CXC subject entries increase

Even though the Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC) has seen a decrease in the number of candidates, subject entries have increased.

“Therefore, it means that instead of a candidate doing three subjects on average, they are doing four. To get a job, get into Universities, Community Colleges, etcetera, the average subjects needed are about five,” CXC Registrar, Glenroy Cumberbatch pointed out. He was at the time addressing a press conference held at CXC’s Pine Plantation Road headquarters yesterday, where it was announced that candidates who wrote the 2017 May/June examinations will know their results by Friday, August 18.

The results for all examinations have been released to the Ministries of Education throughout the Caribbean, and on Friday students can retrieve their grades online and for the first time using the CXC Connect mobile app.

Cumberbatch also acknowledged the decrease in private candidates sitting exams. “We recognise that there is a falling number of persons over 17 years who are writing our examinations,” he disclosed.

“For that purpose, there has been a lot of emphasis on the out of school population. When we look at stats for last year the numbers in the schools seem to be steady even with falling populations in the region. However, there used to a fairly large number of persons who were out of school, and who were seeking to better their qualifications – they would either do something on their own and attend an evening institute to try to improve their number of subjects.”

“We are targeting that group of persons. To work with the institutions and to encourage an increase in enrolment capturing that population, because if you don’t have five subjects, then your potential for income is going to
diminish significantly,” he said.

Cumberbatch highlighted that overall the Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination (CAPE) results showed 92 per cent of candidates receiving Grades one to five in 2017, compared to 90 per cent that received Grades One to Five in 2016.

As for the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) results in 2016, 64 per cent of persons received acceptable Grades One to Three and in 2017, 64 per cent received acceptable grades again.

The Registrar impressed that CSEC Grade Three is acceptable. According to CXC, Prior to 1998, a five-point grading system was in place and some employers and educational institutions recognised a Grade Three for the purposes of employment and further studies especially when candidates presented a combination of subjects ranging from Grades One – Three.

In 1998, the Council adopted the six-point grading scheme that recognised Grade Three as an award for employment and further studies.

“We keep hearing that persons are not accepting Grade Three. Grade Three is not the same Grade Three that existed before 1998,” Cumberbatch explained.