City and Guilds Stage 3 posts 65 per cent pass rate

City and Guilds International has just announced the results of the June 2025 sitting of its Math and English Skills examinations. Over 30,000 candidates from more than 250 Ministry high schools, HEART Academies, and private institutions participated. Results indicate a national pass rate of 65 per cent across all levels, with Mathematics at 58 per cent and English at 77 per cent.

For high school students under the Ministry of Education, Skills, Youth & Information (MoESYI), the outcomes show a 56 per cent pass rate in Math and 75 per cent in English. Math pass rates held steady, while English was slightly improved (1 per cent increase) when compared to 2024. While Mathematics continues to be a national concern – CSEC recorded just 44 per cent passes in 2025 – City & Guilds Stage 3 Math Skills has emerged as a practical and effective alternative.

City and Guilds, which is recognised as one of the world’s foremost awarding bodies operating across 80 countries, uses a staged assessment strategy (Stages 1 to 3) that allows for progressive certification. Its stage 3 closely aligns with the regional CSEC standards. However, unlike the concept-based approach of CSEC, City & Guilds exams are competence-based and rooted in practical application. The Math Skills syllabus, for instance, emphasises consumer numeracy (‘math for life’) and is widely accepted for both employment and matriculation to higher education.

“For over a decade, the Ministry of Education, Skills, Youth & Information and the HEART/NSTA Trust have offered City and Guilds Math and English Skills as a credible alternative for students seeking certification in these foundational subjects,” said Marva Duncanson, City and Guilds Caribbean representative. “The 2025 results affirm that City and Guilds Math Skills at Stage 3 is both viable and fit for purpose, giving students the confidence and competence to progress in work and further studies.”

In the June sitting, 6,537 high school students representing 65 per cent of the 10,000 MoESYI candidates registered for Stage 3 Math, achieved passing grades with distinctions and merits awarded to top performers. Likewise, 82 per cent of MoESYI candidates who sat Stage 3 English were successful.

Candidates who provided email addresses during registration have also received digital credentials, enabling them to share their achievements easily with employers or higher learning institutions.

City and Guilds, with its headquarters in London, has been a partnering with MoESYI and the HEART/NSTA Trust for more than a decade. Beyond Math and English, Jamaican students also benefit from subsidised exams in customer service, engineering, construction, hair and beauty, and other occupational pathways.

In July a pilot of the new City and Guilds Employability Skills programme saw more than 300 students (from six MoESYI schools in Region 1) successfully certified in team-building, communication, and presentation skills. This programme will expand their employability options and create a larger pool of workforce-ready candidates across industries.