KINGSTON, Jamaica — The Government has reported an increase in the pass rate for students in public schools who sat the compulsory subjects of Mathematics and English Language in the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) this year, when compared to 2017.

Minister of Education, Youth and Information, Senator Ruel Reid, made the disclosure at the 2018 National Exit Examination press conference at the Mona Visitors’ Lodge in Kingston today.

Reid informed that 35,149 students from public schools were registered to sit the examination, of which 34,139 (97.1 per cent) sat and 30,343 (88.9 per cent) obtained grades one to three.

“Mathematics and English Language recorded percentage passes of 57.8 per cent and 75.4 per cent, respectively. When the average attainment rates for Mathematics and English Language were compared with the 2017 results, there was a 7.6 percentage point increase in Mathematics and a 4.6 percentage point increase in English Language,” the minister said.

Reid also noted that of the candidates who registered from public schools, 19,880 (56.6 per cent) were females and 15,269 (43.4 per cent) males.

“The number of females who sat was 19,490 with 17,731 (91 per cent) being awarded grades one to three, while the number of males who sat was 14,649 from which 12,612 (86 per cent) obtained grades one to three,” he pointed out.

Reid further announced that of the 32 subject areas that students in public schools sat, 22 showed improved pass rates over examinations sat in 2017.

Additionally, with regard to public schools, males achieved higher percentage passes than females in two subjects: Biology (75.1 per cent compared to 73.8 per cent for females) and Chemistry (60.9 per cent compared to 56.9 per cent for females).

The minister also noted that there was no difference in performance between males and females for Additional Mathematics in public schools this year, when compared to 2017.