A pleasant good day to all residents of the Virgin Islands.
I am Myron V. Walwyn, Minister of Education and Culture and I am pleased to inform you of the 2012 CXC - Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) Results of our Territory’s students.
This year, of the 239 qualified students of our public school system, 177 students registered to sit CSEC® examinations; seven of those candidates were Form Four students of the Bregado Flax Educational Centre, however, due to the transfer of one fourth form student, only six of the candidates eventually sat the examinations. These students sat exams in 25 subjects, including core subjects of Mathematics, English Language, Integrated Science and Social Studies.
In the private school system this year, of the 42 students who registered to sit the CXC CSEC® examinations, 35 of those were fifth formers, while seven were fourth formers. All fifth formers of the two private secondary schools registered to sit at least one subject.
This year, as is customary, the Territory also entered 27 private candidates to sit the CXC CSEC® examinations. Private candidates are those individuals who are not attached to any of our secondary schools here in the Virgin Islands.
The following summary will highlight the results based on all candidates who registered to sit core CXC CSEC® subject examinations:
• For English Language 179 students sat the exams. Of these 179 students, 140 of were successful. There were 35 Grade1's, 50 Grade 2's and 55 Grade 3's.
• For Mathematics 149 candidates sat the examination. Of these 149 students, 100 candidates were successful. There were 22 Grade 1's, 48 Grade 2's, 30 Grade 3's.
• For Integrated Science 49 candidates sat the examination. Of these 49 candidates, 48 candidates were successful. There were 5 Grade1's, 28 Grade 2's and 15 Grade 3's.
• For Social Studies 42 candidates sat the examination. Of these 42, 38 students were successful. There were 4 Grade 1's, 16 Grade 2's and 18 Grade 3's.
As a part of this government’s commitment to improving the education offered to students, the Ministry of Education and Culture is making every effort to ensure that all fifth formers, beginning with the 2013-2014 school year, are prepared to write CXC CSEC® exams.
To bring this to fruition, the Ministry is presently working in collaboration with the Caribbean Examinations Council, developing plans to have all secondary teachers trained or retrained to manage the preparation of students to write CSEC® examinations. The logistics for such an endeavour are being worked out and training is scheduled to take place during this coming school year to ensure the success of this venture.
It is important in today’s world for us to have our students sit regional and international examinations to not only prepare them for the global world but to also provide a benchmark for their own success. While many have argued that we do not need the CXC examinations because we have our own School Leaving Examinations, it is clear that this alone is not enough to take our students forward to the best Colleges and Universities.
I encourage you to look at another angle as we embrace the CXC CSEC examinations – If all our students are sitting the School Leaving Examinations and doing well, then why shouldn’t they be able to do the CXC examinations and do just as well? It stands to reason, that more of our students should be entering for the CXC examinations and do well.
Teachers, the Ministry of Education and Culture is imploring you to make every effort to ensure that all your fifth form students are thoroughly prepared to write and be successful at their CSEC® examinations. In order to Create a Culture of Excellence within our education system of this Territory, we all have to do our part and you play a pivotal role.
Parents, the Ministry of Education and Culture is also imploring you to make every effort to ensure that you do your part to encourage our students, your children, to take their education seriously and to be a part of the drive to become competitors in this globally integrated world.
I ask you to help your child realise the importance of attaining a secondary education, and being successful at CSEC® examinations. We thoroughly believe that these exams will help all of our students have more viable options upon completion of secondary education.
Students, this may be classified as a cliché, but it speaks volume: Your education is the ONLY thing that is yours; once gained, it cannot be taken away from you. Remember these words as you go through life. Students, preparing for CXC examinations may seem like a daunting task, but you have this Government, your teachers, your parents and our wider community on you side.
Being successful at CXC examinations is a plus; you would have the five CXC CSEC® that employers request; you would have the opportunity to enter tertiary institutions via your CXC results; you would have the opportunity to be compared with the best among the region based on your results.
To ensure that all students receive a fair chance at writing CXC CSEC® examinations, the Ministry of Education and Culture will cover the costs for examinations over the next two years. This I hope demonstrates the importance of our students taking these exams and the investment I believe is necessary to ensure the success of our students and the success of these Virgin Islands.
It is encouraging to note that we also have fourth formers writing CXC CSEC® examinations; if there are fourth form students who are capable or writing these examinations and passing them, then why shouldn’t all our fifth formers write and achieve success in these examinations?
The Ministry of Education and Culture realises that change is never instant; we realise that there may be setbacks or resistance to such an endeavour, however, we are committed and will stand fast to ensure that that our students are given the same opportunities for educational success as their counterparts throughout the region.
As Minister of Education and Culture, I would like to be the first to congratulate our students on their achievement. Teachers, parents, thank you for your hard work and encouragement. Thank you for being the driving force behind our students. Thank you for your commitment, dedication and industry.
Students, your success in CXC CSEC® examinations is only a pebble in the bucket. Each step that you take hereafter with regards to your education will add one more pebble to that bucket. At the end of your educational journey, you would know if you have been highly successful if the bucket can no longer hold your pebbles.
I leave this quote from Nelson Mandela with you:
Education is the most powerful weapon you can use to change the world.
As we seek to create a culture of excellence within education, it is my hope that by improved standards, our students will have the opportunity to change the Virgin Islands for the better and thus our world.
Again I say Congratulations and may God continue to bless these Virgin Islands.
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