Education Ministry: Trinidad and Tobago outdid region at CXC

THE Ministry of Education on August 21 published figures that suggested pupils from Trinidad and Tobago have surpassed the dismal 36 per cent pass rate across the Caribbean in CSEC Maths.

The ministry's press release did not state the maths pass rate for TT.

However, the statement said 58 per cent of pupils passed five subjects and 45 per cent passed five subjects, including maths and English.

This meant that the number passing maths lay somewhere between 45 to 58 per cent.

It cannot be ascertained whether the difference between 45 and 58 per cent was due to pupils failing maths, English or both.

The number of TT pupils getting a full certificate of five passes, including English and maths – 45 per cent – greatly exceeds the Caribbean average of 4.9 per cent disclosed by Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC) CEO/registrar Dr Wayne Wesley at a CXC function in Dominica on August 20.

Likewise, the 58 per cent of TT pupils getting five subjects exceeds the regional average of six per cent.

The statement listed the number of pupils passing five subjects at CSEC, including maths and English, in recent years.

This was 55 per cent (2020), 47 per cent (2021), 43 per cent (2022), 51 per cent (2023), and 45 per cent now. The number getting five subjects (but not both maths and English) was 61 per cent (2020), 54 per cent (2021), 53 per cent (2022), 58 per cent (2023) and 58 per cent this year.

The statement said 21,713 TT pupils wrote CSEC – 11,755 females and 9,958 males – in 34 subjects.

"In 2024, there were 114,332 subject entries written, which represents an increase from the previous year with 112,748 subject entries.

"Passing grades (Grades I, II and III) were obtained in 67.62 per cent (77,306) of the subject entries compared with 67.79 per cent (76,430) in 2023."

Pass rates were higher in TT this year in 17 subjects compared to last year.

The statement said some 95 per cent of subject entries in the CAPE exam had passed, compared to 96 per cent last year.

This result was comprised of 96 per cent passing CAPE unit one subjects and 93 per cent passing CAPE unit two, compared to 95 per cent last year.

At CAPE unit one level, high marks of over 90 per cent were achieved in 27 subjects out of 32 on offer.

For CAPE unit two, grades of over 90 per cent were attained in 29 subjects out of 32.