Dominican students perform 8.5% above regional average in CSEC exams

Top-performing CSEC students (back row) and Education Ministry officials

Forty-six students from thirteen secondary schools across the island have obtained six or more grade ones at the 2019 Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) exams, Local CXC Registrar, Magalie Celestine, has announced.

At a press conference held on Wednesday, to officially announce the results of the CSEC exams, Celestine noted that a total of 1,160 candidates sat the CXC exams in 33 subject areas.

“There was just a 1.6% decrease in the overall percentage of students receiving grades 1, 2, and 3 in the 2019 CXC exams, compared to 2018,” she explained. “Overall, three schools showed mass improvement in their overall performance: Orion Academy moved from 40% in 2018 to 85.7% in 2019; Goodwill Secondary moved from 47.7% in 2018 to 58.8% in 2019; and the Pierre Charles Secondary moved from 67.7% in 2018 to 77.9% in 2019.”

The Registrar noted that 309 or 33.3% of the candidates passed five or more subjects, including Mathematics and English, and 515 or 65.5% of the candidates passed five or more subjects, with either grades 1, 2 or 3.

23 of the 33 subjects were awarded 80 to 100% passes, indicating that Dominica’s performance is 8.5% above the regional average.

Celestine commended the students who participated in Technical and Vocational Educational and Training (TVET) subjects as “five out of the six TVET subjects obtained 90-100% pass.”

Minister for Ecclesiastical, Gender and Family Affairs and Acting Minister for Education and Human Resource Development, Catherine Daniel, offered “special commendations” to the students on the first leg of their journey, and encouraged them to become well-rounded individuals.

“…your performance is indeed commendable, and the government of Dominica remains proud of your conscientious efforts to empower yourselves with knowledge and skills for future success,” Daniel stated. “But, this is just one ingredient… you need other aspects. Academics alone is not sufficient. So, the attitudes, trust, [and] honesty are key factors in one’s life journey.”

However, the Minister mentioned that last year’s results, after the ravages of Hurricane Maria in September 2017, were greater than those of this year.

“We have done well, but we have dropped a little bit from that environment after [Hurricane] Maria,” she said. “So, just think back to some of the things we didn’t have, so the concentration was on study. So, we maybe have to do a little homework and see how we can bring that back.”

Special mention was made of the Castle Bruce Secondary school for its “excellent performance,” dominating the list of top performers.

Daniel advised students to remain vigilant in their pursuit of success and called on parents and teachers to guide them through their next step.

“Parents still hold your children’s hands. They are still your children. Teachers, still show a sign of interest in your children, because as they succeed, you feel that your work has been well done,” she encouraged. “Students… keep focused. Know what your goal is, and choose only those who will help you on the way to success.”

Meantime, Dominican students also excelled at Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination (CAPE) and Caribbean Certificate of Secondary Level Competence (CCSLC) for 2019.

It was revealed that 85 females and 35 males attempted the CAPE exams in Dominica. 24 out of 42 units were awarded 80-100% pass, while 15 out of the 42 units obtained 100% pass. Only 12 units gained an overall score below 60%.

A total of 704 candidates sat the 2019 CCSLC exams, with schools attempting two to six subjects. 8 out of 10 schools sat the CCSLC English exams. All schools were successful in English CCSLC, obtaining an 85-100% pass, but only the Dominica Community High School (DCHS) acquired a 100% pass.

First Page of Top Performers List

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19 Comments

  1. lmckoy
    August 24, 2019

    The photograph showing the ‘top performing students’ reveals an interesting situation; of the seventeen students shown, thirteen are females. The writer states that 85 female and 35 male students attempted the CAPE exam. It appears the females are greatly outperforming the males. For the country to do well in the future, it needs the best output from both genders and the indications are not good for the males at this point and by extension, the country.

  2. No name
    August 23, 2019

    Well done everyone. It’s good to see the schools outside of Roseau excel

  3. Lin clown
    August 22, 2019

    If Linton had done like these students he would know what 3,961 multiply by 50,000 IS.SAME OLD SAME OLD,UWPARROTS.

  4. My little take
    August 22, 2019

    That’s very good and hats off to our young people. However, the billion dollar question is, what are these young people going to do? What is there for them? Where can they send a resume’ to? This is not politics but reality because after 12 of so yrs in school the next step is to get a job. In St. Kitts and Nevis tourism is the main source of employment as over a third of their people are employed through tourism. In Antigua & Barbados same thing with over 50% of their citizens are so employed. In St. Lucia, Grenada and St . Vincent we see tourism and agriculture, so young people have something to turn to. But what about Da? What is the main stay of our economy so these young people could turn to? Beg PM like their parents? In my young days we had the banana industry, Ross, co
    Belfast to turn to. But they are all gone? PM keeps telling us the sale of passports is the main stay. Sadly, only a handful are agents and because of the secret nature they can’t employ too many. You…

  5. NKRUMAH KWAME
    August 22, 2019

    Miss Celestine, what do you think of this year’s performance? You stated that 1160 students wrote the exams 309 (33.3%) passed five or more subjects including English and Maths; 515 (65.5%) got 5 or more subjects. I assume since you did not say, that those passes did not include neither English or Maths. When we add these numbers, we still have a shortfall of 336 from the 1160 cohort which is MORE than the 33.5% who excelled. So what was their performance like?? Does the Ministry of Education & HRD have a threshold of what constitutes acceptable/good performance? And if so, could you inform the public what % ( with the accompanying numbers) of this year’s cohot attained satisfactory results against the established threshold of the ministry of E&HRD??
    HOTEP!

    • RandyX
      August 23, 2019

      As with everything this government is involved with, we only get censored statements with a good dose of propaganda but at the end of the day they just talk good a fairly poor overall performance. Incompetence from this rogue government where ever one looks. Having said that, they are pretty slick when it comes to emptying the state coffers and tell us afterwards that 1+2=7.

  6. Hatty Lesllie
    August 21, 2019

    Congratulations to all our students who performed well. Hats off to you, your parents and teachers. We are so proud of you. God bless. I am so proud of my school/ our school CBSS. I can’t stop celebrating.God bless.

  7. congrats
    August 21, 2019

    Congratulations to all students, educators and parents. Job well done. Keep up the good work.
    Education is a very important in today’s world for you cannot land a great job without it, and when you educate yourself you become empowered, you have the ability to engage and indulge in positive conversation. It helps improve on social skills and it is a must in this society. Gone are the days when people could not seek a secondary or tertiary education. Everyone now has the ability to educate themselves in any field they desire if they are determined and motivated to do so. Good work students and let us keep up with the times and continue to promote education in Dominica for we can see the results that is occurring in Dominica when people are uneducated.

  8. Looking In
    August 21, 2019

    Congrats to all the students.

    But but but, why are the students posing with ministry officials and not with their teachers? Chuupes.

    • Neville
      August 23, 2019

      All part and parcel of Skerrits propaganda Maschine.

  9. ??????????????
    August 21, 2019

    Congratulations to our students. Hello be positive and tell them congratulations. Let us encourage them. Continue to focus on your studies and put God first in all you do. This is the beginning. Do not think you know it all. Every day one learns something new. Children hold your children’s hand, Never let go. Be there when the challenges come. Together we will achieve.

  10. Nacinimod
    August 21, 2019

    Wow! Big up to all the students who were successful on the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate exams. And special congratulations to the students of the Castle Bruce Secondary School who performed at an exceptional. We are very proud of you guys.

    While we should applaud these young people for their hard work and academic achievements, I cannot help but notice that our girls continue to outperform our boys. What gives? Call me old fashioned but I think there is a negative correlation between the teacher’s gender and boys’ educational outcomes. Male teachers are grossly underrepresented in Dominica’s high school classrooms and until that imbalance is remedied our boys will remain uncompetitive and doomed to second class citizen status.

    For those planning to continue their studies at a North American university I wish you much success on the SAT.

  11. Ripe patat
    August 21, 2019

    What happened to CHS?

  12. Lin clown
    August 21, 2019

    Congratulations to all the STUDENTS.These are the people we want to run this country .Not an EXPELLED man like LINTON.

    • My Eyes wide open
      August 22, 2019

      But is not Linton that running it and see where we are. Do you employ? Any vacancies? Where do they apply for a job? migration? Nep? Climb the steps of financial center to beg Skerrit? That’s the mess Skerrit has the country in and all you walking with eyes closed like drunkards and fools

  13. %
    August 21, 2019

    Congrats to all the candidates.. One chapter closes, but another one opens straight away. Keep focussed. To those who did not do well, hope you can see where you went wrong!
    I did not hear anything from Petter Peter Pepper, the Minister of Education.
    Where is Petter Peter Pepper?

  14. Same old same old
    August 21, 2019

    BIG CONGRATS to our students!!! Now we really want the $1.2 billion dollars to create employment for some and send them others to a university of their choice like Skerrit did for his children. But we need the money and really need Skerrit to tell us where our money gone. So Skerrit, WAY THE MONEY GONE? It cannot be right to legalize an ounce of ganja so these young people could smoke and get charged then later send them to cut grass on the road side, while you planning for your son to become next PM. Way the money gone?

  15. Ras B
    August 21, 2019

    Why are the ministry personnel in the picture? Should it not be the teachers of the top performing schools? Just asking!!

  16. Ampm
    August 21, 2019

    Congratulations to the students but I just have one thing to say. Certain schools have put an end to using text books and use of tablets for everything and they have gone down in their performances i think they should rethink this. You buy a book for 89dollars and more and it never gets used by the child unless u as a parent give your child work it. Smh. There is lot more I would like to Express but to much to type. Start using books again

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