Thwaites unhappy with marginal CSEC results improvements

Education Minister Ronald Thwaites says he is still not pleased with the performance of Jamaican students in the Caribbean Examination Council's (CXC) Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) exams, despite an increase in passes in 25 of the 35 subject areas.

Speaking during a press conference at the ministry's Heroes Circle headquarters yesterday, Thwaites said this year's CSEC results have sparked concern, optimism and resolve.

He said math and English saw marginal increases this year when compared to 2012. However, the minister noted that the results are still below acceptable levels.

"The Ministry of Education is not satisfied with the outcomes related to these two core subjects - math and English - as they are both important for economic growth and personal development," noted Thwaites.

Math has lowest pass rate

In mathematics, which accounted for the lowest pass rate in all 35 subject areas, only 9,661 pupils of the close to 23,000 that sat the exam in May-June scored a passing grade.

This is a five per cent increase over last year, when just under 8,900 students mastered the subject

As it relates to English language, 16,871 students of the 26,529 students who sat this year's exam managed to attain between grades 1-3. In 2012, a little more than 14,300 of the 27,600 who sat the exam achieved a passing grade.

The ministry noted that this represents a close to 12-per-cent increase in passes over last year for English.

jermaine.francis@gleanerjm.com