KINGSTON, Jamaica – Secondary students preparing to sit the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) and City and Guilds examinations in June 2025, will have the opportunity to participate in the Ministry of Education, Skills, Youth and Information’s Christmas Term Subject-based Camps.

These camps, slated for December 16-19, are designed to boost students’ academic performance, particularly in Mathematics and English Language. A Ministry bulletin stated that this initiative aims to address the low pass rate, especially in Mathematics which saw only 40 per cent of students passing the subject during the 2024 CSEC examinations.

Described as a tactical approach, targeting 56 high schools under the National School Learning and Intervention Plan (NSLIP), these face-to-face camps will provide students with an opportunity to sharpen their Math skills, build confidence and receive targeted support.

According to the bulletin, the camps will offer in-depth review sessions focusing on key areas of CSEC and City and Guilds Math exams; help students build problem-solving skills through interactive lessons and past paper practice and provide personalised guidance and exam strategies to improve performance.

The facilitators will include teachers from mathematics departments, subject-specialists/volunteers, mathematics coaches and specialists of the Ministry, Education Officers, pre-service teachers and lecturers.

The National Mathematics Team will also host a two-week CSEC Math Marathon from January 13-24, 2025.

Additionally, weekly webinars will be held on Tuesdays, commencing January 28, for students registered to sit the CSEC Mathematics examination, and January 29 for those taking the City & Guilds (Stages 2 and 3) examinations.

For additional information, contact the Mathematics Coordinator in the Ministry’s Educational Regions.

– JIS