The Ministry of Education will soon embark on a series of strategic interventions in response to lower pass rates at the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) examination level.
The need for these interventions was highlighted on Tuesday, as the 2024 results were announced.
The overall national pass rate decreased from 67.37% in 2023 to 63.23% this year.
The examination results also showed slight changes in specific subjects. English A’s pass rate dipped from 72% to 69%, while English B improved from 64% to 70%. Mathematics, a critical subject for many students, saw a more significant drop, with its pass rate falling from 34% to 31%.
In response, Education Minister Priya Manickchand on Tuesday outlined a comprehensive plan aimed at addressing the decline and specifically focused on enhancing performance in English and Mathematics.
Commencing in September 2024, the Ministry will implement a targeted intervention programme designed to bolster student outcomes.
Ingrid Fung, a veteran educator, has been enlisted to lead the interventions for English A and B (that is, language and literature).
The programme aims to raise pass rates to over 80% for English A, English B.
The targeted intervention for Mathematics, announced previously, will see every student in the fourth and fifth forms getting essential math tools such as calculators, geometry sets, graph books, textbooks, exercise books, and topic-by-topic past papers.
Manickchand said the intervention will also see intensive monitoring. The program will feature organized and rigorous monitoring to ensure effective use of resources and track student progress closely.
But that’s not all.
Minister Manickchand stressed that the success of these interventions will depend on diligent follow-up.
“We throw out some really beautiful policies. They make for great headlines, but it’s the follow-up to make sure that the intention is being transferred to students, and that is what I think will make the difference in this program,” Manickchand said.
