CXC reports great CAPE results

The 92 percent passrate consisted of 16 percent on grade I, some 22 percent on grade II, some 23 percent on grade III, 19 percent on grade IV, and 12 percent getting grade V. “Performance improved on 34 Units, declined on 21, remained the same on four units and six units were being tested for the first time.” Females dominate the CAPE entries with 61 per cent of entries, while males make up the other 39 per cent.

By age, 42 percent of candidates were 18, while 32 percent were over 19, and 24 percent were 17 (this latter likely being Unit 1 done in Lower Sixth Form.) This year saw a 967 fewer candidates than last year, and fewer unit entries.

The number of candidates fell from 30,883 last year to 29,916 this year. The number of unit entries dropped from 123,921 entries last year to 117,963 entries this year. “Communication Studies continues to be the largest CAPE Unit with 16,137 entries, followed by Caribbean Studies with 11,918 entries.

“Biology Unit 1 takes the third spot with 5, 657 entries, Chemistry Unit 1 is fourth with 5, 031 and closing out the top units is Management of Business Unit 1 with 4, 970 entries.” The CXC boasted of above average results in its New Generation Subjects.

“For Animation and Game Design Unit 1, 95 per cent of entries achieved acceptable grades, while in Unit 2, the two candidates who wrote the examination both achieved acceptable grades. “Eighty per cent of entries for Green Engineering Unit 1 achieved acceptable grades, with most of the grades being in the grades III-V band.

No candidate registered for Unit 2 this year.” For Financial Services Unit 1, 70 per cent of entries got a pass grade, but none got grade I and no candidate wrote Unit 2.

“For the other New Generation CAPE subjects, performance was relatively high. Physical Education and Sport Units 1 and 2 both recorded 99 per cent of acceptable grades.” Unit 1 was up by one percent on 2016, and Unit 2 was the same.