By Latrishka Thomas
The Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC) has announced a notable increase in the overall performance of students who participated in the Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination (CAPE) and the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) exams.
Across most subject areas, there was a marginal improvement in acceptable grades (Grade One, Two, or Three) compared to 2022.
Dr Nicole Manning, Director of Operations and Examinations at CXC, provided an overview during the preliminary launch of the 2023 results. She began by stating that, “for 2023, we observed an increase in candidate and subject entries for CAPE and this trend is consistent across all the various products”.
“Last year, there were signs of emerging from the challenges posed by Covid-19, and the increased candidate and subject entries for CAPE, CSEC, CCSLC, and CPEA show that we are moving further beyond those challenges,” she added, acknowledging the impact of the pandemic.
In 2023, CAPE candidate entries reached 26,424, up from 25,536 in 2022. The figures for 2021 were slightly higher at 27,734, and even greater in 2020 with 30,391 candidates.
Regarding subject entries, there was a rise from 99,797 in 2022 to 101,340 in 2023 for CAPE, while CSEC entries increased from 484,335 in 2022 to 525,442 in 2023. Correspondingly, candidate entries for CSEC jumped from 106,151 in 2022 to 116,131 in 2023.
Manning also highlighted that the region witnessed a higher percentage of acceptable grades in 2023, compared to 2022. In CAPE, 92.15 percent of students achieved acceptable grades, surpassing the 91.25 percent recorded in 2022. Likewise, 74.36 percent of CSEC students obtained Grade One, Two, or Three in 2023, showing a slight increase from the previous year’s 73.81 percent.
Remarkable performance levels were observed in the core subject areas for CAPE,Communication Studies and Caribbean Studies, with 94 percent and 97 percent acceptable grades, respectively. The trend of increasing acceptable grades persisted in CSEC as well, with 74.36 percent in 2023 compared to 73.81 percent in 2022. There was even growth where English A and Mathematics are concerned.
Despite these promising results, Manning expressed concerns about absenteeism and non-submission of School-Based Assessments (SBAs). She shared, “Although there has been a reduction in candidate absenteeism, we still view it with concern as educators”.
Manning revealed that for CAPE, 9,974 registered students did not appear for the exams, and for CSEC, 71,548 students were absent for at least one exam, resulting in an “ungraded” status. Additionally, there was a 1 percent increase in non-submission of SBAs, which she acknowledged as a concern.
“We are actively engaging with stakeholders to encourage not only students but also Principals, teachers, and parents to collaborate in completing these SBAs,” Manning emphasised.
