ones in Accounting and Economics, Grade Four in Sociology Unit One, and Grade Twos in Information Technology and Business Management Unit Two.
This year, the national overall pass rate was 80.4 per cent and candidates obtained 100 per cent passes in Environmental Science Unit 1 and Unit 11; French Unit 1 and Unit 11; Geography Unit 11; Information Technology Unit 11; Literature in English Unit 11; Spanish Unit 1; Sociology Unit 11; and Food & Nutrition Unit 1.
Candidates obtained a pass rate of 75 per cent or higher in Accounts Unit 1; Biology Unit 11; History Unit 11; Communication Studies Unit 1; Caribbean Studies Unit 1; Chemistry Unit 11; Economics Unit 1; Information Technology Unit 1; Geography Unit 1; Law Unit 1 and Unit 11; Literature in English Unit 1; Business Management Unit 1 and Unit 11; Physics Unit 11, Pure Mathematics Unit 11; Sociology Unit 1 and Computer Science Unit 11.
A pass rate of 50 per cent or higher, but below 75 per cent, was recorded in Applied Mathematics Unit 1; Biology Unit 1; Chemistry Unit 1; Computer Science Unit 1; History Unit 1 and Physics Unit 1.
However, the overall passes in Pure Mathematics Unit 1, Applied Mathematics Unit 11, and Economics Unit 11were below 50 per cent but notably less than five candidates sat Applied Mathematics and Economics Unit 11.
It should also be noted that students’ performance in Physics Unit 1 has improved consistently over the years, moving from 44.4 per cent in 2008 and 58.33 per cent in 2009, to 70.97 per cent in 2010.
In addition, students’ performance in Economics Unit 1 has improved significantly from 50 per cent in 2009 to 96.23 per cent in 2010.