Several schools failing to achieve grade one in English, Math - Education Ministry

The Education Ministry has released data showing that a number of high schools whose students sat this year's Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) exams failed to achieve a grade one in mathematics or English language.

Grade one is the highest CSEC score‎ and grade six the lowest.

Students achieving grade one are considered to have shown a comprehensive grasp of the required concepts, knowledge and skills.

However, according to the ministry, students from 22 schools did not record a grade one in Mathematics and 12 schools did not have a single student earning the top grade in English language.

The data shows that some schools failed to get a grade one in both subjects.

In one instance, a school with an eleventh grade population of 265 students entered 66 students for the mathematics exam.

Only two passed, but not with a grade one.

For the English language exam, the same school entered 72 students.

Nineteen passed without gaining a grade one.

The Education Minister, Ronald Thwaites has acknowledged that problems such as unsuitable teachers, the shift system and poor parental support are affecting the performance of students in the two core subjects.