The Ministry of Education congratulates students of the Albena Lake Hodge Comprehensive School (ALHCS) on their success in the July/August 2020 CXC examinations as well as teachers, parents and all other partners who would have supported them along the way.
TOP CSEC STUDENTS
Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC)
A total of 168 candidates from the Albena Lake Hodge Comprehensive School wrote the Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC) examination for the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) at the Technical and General Proficiencies. There were 1122 subject entries of which 1021 were at the General Proficiency and 101 at the Technical Proficiency. This year registered a slight decrease in candidate entries and an increase in subject entries over last year. In May/June 2019 there were 169 candidate entries and 1099 subject entries.
Those subjects offered at Technical Proficiency were: Textiles, Clothing and Fashion, Family and Resource Management, Food Nutrition and Health, Technical Drawing, Industrial Technology Electrical and Electronics, Industrial Technology Mechanical Engineering, Industrial Technology Building and Furniture. Thirty three subjects are offered by the Caribbean Examinations Council at the CSEC level. Students at the Albena Lake Hodge Comprehensive School entered for 31 of these subjects.
This year, 1100 of the 1122 subject entries were completed and forwarded to CXC. The performance of candidates in the CSEC July/August 2020 examinations showed an increase when compared to that of 2019. Overall seventy six percent (76%) of the subject entries presented for General and Technical proficiencies achieved grades I to III compared with 74% in 2019, 79% in 2018, 75% in 2017 and 80% in 2016. The statistics show that 61% of the candidates achieved acceptable grades in four or more subjects. This statistic compares to 57% in the previous year.. This year there were 84 candidates achieving acceptable grades in 5 or more subjects. In 2019 there were also 84 candidates achieving acceptable grades in 5 or more subjects. Also, 66 of these candidates achieved acceptable grades in both English A and Mathematics. This compares to 51 candidates in 2019. There was an improvement in the level of grade achievement. Approximately 52% of the subject entries achieved grades 1 and 2. In 2019, 43% of the subject entries achieved grades 1 and 2.
Of the 31 subject areas examined, performance improved in 14 subjects, declined in 9 subjects and remained the same in 8 subjects. In 23 of the subjects offered, more than 75 percent of the subject entries achieved Grades I to III. In three of the subjects offered, less than 50 percent of the subject entries achieved Grades I to III. This year, the number of students achieving Grades I to III in English A and English B increased. In English A 98% of the candidates achieved grades I to III up from 84% in 2019, while in English B 98% of the candidates achieved grades I to III up from 88% in 2019. This year in Mathematics, 47% of the students achieved Grades I to III. In 2019 this statistic was the same. In previous years, this statistic was 60% in 2018 and 57% in 2017.
Caribbean Certificate of Secondary Level Competence (CCSLC)
The Albena Lake -Hodge Comprehensive School this year registered a decrease in both the number of candidate entries and subject entries for the Caribbean Certificate of Secondary Level Competence (CCSLC) programme. A total of 381 candidates were entered with 625 subject entries with 592 of those entries completed. In 2019 there were 494 candidate entries and 848 subject entries with 792 entries completed.
The overall performance of candidates showed a sharp decline. There was a decrease in the number of entries achieving mastery level. This year 37% of the subject entries achieved the level of mastery. In 2019, 42% of the subject entries achieved the level of mastery, compared with 28% in 2018, 31% in 2017 and 32% in 2016.
CARIBBEAN ADVANCED PROFICIENCY EXAMINATIONS (CAPE)
In July/August 2020 a total of 130 candidates in Upper and Lower Six at the Albena Lake Hodge Comprehensive School wrote subjects at the Caribbean Advanced Proficiency level. There were 553 subject entries. This year registered a decrease in both candidate and subject entries over last year. In May/June 2019 there were 151 candidates and 637 subject entries. The Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC) offers a total of 67 Units in 35 subjects at this level. At the Albena Lake Hodge Comprehensive School a total of 53 Units (28 Unit 1 courses and 25 Unit 2 courses) in 33 subjects were offered in 2020.
TOP CAPE STUDENTS
The overall performance of candidates in the CAPE July/August 2020 examinations showed an increase of 3% when compared to that of 2019. Eighty seven percent (87%) of the subject entries presented achieved Grades I to V compared with 84% in 2019, 85% in 2018, 84% in 2017 and 85% in 2016. Of the 53 Units examined performance improved in 12 units, declined in 11 units and remained the same in 17 units. Thirteen (13) units which were not examined in 2019 were examined in 2020. Forty-six percent of the subject entries achieved grades 1 -3 compared to 43% in 2019, 43% in 2018, 37% in 2017 and 37% in 2016. The statistics show that 41% of the subject entries achieved grades IV and V. This statistic was the same in 2019. Also, 13% of the subject entries achieved unacceptable grades VI and VII down from 16% in 2019. In 33 of the 53 Units none of the candidates achieved Grade 1. These statistics indicate that there is still a critical need to raise the level of grade achievement.
The Ministry of Education commends all students who sat CXC examinations. To those students who may not have performed as well as they would have liked in their examinations, continue to work toward improvement and for those who performed well, keep up the hard work. The Ministry and Department are committed to working with students to achieve their very best.
The Ministry recognizes that there was a great deal of concern raised around this year’s CXC examination results. The Ministry and Department of Education have been in discussions with senior officials at CXC in Barbados about these concerns. The Chairman of the CXC Professor Sir Hilary Beckles has convened a team that will review the modified approach for the administration of the July/August 2020 CSEC® and CAPE® Examinations; the moderation process applied to the School-Based Assessment (SBA) for the July/August 2020 CSEC® and CAPE® Examinations, and the grading process for the July/August 2020 CSEC® and CAPE® examinations, among other related matters. As soon as the report from the review team is received, the outcomes will be communicated.
Ms. Dee-Ann Kentish-Rogers
Honourable Minister
