Guyana records significant performances at CSEC, CAPE

– Govt’s strategic measures, investments in education continue to reap excellent results

Guyana has once again recorded significant performances at this year’s Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) and Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination (CAPE).

The preliminary results were announced on Thursday at the Anna Regina Secondary School, Region Two.

There was a slight decline in the overall pass rate for CAPE, which is 90.85 per cent, compared to 93.22 per cent in 2022. 

This year, 701 candidates from 12 secondary schools and four private centres wrote CAPE across the country, an increase from 671 in 2022.

CAPE recorded constant performance in more than 10 areas, considerable improvements in over 10 subjects, and a slight decline in about six subjects for 2023. 

Meanwhile, 12,118 students wrote this year’s CSEC which is a significant increase from 10,368 in 2022. 

There were 75,644 subject entries which is a major increase.  

The overall pass rate for Grades One to Three is 65 per cent, a slight decline when compared to 2022. 

A total of 4,088 students wrote eight or more subjects. Of this, 24 candidates secured 12 or more Grade Ones.

Outstanding performances were recorded for 14 subjects including Agriculture Science double and single awards, EDPM, Family and Resource management, Food Nutrition and Health, Industrial Technology Building, Industrial Technology Electrical, Information Technology, Music, P.E and Sports, Religious Education, Technical Drawing, Theatre Arts and Industrial Technology Mechanical. 

Stable performances were recorded for English, Mathematics, Caribbean History, Technical Drawing, and Economics.

There was a decline this year for Biology from 82 to 72 per cent, Human and Social Biology (HSB) from 73 to 63 per cent, P.E and Sports from 98 to 88 per cent, and Portuguese from 76 to 62 per cent.

English A remains constant at 70 per cent while English B recorded a 73 per cent pass rate.

Mathematics remains constant at a pass rate of 34 per cent while Additional Mathematics recorded an improved pass rate of 60 per cent from 53 per cent.

Agricultural Science double award pass rate is 93 per cent as against 99 per cent in 2022.

Chemistry obtained a 58 per cent pass rate which is similar to 2022, while Physics obtained 55 per cent as compared to 63 per cent last year. Integrated Science obtained 66 per cent this year. 

All the TVET subjects combined recorded an overall pass rate of more than 65 per cent in 2023.

English Language, Mathematics, Caribbean History, Technical Drawing, and Economics all remain stable in Grades One to Three.

Guyana recorded a decline in Agriculture Science single award, EDPM, Industrial Technology Buildings, Mechanical Engineering for Industrial Technology, Office Administration, and Food Nutrition and Health.

Delivering remarks at the ceremony, Minister of Education, Priya Manickchand commended all the students for their outstanding performances.

“The fact that you made it to fifth form and Grade 11 and wrote these exams when we just came out of a pandemic that saw millions of children across the world exiting high school, prematurely, means that you already are a winner.”

Guyana continues to implement a number of steps to ensure that students who graduate from high school can continue  to post secondary education and training in any profession of their choice. 

“But we are also making sure that we have in place, for the children who did not exit successfully, all kinds of programmes. We will ensure that this is not the end of your academic journey.”

CAPE results 

Based on the performance from the number of entries, there were 386 Grade Ones, 736 Grade Twos, 981 Grade Threes, 764 Grade Fours, and 493 Grade Fives.

Overall, there was a slight decline in the overall pass rate for CAPE, which is 90.85 as contrasted with 93.22 per cent in 2022. 

Candidates obtained a 100 per cent pass rate for Accounting Unit II, Applied Mathematics Unit II, Building and Mechanical Engineering I and II, Electrical and Electronic Technology Unit II, Food and Nutrition Unit II, Geography Unit I, Green Engineering Unit II, Physical Education and Sport Units I and II, Physics Unit II, and Spanish Unit II. 

Guyana obtained a 75 per cent or higher pass rate in Grades One to Five in 40 of the units offered. 

Improved performances were recorded in Accounting Unit 1 from 80 to 90 per cent, Agricultural Science from 76 to 91 per cent, Applied Mathematics from 88 per cent to 100 per cent, Economics from 81 to 90 per cent, Electrical and Electronic Technology from 80 to 85 per cent, Geography from 95 to 100 per cent, Pure Mathematics from 65 to 88 per cent, Pure Mathematics Unit II from 80 to 87 per cent, Chemistry from 86 to 88 per cent, Literature and English from 95 to 97 per cent in 2023. 

Caribbean Studies and Communication Studies which are the compulsory subjects at CAPE both recorded more than 90 per cent at acceptable grades. 

There were stable performances in Geography Unit II, Law Unit I, Management of Business Unit I, Physics Unit II, Spanish Unit II, P.E and Sports Units I and II, Building and Mechanical Engineering Unit I, and Green Engineering Unit II.

A decline in performance was recorded for several subjects including Biology Unit I from 92 to 87 per cent, Biology Unit II from 97 to 92 per cent, Environmental Science from 100 to 97 per cent, Environmental Science Unit II from 100 to 96 per cent, Information Technology Unit I from 96 to 92 per cent, Sociology from 100 to 95 per cent, and Tourism declined from 100 to 92.59 per cent. 

Meanwhile, Chief Education Officer, Saddam Hussain explained that the Ministry, over the next 48 hours will commit all of its resources to a comprehensive analysis of the results of 2023 as compared to 2022 and 2021.

Candidates can access their results at www.cxc.org/student-results and  https://studentportal.cxc.org/

The minister was joined by other regional and education officers at the ceremony.