SVG students record better CSEC pass rate

Even though fewer students sat the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) examinations this year, the nation’s children recorded a better pass rate than last year’s.{{more}}

Two thousand, nine hundred and twenty one (2, 921) students wrote the examinations in 11,700 subject entries in 32 subject areas.

A release from the Ministry of Education states that approximately 66 per cent of the subject entries were awarded Grades I-III; the corresponding figure in 2008 was 62 per cent from a candidate entry of 3011; in 2007 this figure was 59 per cent.

Unlike 2008, when two schools recorded pass rates in excess of 80 per cent, this year four schools have pass rates exceeding this mark. These schools are: The Girls’ High School, which has a pass rate of 91 per cent, with 1653 subject passes; the St.Vincent Grammar School, which maintained its 2008 pass rate of 84 per cent, with a total of 1128 subject passes; the St.Joseph’s Convent Kingstown with a pass rate of 82 per cent, and 458 subject passes, and the St.Joseph’s Convent Marriaqua, with a pass rate of 82 per cent and 602 subject passes.

The Ministry of Education states that there were very creditable performances from the Mountain View Adventist Academy (72 per cent), the Troumaca Secondary (70 per cent) and St.Martin’s Secondary (69 per cent).

St.Martin’s Secondary was lauded for recording the most significant improvement. The school scored a pass rate of 69 per cent, which is a 19 per cent increase over 2008.

West St.George Secondary School also came in for high praises from the Ministry of Education.

The Ministry’s Press Release stated that the students at that school did not meet the established standards in order to be awarded passes in the Common Entrance Examination.

However, in keeping with the policy of Universal Access to Secondary Education, the Ministry of Education noted they were able to access schooling at this level and have, by their success, demonstrated that every child deserves an opportunity to learn. (HN)