By Jenique Belgrave
The Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC) is seeking to reduce the numbers of students leaving secondary school without any certification.
Expressing concern on the matter, Registrar and Chief Executive Officer of the examinations body, Dr Wayne Wesley said the council is working to create qualifications and opportunities for all students exiting the secondary education system.
“We look with great determination and fierce urgency to ensure that we arrest the problem that is causing many of our young people not to realise their fullest potential,” he said. According to him, the CXC would continue to work with the ministries of education across the region to develop programmes relevant and pertinent to Caribbean people.
Premier of the Turks and Caicos Charles Washington Misick lauded CXC’s commitment to ensuring no one was left behind.
Breaking down the CSEC results, the Premier reported that 16,115 students attained Grade One; 3023, Grade Two; 3440, Grade Three; 2293, Grade Four; 801, Grade Five; and 11 Grade Six. Meanwhile, 1049 were either ungraded, absent or deferred the 2022 exam.
“The percentage pass grade from One to Three in the examination was 76.3 per cent; an increase of 4.6 per cent from the 71.7 in 2021. So we are improving and coming out of the pandemic we know that we will be better going forward,” he stated.
The two made the comments while speaking to those gathered at the Blue Haven Conference Room, Leeward Providenciales, Turks and Caicos on Thursday evening for the CXC’s Regional Top Performers virtual awards ceremony.
Fifteen students were awarded for their outstanding performance in the May/June 2022 sitting of the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) and the Caribbean Certificate of Secondary Level Competence (CCSLC).
In CSEC, the top performers hailed from Guyana, Trinidad and Tobago and Jamaica. Uotam Heeralall of Anna Regina Secondary School in Guyana emerged the winner of the CXC regional award for the Most Outstanding Performance Overall in CSEC for achieving Grade One in 25 subjects.
His performance in seven subjects also earned him the award for Most Outstanding Performance in the Technical/Vocational category.
Saskia Twahir of Queen’s College, Guyana achieved Grade One in 21 subjects and Grade Two in one subject, winning the award for the Most Outstanding Performance in Business and the award for Most Outstanding Performance in Humanities.
Also from Queen’s College, Sheridan Dyal was recognised as the Most Outstanding student in Sciences. She achieved Grade One in 18 subjects and a Grade Two in one.
Meanwhile, in the CCSLC examinations, the Most Outstanding Performance by a Male Student was Ethan Harrigan of Albena Lake-Hodge Comprehensive School, Anguilla, while the Most Outstanding Performance by a Female Student was Joshornnia Edwards of Verchilds High School, St. Kitts.
The top 2022 schools were both from Guyana – Anna Regina Secondary School and Saraswati Vidya Niketan School – which received CSEC School of the Year and CAPE School of the Year Awards respectively.
Offering his congratulations to all the awardees, Misick urged them to continue to invest in their education and develop their skill sets.
“Education never stops, it should be continuous. Too many of us stop when we leave the classroom. We need every single one of you to continue to develop your talents, your skills and intellect so you can help solve our most difficult problems throughout the region and indeed the world,” he encouraged.
jeniquebelgrave@barbadostoday.bb
