Performance in CSEC Math declines across region

While there was an overall improvement in the performance of candidates writing English A in the May/June 2016 Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) examinations, there was a decline in performance in Mathematics.{{more}}

A release from the Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC) said there were mixed results in Mathematics and English. For English A, there was an improvement in performance, with 67 per cent of entries achieving acceptable grades compared with 60 per cent in 2015. For English B, there was a 15-percentage point decline; 62 per cent of entries achieved acceptable grades this year, compared with 77 in 2015.

There was a 13-point decline in performance in Mathematics, with 44 per cent of entries achieving acceptable grades this year compared with 57 per cent in 2015. Performance also declined in Additional Mathematics: 67 per cent of entries achieved acceptable grades, compared with 72 per cent last year.

According to the release, for the region, 66 per cent of subject entries for the exam achieved Grades I-III, the acceptable grades at CSEC. This is just two percentage points below that of 2015, when 68 per cent of entries achieved similar grades.

Performance improved on 14 subjects, declined on 17 subjects and remained constant on four subjects. Among the subjects which performed at 90 per cent or better this year are Physical Education and Sport, with 98 per cent of entries achieving acceptable grades; Theatre Arts with 95 per cent; Agricultural Science (Double Award) with 92 per cent; Electronic Document Preparation and Management with 91 per cent; and Principles of Business, 90 per cent.