Numbers dip for Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination

The number of students sitting CAPE continues to decline.

Local CXC Registrar Myrick Smith highlighted that this needs to be assessed going forward.

The Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination (CAPE) is designed to provide certification of the academic, vocational and technical achievement of students in the Caribbean who, having completed a minimum of five years of secondary education, wish to further their studies.

A total of 297 candidates sat CAPE.

“The numbers of students doing CAPE continues to decline and again, the ministry alluded to that because students are now able to matriculate into UWI without CAPE subjects. Again, that is an area, I think, that is worthy of discussion as to the suitability of that situation as opposed to having students do two years where they complete the A-level. Again, food for thought, we could discuss that,” Smith said.

He did however share that the overall performance was commendable with an 86.4% pass rate.

“You compare that with 2019, to go back five, six years when the number of students, candidates doing CAPE was 553. The mathematics, just as in the CSEC, the mathematic areas are the areas that tend to be the weakest areas in CAPE, such as applied math and integrated math,” Smith added.

The examinations address the skills and knowledge acquired by students under a flexible and articulated system where subjects are organized in one-Unit or two-Unit courses with each Unit containing three Modules. Subjects examined under CAPE may be studied concurrently or singly.

Smith also shared the results for CCSLC.

Forty-two candidates sat these exams from four schools.

“Of course, the grade, if you were to call it that, for CCSLC, three areas, mastery, competence, and developing competence and those areas, the word speaks for themselves. Mastery means that you would have reached a mastery level of efficiency in the competencies or the skills and knowledge associated with those subject areas. Competence means that you are, as it says, you’re competent but not to the master’s level.

“So, of the 112 overall entries, as I said, 42 candidates, 112 overall total number of subjects done by them, 20% of those entries were awarded mastery and 69% were awarded competence,” Smith shared.

The Caribbean Examinations Council, in collaboration with Participating Territories, developed the Caribbean Certificate of Secondary Level Competence (CCSLC) curriculum in response to a regional imperative to provide for universal secondary education.

The CCSLC curriculum is intended to provide certification for all students who complete secondary school in the Participating Territories.

As such, a common core of subjects, comprising Digital Literacy, English, Integrated Science, Mathematics, Modern Languages and Social Studies, was developed to provide the learner with the competencies that will serve as a foundation for more advanced studies, the world of work and life as a citizen of the region.

CXC first offered the Caribbean Certificate of Secondary Level Competence (CCSLC) in June 2007.

The CCSLC responds to the changing demands of education, and is designed to certify the knowledge, generic competencies, and attitudes and values that all secondary school leavers should have attained.