New CAPE offerings in 2017 revealed

Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination (CAPE) candidates can look forward to new offerings next year.

 

The Caribbean Examination Council (CXC) revealed that two more “New Generation” subjects will be added. These are Green Engineering and Financial Services Studies. The two subjects will commence teaching in September 2016 and the first examinations will be offered in May/June 2017 sitting.

 

CXC made this announcement during the official release of the 2016 results, which remained consistent with that of the past five years. Approximately 90 per cent of the entries achieved Grades I-V, which are the acceptable grades at CAPE. 

 

Thirteen per cent of the entries achieved Grade I, just under 20 per cent achieved Grade II, 23 per cent achieved Grade III, 20 per cent Grade IV and 14 per cent achieved Grade V. 

 

According to CXC, performance improved in 19 of the Units offered this year. These include a ten per cent improvement in History Unit 1 with 81 per cent of entries achieving acceptable grades this year compared with 71 per cent in 2015. There was also a ten per cent improvement in performance in Management of Business Unit 1 with 96 per cent of entries achieving Grades I-V compared with 86 per cent in 2015. 

 

The examination body also revealed that in five of its Units, entries achieved 100 per cent of acceptable grades. These include Art and Design Unit 1; Performing Arts Unit 2 (Cinematic Arts); Performing Arts Unit 2 (Drama); Performing Arts Unit 2 (Music) and Digital Media Unit 2.

 

Other New Generation CAPE subjects that received exceptional results include Entrepreneurship Unit 2 and Physical Education and Sport Unit 2 in which 99 per cent of entries for both Units achieved acceptable grades. Ninety-nine per cent of entries for Management of Business Unit 2 and French Unit 2 also achieved acceptable grades. 

 

This year, the number of CAPE candidates grew by just over 300, from 30 547 candidates in 2015 to 30 859 candidates this year. However, it was noted that the number of subject entries fell marginally from 122 795 entries in 2015 to 121 711 in 2016.

 

The two largest CAPE Units remain Communication Studies and Caribbean Studies with 16 425 entries and 12 565 entries respectively. Pure Mathematics with 5 704 entries, Management of Business with 5 195 entries, and Chemistry Unit 1 with 5 126 entries complete the top five CAPE Units.

 

 (TL)