Orrett Donald Kennedy from St. George’s Secondary School has emerged as the top student in the 2024 Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC) Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) exams in the Virgin Islands.
Kennedy demonstrated exceptional academic proficiency by sitting 11 subjects and securing an impressive nine Grade I passes, earning him the top spot in this year’s examinations.
Joining Kennedy in the top three achievers are Jaydeen Britany Martin, also from St. George’s, who sat for 10 subjects and earned seven Grade I passes, and Gorcia Iona Johnson from the Claudia Creque Educational Centre, who completed nine subjects and achieved seven Grade I passes.
Strong Overall Performance in the Virgin Islands
The Ministry of Education in a statement announced that students across the Virgin Islands displayed remarkable performance in this year’s CSEC exams, with a total of 35 subjects being taken. The overall average pass rate stood at an impressive 85.3 percent, reflecting the dedication and hard work of students and educators throughout the territory.
Perfect Pass Rates in Eleven Subjects
According to the ministry, Virgin Islands students achieved a 100 percent pass rate in eleven subjects, including Agricultural Science SA General, Economics General, English B General, French General, Office Administration General, Visual Arts General, Physical Education & Sport General, Food Nutrition and Health Technical, Family and Resource Management Technical, Industrial Technology Electrical and Industrial Technology Mechanical.
Seven other subjects recorded pass rates between 90-99 percent, with English A listed as a standout subject, with 222 students taking the exam and achieving a 95.5 percent pass rate, which represents a 3 percent increase from 2023. Among these students, 104 earned Grade I passes, 69 earned Grade II passes, and 39 earned Grade III passes.
Mathematics Performance and Plans for Improvement
While the overall results were commendable, the education ministry revealed that Mathematics remains an area for growth, with a pass rate of just 46.45 percent, which is still above the regional average of 36 percent.
The ministry noted that it is already implementing strategies to improve the performance in Mathematics, including professional development for teachers, enhanced classroom resources, and the introduction of a Certificate in Mathematics Instruction for primary teachers starting in 2025.