By KHRISNA RUSSELL
Deputy Chief Reporter
STUDENTS who took the Bahamas General Certificate of Secondary Education (BGCSE) examinations performed marginally worse this year in comparison with those who took the national tests in 2017.
This year, the number of students able to obtain a C grade or better in Mathematics, English Language and Science was at its worst compared with the last four years. The number of students who got a C or above in five or more subjects declined by more than eight percent compared with 2017.
Although slightly more teens sat the BGCSE exams this year, there was also a decline in the number of students able to attain grade C and D passes. More students, however, received an A, B, E and F than the year before.
According to newly released examination results from the Ministry of Education, although there was a slight increase in candidates, the number of awarded grades “slightly” decreased when compared with last year. The results this year were also released later than in previous years. However, officials did not say why this was the case.
“In 2018, a total of 806 candidates received at least grade C in five or more subjects as compared with 2017 with 880. This represents a decrease of 8.41 percent,” the results said.
“There were 903 candidates (in this category) in 2016; 961 candidates in 2015 and 922 candidates in 2014.”
It continued: “In 2018, a total of 1,338 candidates obtained a minimum grade of D in at least five subjects. This represents a decrease of 10.38 percent from 2017 which had a total of 1,493 candidates. There were 1,459 in 2016; 1.534 candidate in 2015 and 1,545 in 2014.
“In 2018, a total of 490 candidates received at least a grade C or better in Mathematics, English Language and a science. This represents a decrease of 5.95 percent when compared with 2017, which has a total of 521 candidates. There were 574 candidates in 2016; 570 candidates in 2015 and 588 candidates in 2014 (in this category),” the results also said.
The report noted English Language, Biology, Mathematics and Religious Studies continue to remain the subjects of choice for the vast majority of BGCSE candidates. Art & Design scheme C, Auto Mechanics and Clothing Construction remain the least subscribed subjects.
Of the 27 subjects tested, the report noted, improved performance was noted in 13 subjects. They are Art & Design A, Art & Design B, Art & Design C, Auto Mechanics, Cothing Construction, Geography, Office Procedures, Keyboarding, Commerce, English Language, Graphical Communication, Literature and Mathematics.
A further break down per letter grade showed the highest percentage of grades awarded is grade C with 6,811 of them awarded in 2018. Whereas 5,490 Ds; 3,571 Es; 3,017 Bs; 2,228 As; 2,114 Fs; 1,194 Gs and 620 Us were awarded.
In 2017 there were 7,077 Cs awarded; 5579 Ds; 3,504 Es; 3,004 Bs; 2,143 As; 1,938 Fs; 1,185 Gs and 710 Us.
More girls sat the examinations than boys.
Younger students who sat the Bahamas Junior Certificate exam performed better than their older counterparts.
The total number of grades awarded in 2018 was 42,671 as compared to 2017, which was 44,403. This represents a decrease of 3.90 percent.
Again this year, the ministry said, math and language arts were the two most heavily subscribed subjects.
And more students received C grade or higher in five or more subjects.
The BJC results read: “In 2018, a total of 1,600 candidates received a grade of C or higher in five or more subjects. This represents an increase of 7.82 percent over 2017, which had a total of 1,484 candidates. There were 1,514 candidates in 2016; 1,485 candidates in 2015 and 1,400 candidates in 2014.”
There were also more BJC test takers this year with grade D or above in a minimum of five subjects or more.
“In 2018, a total of 2,319 candidates achieved a minimum of grade D in at least five subjects. This represents a 2.20 percent increase from 2017, which had 2,269 candidates. There were 2,240 candidates in 2016; 2,179 candidates in 2015 and 2,098 candidates in 2014.”
The results also said: “In 2018, 1,552 candidates achieved at least a C in Mathematics, English and a science. This represents a 17.04 percent increase when compared to 2017, which had a total of 1,326 candidates.
“There were 1,554 candidates in 2016; 1,479 candidates in 2015 1,651 candidates in 2014.”
The breakdown of letter grades showed more C passes with 9,563 this year.
Ds were 7,623, Bs 7,290, Es 5,574, As 4,015, Fs 3715, Gs 2,473 and Us 2,418.
Comparatively in 2017 there were 9,408 Cs, 8,043 Ds, 7,042 Bs, 6,045 Es, 4,511 Fs, 3,834 As, 2954 Gs and 2566 Us.
Again, there were more girls who sat the BJC exams compared with boys.
Comments
joeblow 5 years, 7 months ago
...but within the next two years more than half of these virtual illiterates will have children of their own and will sit in groups talking about why their bosses should pay them more!
We expect to have a successful nation but continue to churn out failures by the thousands annually. God help us, cause we sure ain't trying to help ourselves!
EasternGate 5 years, 7 months ago
Amen!
geostorm 5 years, 7 months ago
Yes @joeblow, you are correct on this one. What a sad state of affairs this is! What is making learning so difficult for our children?If we don't get a handle on this, we will have a really hard time getting this country to move in the right direction. It takes an educated and engaged populace to push the country in the right direction.
proudloudandfnm 5 years, 7 months ago
Bring back the british system.
licks2 5 years, 7 months ago
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA. . . TIS THE BRITISH SYSTEM MA BRUDDA!!
TheMadHatter 5 years, 7 months ago
Joeblow is 100% correct.
I would add, students today know that all of these exams are a waste of time. There are no jobs worth having anyway. No skills are needed or useable in this country except to be a worker in the only factory we have here: The Baby Making Factory. They also know the classroom grades are on a statistical curve which forces the average to a D, so that the system itself is against them. Also they are to some degree aware that the entire country is being overtaken by Haitians and Chinese, and so their future as a Bahamian is to sit small and shut up. Play games? Watch music videos? Joke around? Why not? You will achieve the same result in life as the fool who wastes his/her time studying. Kids are smart enough to know this - and that makes them all 'A' students in my book.
242gyal 5 years, 7 months ago
And when the news can’t even make sense of or print the data correctly we are absolutely screwed. Someone please tell us why at least 2 of the charts above that claim to show data differences over time do not actually show the years?
mandela 5 years, 7 months ago
D average = DUMB and DANGEROUS.
bogart 5 years, 7 months ago
Students who took the exams dis year did worse.....so Fire the Minister....seems .....he has ...more expertise in fixing the schools ...which is like Buildings an Works...an telling the schools dey hav to let in all students regardless of Nationality an not ask who dey parents Nationality is or who dey parents is.....which is like Immigration ....an National Security....an you have other Ministers talking School Uniforms......mudda tek sic dred...the biggest part of the pore taxpayers now paying more at 12% increase taxes for Education for years allocated to dis Ministry an look what happenin....ain nothing change..same ol same ol...
DDK 5 years, 7 months ago
Speaking of mudda tek sic WHERE is Mudda?
EasternGate 5 years, 7 months ago
I bet every one of these dumb potential reprobates has expensive electronic gadgets, but no direction and no purpose!
sealice 5 years, 7 months ago
so what all the teachers that keep threatening to go on strike aren't doing anything? See why no one cares if you teachers go on strike you don't make a difference we still get Kids with D averages they couldn't even get into U of B with those grades....what you going on strike for just go ... go away and let the foreigners come in and teach our children please....
EasternGate 5 years, 7 months ago
You may have a point. Why do Government teachers send their children to private schools?????
CaptainCoon 5 years, 7 months ago
it's a simple answer, government schools in New Providence are PATHETIC!
sheeprunner12 5 years, 7 months ago
The Bahamas is the only Caribbean country where private schools are ranked as better than public schools ...... and who opted not to sign on to CXC exams ........ Wonder why?????????
sealice 5 years, 7 months ago
because they'd fail even worse then they already fail tests that are purposely made easier for them (read BJC's)
bogart 5 years, 7 months ago
.......because dey can affort it.......lol......dey pay taxes for the Ministry of Education budget....Social Services for assistamce with school uniforms.....School lunches....PLUS DEY PAYS Private School tuition for private schooling system again....GIVEN the ever tighter incomes....these school teachers have the inside scoop to know whats actually going on.... .
CaptainCoon 5 years, 7 months ago
Now imagine if the UBP was still in power. Leaps and bounds ahead of this nonsense. SAD!
sheeprunner12 5 years, 7 months ago
Every year, these elitist journalists say the same thing about the "D average" ....... and they are too stupid to explain to the public why we have a D average ......... Khrisna Russell needs to go and do some real investigative journalist work.
sheeprunner12 5 years, 7 months ago
When will the Ministry of Education publish the list of results by school????? Public and Private Schools ........... Let the taxpayers see who is doing what ........ and then judge them ...... Lots of private schools get "D average" too ............. Let's stop covering up this cesspool of mediocrity.
pileit 5 years, 7 months ago
I find this "data" off tone and contrived. Where is the straightforward listing of all subjects and quantity of A's, B's, C's, D's, etc for each... for THIS year! Its smells of spin...
tetelestai 5 years, 7 months ago
Sheeprunner, I never care for your name calling (calling people 'stupid' does nothing to further your point). However, your overall point is accurate. The average journalist either does not understand, or for shock reasons does not care to explain the nuance of our grading scale. Khrisna and others really should explain why we have a 'D' average and not simply parrot the fact that we do. Cannot complain with your overarching point.
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