Jamaica gets good review for CXC performance

THE CARIBBEAN Examinations Council (CXC) is reporting an improvement in the performance of candidates who sat this year's Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) and Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examinations (CAPE).

Registrar of CXC, Dr Didacus Jules, said yesterday that Jamaica has recorded encouraging improvements in key areas of performance for 2009.

Jules, who was speaking during a press conference held at the Overseas Examinations Office in Kingston, did not, however, provide any statistical data.

"Jamaica has proven itself this year, not withstanding the difficulties that it went through. We have been committed to working with the Government and the people of Jamaica to help ensure the global human resource competitiveness of the Jamaican people," he asserted.

Jules said there has been a significant improvement in English and mathematics.

He also explained that passes in biology, chemistry, Caribbean history, geography, principles of business and social studies have also climbed.

Information technology has seen a slight dip, which the CXC attributed to a change in syllabus.

Jules said that, for CAPE, applied mathematics, food and nutrition, French and law have also risen above the grades recorded last year.

However, literature in English, and Spanish, showed dramatic improvement.

The results were presented in the wake of the recent incursion in west Kingston, which had affected hundreds of students who were to sit the exams.

Three hundred and fifty-one, or 2.8 per cent of the 12,315 CAPE candidates, were affected. For CSEC, 1,877 of the 77,924, or 2.4 per cent, were affected.

An elated Education Minister Andrew Holness said he was satisfied with the results.