CXC targets its examination products and services to meet the educational and human resource needs of the Caribbean region. Originally known for only the CSEC programme, CXC now offers a full suite of qualifications to meet the needs of candidates of differing ages and a wide range of abilities.
The qualifications range from primary – Caribbean Primary Exit Assessment (CPEA), to post-secondary – Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination (CAPE) and competency-based certificates such as the Caribbean Vocational Qualification (CVQ) and the Caribbean Certificate of Secondary Level Competence (CCSLC).
In this section, learn about the developments which took place in 2014 with each of the CXC offering.
CXC utilised electronic marking or e-marking for some of its scripts for the 2014 May/June examination sitting.
The Council marked 11 papers in seven Caribbean Secondary Education (CSEC) subjects using the e-marking technology provided by the UK-based company RM.
The seven subjects with papers e-marked this year were Biology, Chemistry, Human and Social Biology, Integrated Science, Physics, Principles of Accounts and Principles of Business.
The Post-Secondary Advantage
First paperless examination
Digital Media was offered in May/June 2014 as the first 100 per cent paper-less examination by the Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC) has returned excellent results in its first sitting.
One hundred per cent of the candidates taking Digital Media Units 1 and 2 achieved acceptable grades which are Grades I-V at CAPE.
Performance Remains Consistent
Overall performance in CAPE remained consistent with 2013. Ninety percent of entries achieved Grades I-V which are the acceptable grades, the same as in 2013. Performance remained the same on 16 Units, improved on 14 Units and declined on 16 Units.
Growth
The number of candidates entered for CAPE this year was 29,379 compared with 28,228 in 2013, an increase of 1,151 candidates.
Communication Studies continue to lead the subject entries with 15,625 entries this year compared with 14,926 last year. It is followed by Caribbean Studies with 11,941 entries this year, compared with 11,220 in 2013. Sociology Unit 1 with 5,996 entries, Biology Unit 1 with 5681 and Chemistry Unit 1 with 5,447 entries round out the top five largest Unit entries.
Sixty-two per cent of the candidates were females and 38 per cent males.
Just over 42 per cent of the candidates were in the 18-year age group, while 33 per cent were over 19 years and 22 per cent were in the 17-year age group.
New CAPE Subjects
Work has started on four new CAPE subjects: Mathematics Studies, Logistics and Supply Chain operations, Green Engineering and Animation and Game Design.
Mathematics Studies
The Panel meeting for College Mathematics was held in October 2014 to develop the first draft of the syllabus and the specimen papers. A second Panel meeting will be convened in January 2015 to refine the syllabus document and the specimen examination papers, keys and mark schemes.
Logistics and Supply Chain Operations
The meeting of the Working Committee for Logistics and Supply Chain Operations was held in June 2014 and the Panel meeting in September 2014 to develop the first draft of the syllabus. A second Panel meeting will be convened in January 2015 to refine the syllabus document and develop the specimen examination papers, keys and mark schemes.
Green Engineering
The meeting of Working Committee for Green Engineering was held in August 2014 and the Panel meeting in October 2014 to develop the first draft of the syllabus. A second Panel meeting will be held in March 2015 to refine the syllabus document and develop the specimen examination papers, keys and mark schemes. The first draft of the syllabus along with specimen examination papers, keys and mark schemes was be submitted to SUBSEC in October 2015, requesting approval to complete the development of the syllabus.
Animation and Game Design
The process to develop a new syllabus in Animation and Game Design commenced in 2014 with the meeting of the Working Committee to define the scope of the syllabus. The first Panel meeting was held in September 2014 to commence the development of the first draft of the syllabus, the specimen examination papers, keys and mark schemes, which were sent to subject specialists, teachers and other resource persons for comments.
The Gold Standard
The overall performance for the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) May/June 2014 examination continued the gradual upward trend started in 2012. This year, 66 per cent of entries achieved acceptable grades, Grades I – III. This compares favourably with 65 per cent in 2013 and 62 per cent in 2012.
Of the subjects offered, performance improved in 12, declined in 19 and remained constant in five. Thirty-five subjects were offered for the May/June sitting.
The number of candidate and subject entries declined this year. Candidate entries fell from 149,311 in 2013 to 142,884 this year, while subject entries moved from 616,447 in 2013 to 603,383 this year.
Mathematics was once again the largest subscribed subject with 98,542 entries, followed by English A with 94,106 entries. The next largest subject entry was Social Studies with 50,027 entries. Principles of Business is in fourth with 34,883 and Human and Social Biology fifth with 31,450 entries.
The age group 19 years and over comprised the largest single cohort of candidates, 31 per cent, while the 17-year-old age cohort accounted for 29 per cent of candidates, 16-year olds 20 per cent and 18-year olds 14 per cent.
Forty-one per cent of the candidates who registered for the 2014 examination were male and 59 per cent female.
Syllabus Review
Three syllabuses, Agricultural Science, English and Mathematics are under review, while Geography and Integrated Science are being revised.
Agricultural Science
The Agricultural Science review Committee at its meeting held in March 2014, revised the Rationale and Aims to reflect the attributes of the Ideal Caribbean Person, UNESCO Pillars of Learning and other areas for consideration based on the political, philosophical and psychological considerations for syllabus development.
English
The Review Committee at its meeting held in October 2013, revised the Rationale of the syllabus to emphasise and to state explicitly the link between the syllabus and the creation of the Ideal Caribbean Person as defined in the CARICOM document, The Caribbean Education Strategy (2000).
Mathematics
The Review Committee at its meeting held in May 2013, revised the Rationale and Aims to reflect the attributes of the Ideal Caribbean Person, UNESCO Pillars of Learning and other areas for consideration based on the political, philosophical and psychological considerations for syllabus development.
Geography
The Panel at its meetings held in October 2013–August 2014, revised the Rationale and Aims of the syllabus to emphasise and state explicitly the link between the syllabus and the creation of the “Ideal Caribbean Person.” The structure of the syllabus was reorganised by integrating Section IV, Human Environment Systems into Sections II and III, Human Systems and Natural Systems, respectively, so as to facilitate a more integrated approach to the teaching and learning of geography.
Integrated Science
The revised syllabus will be submitted to the April 2015 meeting of SUBSEC for approval. The syllabus will be available to schools for teaching in September 2015, for first examination in May–June 2017.
Certifying The Region’s Skilled Workforce
Antigua and Barbuda and Trinidad and Tobago registered candidates for the CVQ in 2014.
Antigua and Barbuda submitted 70 candidates, 53 females and 17 males; while Trinidad and Tobago submitted 2439 candidates, 1042 females and 1397 males.
Candidates were awarded CVQs in 27 occupational areas.
A total of 1023 candidates qualified to receive full CVQs this year. The most popular CVQs awarded were: Data Operations (214), Electrical Installation (136), Crop Production – Grow Box Operation (107), and General Cosmetology (99).
A total of 1801 candidates were awarded transcripts which reflect the work they have completed to date as part of their CVQ in 34 disciplines. Of those receiving transcripts, 309 were in Data Operations, 223 were in Commercial Food Preparation, 173 were in 134 were in Crop Production – Grow Box Operation, and 169 were in Electrical Installation.
A Solid Foundation
Performance at the Master level improved on French, Spanish and Social Studies, but declined on English, Mathematics and Integrated Science. Twenty per cent of entries for French achieved mastery compared with 15 per cent in 2013. Thirty-seven per cent of entries for Social Studies achieved Master compared with 25 per cent in 2013 and 17 per cent achieved similar grades for Spanish compared with 12 per cent in 2013.
At the Competent level, performance improved on English – 50 per cent compared with 43 per cent in 2013; Mathematics – 57 per cent compared with 55 per cent in 2013; and Integrated Science 57 per cent compared with 54 per cent last year.
Performance declined on Social Studies – 52 per cent this year compared with 64 per cent last year; Spanish – 58 per cent compared with 69 per cent this year; and French – 57 per cent compared with 66 per cent last year.
Both the number of subject entries and candidate entries for CCSLC declined this year when compared with 2013. This year 13,742 subject entries were submitted compared with 15,193 entries last year.
There was a slight decline in the number of candidates taking the CCSLC in 2014; 5,508 candidates wrote the examination in 2014 compared with 5,802 candidates last year.
Twelve countries submitted candidates for CCSLC in 2014.
Of the 5,508 candidates who took the examination this year, 1,046 of them or 19 per cent qualified for the certification. Last year, 15 per cent of candidates qualified for the certificate.
Overall 85 per cent of the entries achieved acceptable grades of Master and Competent, compared with 79 per cent last year. Thirty per cent achieved Master and 55 per cent achieved Competence.
Mathematics with 4,391 entries was the subject with the most entries. This was followed by English with 4,180, Social Studies 2,035, Integrated Science 1,743, Spanish 723 and French 670 entries.
Assessment of and for Learning
The Caribbean Primary Exit Assessment (CPEA) was offered in Anguilla, Grenada, Montserrat and St Vincent and the Grenadines in 2014. A total of 3819 candidates from the three Participating Countries wrote the external component (Multiple Choice Paper) of the CPEA.
St Vincent and the Grenadines sitting for the first time offered 1942 candidates; Grenada 1604, Anguilla 216 and Montserrat for the first time offered 57 candidates.
Of the three literacies assessed on the external component, performance on scientific literacy remained at 65 per cent; Language declined marginally from 62 per cent last year to 60 per cent this year and also declined slightly from Mathematics at 57 per cent last year to 54 per cent this year. |
