Marginal improvement in CSEC Maths but English and Science subjects record declines

The Education Minister, Ronald Thwaites is reporting that there was a 6.5 percentage point increase in Mathematics passes in this year's Caribbean Secondary Examination Council (CSEC) compared with 2014 but there were declines in English and Science-related subjects.

According to Thwaites, English declined by 1.4 percentage points.

He said 62 per cent of the Mathematics cohort passed the exam this year and 65 percent of the English Language cohort.

Thwaites said although there was a general decline in Science-related subjects, there was an improvement in the results of 14 of the 35 subjects which were sat.

Some 133,171 students or 71 per cent were awarded grades 1-3 in this year's CSEC exams.

READ: Non-traditional schools make big jump in CSEC Maths

The education minister has expressed concern about the declines and indicated that there will be a renewed focus on ensuring that teachers are more equipped and competent in these subject areas.

OTHER CSEC DECLINES:
Additional Mathematics - 7.7 percentage points
Integrated Science - 7.7 percentage points
Biology - 9 percentage points
Chemistry - 13.5 percentage points
Physics - 15.5 percentage points
Human and Social Biology - 17.5 percentage points