BIOLOGY
Fifty-four per cent of the candidates who wrote the January 2014 examination achieved Grades I to III compared with 49 per cent in January 2013. Candidates’ performance on Paper 01, the Multiple Choice paper, showed a decline when compared to 2013 while the performance on Paper 02, the Structured Essay paper, showed a marked improvement. The performance on Paper 032, the Alternative to the School-Based Assessment remained steady.
The Examining Committee noted that candidates appeared to be unfamiliar with biological concepts related to plant reproduction and genetics.
CHEMISTRY
The performance of candidates in January 2014 was consistent with the performance in January 2013. This January, approximately 5 per cent of candidates achieved Grade I compared with 6 per cent in 2013. Thirty-eight per cent earned satisfactory grades (Grade I-III) compared with 37 percent in 2013.
Improved performance was noted on Profile 1, Knowledge and Comprehension, compared with January 2013. However, weaker performances were noted on Profiles 2 and 3, Use of Knowledge and Experimental Skills respectively. The majority of candidates continue to perform well on questions requiring knowledge of the mole, the periodic table, electrolysis, and pollution and the environment. However, candidates need to exercise greater care in using the terms and language of chemistry accurately.
As noted in previous examinations, too many candidates performed below expectation on questions focusing on experiences that the syllabus required them to gain through practical exercises. Candidates and teachers are urged to use laboratory exercises to reinforce, illustrate or clarify theoretical concepts.
ENGLISH A
Performance in English A in January 2014 was fair. This was reflected by an increase in the percentage of candidates achieving acceptable grades. Approximately 52 per cent of candidates achieved Grades I to III, an improvement on January 2013 when the percentage of candidates who achieved this level of performance was approximately 44 per cent. The percentage of candidates who achieved Grade I increased from approximately five per cent in 2013 to seven per cent in 2014.
Improved performance was evidenced on both Profile 1 (Understanding) and Profile 2 (Expression). While overall there was a notable improvement in the quality of responses on all questions on Paper 02, candidates continue to experience difficulty on Question 1, the summary question, and on the Expression Profile.
ENGLISH B
Sixty-two per cent of candidates who wrote the January 2014 English B examination achieved acceptable grades, Grades I to III. This performance was consistent with 2013 when 61 per cent of the candidates achieved acceptable grades. The performance on Profile 1 (Drama) declined by approximately 7 per cent when compared with 2013. The performance in Profile 2 (Poetry) was quite consistent with that of 2013 with approximately 62 per cent of candidates achieving Grades A to C in both examinations. Performance in Profile 3, Prose Fiction, has shown steady improvement.
HUMAN AND SOCIAL BIOLOGY
Thirty-five per cent of the candidates achieved Grades I to III compared with 48 per cent in January 2013. Candidate performance declined on Paper 01, the Multiple Choice paper, and on Paper 02, the Structured Essay paper.
The Examining Committee indicated that candidates had difficulty in responding to questions based on genetics.
INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
This year’s January examination was the fourth since the revised syllabus was introduced. There was a decline in overall performance with 50 per cent of the candidates achieving acceptable grades, Grades I to III in 2014 compared with 59 per cent in January 2013. The performance on Profile I, Theory, increased from 67 per cent in 2013 to 76 per cent in 2014 while the performance on Profile 2 (Productivity Tools) declined from 73 per cent in 2013 to 64 percent in 2014. Similarly, on Profile 3 (Problem Solving and Programming) performance declined from 42 per cent in 2013 to 33 per cent in 2014.
Candidates are advised to undertake more hands-on practice on productivity tools such as spreadsheets and database management, as well as web page design.
MATHEMATICS
Forty-seven per cent of the candidates who wrote the January 2014 examination achieved Grades I to III compared with 42 per cent in January 2013. While there was an improved performance on Profiles 1 and 3, Knowledge and Reasoning, respectively, there was a decline on the performance on Profile 2, Comprehension.
There was also an improved performance on Paper 02, the Extended Response paper, but there was a moderate decline on the performance on Paper 01, the Multiple Choice Paper. Candidates experienced challenges responding to questions where they were expected to interpret information given in diagrams.
OFFICE ADMINISTRATION
Seventy-six per cent of the candidates who wrote the examination in January 2014 achieved Grades I to III, compared with 86 per cent in 2013 and 83 per cent in 2012. There was a moderate improvement in performance on Paper 02, the Essay, while the performance on Paper 01, the Multiple Choice, remained consistent with that of 2013. On the contrary, there was a decline in candidates’ performance on Paper 032, the Alternative to School-Based Assessment, when compared with 2013. While performance on Profile 2 (Application) remained consistent with 2013, there was a slight decline in performance on Profile 1 (Knowledge and Comprehension).
PHYSICS
In January 2014, 49 per cent of the candidates who wrote the examination achieved Grades I to III compared with 56 per cent in January 2013. This decline in achievement is mainly attributed to a less than satisfactory performance on Paper 02, the Essay Paper. On this paper candidates continue to experience challenges with questions involving calculations and in giving reasons or justifying their solutions or responses.
PRINCIPLES OF ACCOUNTS
The performance of candidates in January 2014 was consistent with those in 2013 with 53 per cent of the candidates achieving acceptable grades in both years. Ten per cent of candidates achieved Grade I in both 2013 and 2014 compared with 10 per cent in 2012, while 18 per cent achieved Grade II in 2014 and 2012 compared with 16 per cent in 2013. There was an improved performance in two of the three Profiles (Knowledge and Application) while there was a slight decline in Profile 3, Interpretation.
Candidates continued to encounter challenges with topics such as journal entries for companies and ratio analyses.
PRINCIPLES OF BUSINESS
There was a decline in the performance of candidates in the January 2014 examination. Seventy-two per cent of the candidates achieved Grades I to III compared with 72 per cent in January 2013 and 71 per cent in 2012. Improved performance was evident on Paper 01, the Multiple Choice paper and Paper 032, the Alternative to the School-Based Assessment. However, there was a decline in performance on Paper 02, the Essay Paper. There was noticeable improvement on Profile 3 (The Business Environment).
SOCIAL STUDIES
There was a decrease in the number of candidates achieving acceptable grades this year compared with January 2013. This year, approximately 48 per cent of the candidates achieved Grades I to III, a decrease from 61 per cent in 2013. This decline in performance was evident across both profiles as well as on all three papers. The proportion of candidates achieving Grades A to C on Profile 1 (Knowledge and Comprehension) decreased from 82 to 62 per cent while that on Profile 2 (Application, Evaluation and Problem Solving) decreased from 38 to 30 per cent. On Paper 01, the Multiple Choice Paper, 69 per cent of candidates achieved acceptable grades a decline from 82 per cent in 2013, while on Paper 02, the Short Answer Paper, the percentage decreased from 33 per cent to 45 per cent and from 51 to 43 per cent on Paper 032.
Candidates’ continue to display a lack of understanding of concepts such as ‘globalization’ and ‘sustainable development’ as well as a hesitance in providing detailed explanations and examples when required to do so.
SPANISH
There was marginal improvement in performance in January 2014 as 67 per cent of candidates achieved Grades I to III, compared with 66 per cent in January 2013. The performance of candidates improved on Paper 01, the Multiple Choice Paper, which assessed the listening and reading skills, and on Paper 02, the Free Response Paper, which assessed candidates’ ability to write the language. Performance on Paper 03, The Oral, which assessed the listening and speaking skills, was consistent with 2013. There was an improved performance on all profiles.
ADDITIONAL MATHEMATICS
This is the third year of the examination for the Additional Mathematics syllabus. Approximately 74 per cent of the candidates achieved Grades I–III compared with 70 per cent in 2013.
In general, candidates found the section on the Paper 02 which tested Statistics and Mechanics the most challenging. From the responses given, candidates appeared to be better prepared for the Statistics option than the Mechanics option. There was a notable improvement in the overall performance on the School-Based Assessment.
Agricultural Science DA
Approximately 75 per cent of the candidates who wrote the Double Award examination in 2014 achieved Grades I–III compared with 96 per cent in 2013. Candidate performance showed a decline across all papers — the Multiple Choice, Structured Essay and School Based Assessment. Marked decline was also seen in candidate performance on all three profiles – The Business of Farming, Crop Production, and Animal Production.
Candidates’ lack of knowledge of basic concepts that are clearly outlined in the syllabus, together with their inability to apply knowledge of practical skills, continues to pose a significant challenge.
AGRICULTURAL SCIENCE SA
Approximately 79 per cent of the candidates who wrote the Single Award examination in 2014 achieved Grades I–III compared with 93 per cent in 2013. The results revealed that candidates’ performance across all papers, except Paper 03, the School Based Assessment, has declined when compared with 2013. Candidates’ average performance on Paper 01, Multiple Choice, declined from approximately 55 per cent in 2013 to 47 per cent in 2014 and for Paper 02, the Structured Essay, from 43 per cent to 32 per cent. Noticeable decline was also seen in candidates’ performance on all three profiles, the Business of Farming, Crop Production, and Animal Production.
Candidates’ lack of knowledge of basic concepts that are clearly outlined in the syllabus, together with their inability to apply knowledge of practical skills, continues to pose a significant challenge.
BIOLOGY
Candidate performance was consistent with 73 per cent of the candidates achieving Grades I to III in 2014 as compared with 74 per cent in 2013. While candidates were able to answer the data analysis question, they were challenged by the questions based on the kidney, diabetes, accommodation in the human eye and natural selection. Further, many candidates appear to be unfamiliar with basic biological terms.
BUILDING TECHNOLOGY (OPTION I – WOODS)
Seventy-seven per cent of the candidates who wrote this examination in 2014 achieved Grades I–III compared with 81 per cent in 2013. This decline in performance is mainly due to a decline in performance on Paper 01, the Multiple Choice Paper. Candidate performance on Paper 02, the Essay Paper, and Paper 03, the School Based Assessment, was consistent with that of 2013. In terms of profiles, performance on Profile 1, Knowledge and Comprehension, declined. Performance on Profile 2, Application, and Profile 3, Practical Ability, was consistent with 2013.
BUILDING TECHNOLOGY
(OPTION II – CONSTRUCTION)
Eighty-one per cent of the candidates who wrote this examination in 2014 achieved Grades I–III compared with 82 per cent in 2013. This performance is mainly due to consistent performance on Paper 01, the Multiple Choice paper, and Paper 02, the Essay paper. Performance on Paper 03, the School Based Assessment, was comparable with that of 2013. In terms of profiles, performance on Profile 1, Knowledge, declined slightly. Performance on Profile 2, Application, was comparable with 2013. Candidate performance on Profile 3, Practical Ability, was comparable with that of 2013.
CARIBBEAN HISTORY
Generally, performance in the 2014 examination was fair. Sixty-four per cent of the candidates achieved Grades I–III, compared with 71 per cent in 2013. Candidates generally performed well on Paper 01 and Section A of Paper 02, but displayed many deficits in knowledge in Sections B and C.
Candidates need to pay greater attention to the demands of the questions and exhibit a greater level of analysis and evaluation in questions which are specially designed to assess these abilities.
CHEMISTRY
This year, for the first time, the Chemistry Paper 02 and Paper 032 were marked electronically. There has been a steady increase in the overall performance of candidates over the three year period 2012 to 2014. This year, 68 per cent of the candidates achieved Grades I–III, compared with 62 per cent in 2013. Improved performance was also evident on Paper 01, the Multiple Choice Paper, Paper 02, the Structured Essay Paper and Paper 032, the Alternative to the School Based Assessment; while performance on the Paper 03, the School Based Assessment remains consistent over the period.
CLOTHING AND TEXTILES
The overall performance of candidates improved in 2014 compared with 2013. Eighty-one per cent of candidates achieved Grades I–III in 2014 compared with 71 per cent in 2013. While the performance on Paper 01, the Multiple Choice Paper and Paper 03, the School Based Assessment, remained consistent with 2013, the performance on Paper 02 improved. Candidates continued to show inadequacy in applying the knowledge of the subject matter to specific situations.
ECONOMICS
There was a decline in performance in 2014 with 70 per cent of the candidates achieving Grades I–III compared with 81 per cent in 2013. A similar decline was noted in all three profiles. This was most evident in Profile 1, Knowledge and Comprehension, where 74 per cent of the candidates achieved Grades A-C compared with 91 per cent in 2013. The performance in the School Based Assessment remained stable.
ELECTRONIC DOCUMENT PREPARATION
AND MANAGEMENT
The 2014 examination was the first examination using the revised syllabus.
The performance of candidates in 2014 was consistent with 2013. Eighty-seven per cent of the candidates achieved Grades I-III compared with 86 per cent in 2013. However, there was a five per cent decline in the percentage of candidates achieving Grade I. This was reflected primarily in Paper 02, the Production Paper, where there was also a five per cent decline at the Grade I level. The performance on Paper 01 continues to be unsatisfactory with candidates experiencing challenges in questions testing the principles of document preparation.
ELECTRICAL AND ELECTRONIC TECHNOLOGY
Fifty-eight per cent of the candidates who wrote this examination in 2014 achieved Grades I–III compared with 61 per cent in 2013. This moderate decline in performance is mainly due to a decline in performance on Paper 01, the Multiple Choice Paper. Candidate performance on Paper 02, the Essay Paper, was consistent with that of 2013, though performance on this paper continues to be weak.
In terms of profiles, performance on Profile 1, Knowledge and Comprehension, declined. Performance on Profile 2, Application, and Profile 3, Practical Ability, was consistent with that of 2013.
ENGLISH A
Performance in English A remained moderate in 2014. Fifty-nine per cent of the candidates achieved Grades I–III, consistent with overall performance in 2013 when 58 per cent of the candidates achieved similar grades. There was a moderate improvement in performance on Profile I, Understanding.
Performance on Paper 02 continues to be below the expected standard. The questions in the three sections of this paper generally elicited only moderate levels of performance. General weakness was observed in many candidates’ inability to organize ideas and to use grammatical English in expressing these ideas.
ENGLISH B
Overall candidate performance in 2014 was consistent with that of 2013. Seventy-two per cent of the candidates achieved Grades I to III in 2014 compared with 73 per cent in 2013. Candidates demonstrated improvements in the structure and organization of their essays. However, the major areas of weakness continue to be candidates’ lack of knowledge of literary terms and dramatic techniques and their inability to discuss the effect created when used by the author.
FOOD AND NUTRITION
Ninety-one per cent of the candidates achieved Grades I–III compared with 91 per cent in 2013. Candidates’ performance on Paper 01, the Multiple Choice Paper; Paper 02, the Theory Paper and Paper 03, the School Based Assessment, was consistent with that of 2013.
FRENCH
There was a marginal decline in performance of the candidates in 2014 when compared with 2013. In 2014, 76 per cent of the candidates achieved Grades I-III, compared with 78 per cent in 2013.
There was a marginal decline in performance on Paper 01, the Multiple Choice paper, which assessed listening and reading skills, and Paper 03, the oral, which assessed listening and speaking skills. However, there was improvement on Paper 02, the Free Response paper, which assessed candidates’ ability to write the language. In spite of this improvement, candidates continued to face challenges in their writing skills when compared with their listening, reading and speaking skills.
GEOGRAPHY
The proportion of candidates earning Grade I continued to decline steadily. In 2014, 4 per cent of candidates earned Grade I compared with 5 per cent in 2013 and 6 per cent in 2012. The number of candidates earning Grades I-III fluctuated slightly with 67 per cent in 2014, 68 per cent in 2013 and 65 per cent in 2012.
Too many candidates demonstrated unsatisfactory map-reading skills. Additionally, the responses of candidates to the questions on Commercial Farming, and Vegetation and Climate revealed inadequate knowledge in these areas. In other questions, candidates had difficulty drawing diagrams or producing outline sketch maps of Caribbean territories. Some students reproduced “notes” ignoring the requirements of the questions and consequently lost marks.
Several School Based Assessments were below the required standard. Students seemed to require much more guidance in selecting appropriate geographical projects and applying appropriate techniques. Teachers are urged to use the field work to provide vital experiences for the students and as a teaching tool to reinforce, illustrate or clarify theoretical concepts.
HOME ECONOMICS MANAGEMENT
The overall performance of candidates in Home Economics Management has improved this year compared with 2013. The percentage of candidates achieving Grades I–III was 90 compared with 83 per cent in 2013. Improved performance of candidates on Paper 01, the Multiple Choice Paper and Paper 02, the Structured Paper, was evident this year, while performance on the Paper 032, the Alternative to the School Based Assessment remained consistent.
There was some improvement in candidates’ understanding of some of the basic concepts and terms in the subject area as well as the clarity of their expression of ideas.
HUMAN AND SOCIAL BIOLOGY
Candidate performance was consistent with that of 2013. Approximately 63 per cent of the candidates achieved Grades I-III in 2014 compared with 64 per cent in 2013. Performance improved on Profile 2, Use of Knowledge. However, candidates had particular difficulty with the questions assessing meiosis, mitosis, reproduction and pollution.
INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
The performance in 2014 was consistent with 2013, with 82 per cent of the candidates achieving Grades I–III compared with 81 per cent in 2013.
Performance on Profile 2, Productivity Tools, was also consistent with 95 per cent of the candidates achieving Grades I–III in 2014 compared with 94 per cent in 2013. The performance on Profile 1, Theory, and Profile 3, Problem Solving and Programming, both declined to 71 and 62 per cent respectively in Grades I–III, compared with 73 and 66 per cent at Grades I–III in 2013.
There was also a decline in performance on the School Based Assessment as students continue to face challenges in the area of programming.
INTEGRATED SCIENCE
Seventy-four per cent of the candidates achieved Grades I–III compared with 80 per cent in 2013. Candidates’ performance on Paper 01, the Multiple Choice paper, Paper 02, the Theory paper and Paper 03, the School Based Assessment, was consistent with that of 2013.
MATHEMATICS
There was a general improvement in the performance of candidates in this year’s examination compared with the 2013. This was evident in every content area tested with the exception of Geometry and Trigonometry. Fifty per cent of the candidates achieved acceptable Grades I- III compared with 35 per cent in 2013. While there was a moderate decline in performance on Paper 01, the Multiple Choice Paper, there was improved performance on Paper 02, the Extended Response Paper. In addition, there was an improvement performance on all three Profiles.
Candidates, however, experienced challenges in questions with objectives taken from Geometry and Trigonometry.
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING TECHNOLOGY
The results in 2014 were consistent with those in 2013 with 72 per cent of the candidates achieving acceptable grades in 2014 compared with 71 per cent in 2013. Seventeen per cent of candidates achieved Grade I in both 2014 and 2013 while 34 per cent achieved Grade II in 2014 compared with 33 per cent in 2013. There was a decline in the performance in two of the three Profiles, Knowledge and Application while performance on Profile 3, Practical Ability, was consistent.
MUSIC
Candidate performance improved in 2014. Approximately 76 per cent of the candidates achieved Grades I-III compared with 70 per cent in 2013. Performance on Paper 01, which assessed Listening and Appraising, showed significant improvement. The Examining Committee noted, however, that for Paper 01, Performing, many candidates presented work below the minimum Foundation level.
OFFICE ADMINISTRATION
Approximately 74 per cent of the candidates who wrote the examination in 2014 achieved Grades I–III compared with 77 per cent in 2013. There was a slight improvement in performance for Paper 032, the Alternative to School Based Assessment. While the performance on Paper 01, the Multiple Choice Paper and Paper 02, the Essay Paper remained fairly consistent with 2013, there was a noticeable decline in performance for Paper 031, the School Based Assessment. The performance on Profile 1, Knowledge and Comprehension, remained consistent with 2013, while there was a slight decline in performance on Profile 2, Application. Candidates continue to perform poorly on the accounting section of the syllabus.
PHYSICAL EDUCATION AND SPORT
The 2014 examination was the first examination since the introduction of a Multiple Choice Paper, Paper 01.
There was an overall improvement in candidate performance for 2014 compared with 2013. In 2014, ninety-nine per cent of candidates achieved Grades I–III compared with 97 per cent in 2013. Performance for both Profile 1, Theory, and Profile 2, Practical, improved to 88 per cent and 99 per cent, respectively in this reporting period.
PHYSICS
Candidates demonstrated much improvement in their general performance compared with 2013. The percentage of candidates achieving Grades I–III was 77 per cent compared with 67 per cent in 2013. This performance was mainly reflected in Profile 1, Knowledge and Comprehension.
Performance in the School Based Assessment was consistent with the performance in 2013.
PRINCIPLES OF ACCOUNTS
The results in 2014 showed a decline compared with 2013. Sixty-eight per cent of the candidates achieved Grades I-III in 2014 compared with 75 per cent in 2013. Sixteen per cent of candidates achieved Grade I in 2014 compared with 22 per cent in 2013. There was a decline in performance in all three Profiles, Knowledge, Application and Interpretation in 2014 compared to 2013.
PRINCIPLES OF BUSINESS
There was a decline in the percentage of candidates achieving Grades I-III in 2014. This year 76 per cent of the candidates achieved Grades I-III compared with 79 per cent in 2013. There was a decline in the performance Paper 01, the Multiple Choice Paper and Paper 02, the Essay Paper. Performance on Paper 031, the School Based Assessment was consistent with 2013, while there was an improvement on Paper 032, the Alternative to the School Based Assessment. There was an improvement in the performance on Profile 1, Organizational Principles, while there was a decline in performance on Profile 2, Production, Marketing and Finance and Profile 3, the Business Environment.
RELIGIOUS EDUCATION
Overall candidate performance in 2014 was fairly consistent with that of 2013. Seventy-six per cent of the candidates achieved Grades I-III compared with 74 per cent in 2013. Christianity continues to be the most popular option with approximately 96 per cent of the candidates writing this option. Some improvement was noted in the performance of Profile 1, Knowledge, and Profile 3, Application. Candidates experienced some difficulty in answering the questions set to assess Profile 2, Interpretation and Analysis.
SOCIAL STUDIES
In 2014, there was a decrease in performance as approximately 58 per cent of candidates achieved Grades I-III compared with 67 per cent in 2013. This decline in performance was evident across both profiles. The proportion of candidates achieving Grades A to C on Profile 1, Knowledge and Comprehension decreased from 71 to 56 per cent while that on Profile 2, Application, Evaluation and Problem Solving decreased from 56 to 53 per cent.
Candidates continue to display a general lack of understanding of the meaning of basic terms related to Social Studies and to demonstrate a lack of knowledge of the issues related to regional integration.
SPANISH
There was a marginal decline in the performance of candidates in 2014. Sixty-seven per cent of the candidates achieved Grades I–III, compared with 70 per cent who achieved those grades in 2013.
Performance of candidates improved on Paper 01, the Multiple Choice Paper, which assessed listening and reading skills. There was a decline in performance on Paper 02, the Free Response Paper, which assessed candidates’ ability to write the language. Performance on Paper 03, the oral which assessed listening and speaking skills was consistent with 2013. Candidates continued to face challenges in their reading and writing skills when compared with their listening and speaking skills.
TECHNICAL DRAWING
The results in 2014 showed improvement compared with 2013 as 79 per cent of the candidates achieved acceptable grades in 2014 compared with 74 per cent in 2013. Sixteen per cent of candidates achieved Grade I in 2014 compared with 17 per cent in 2013; 33 per cent achieved Grade II in 2014 compared with 30 per cent in 2013. There was improved performance in all three Profiles, Knowledge, Application and Practical Ability.
THEATRE ARTS
This syllabus was first administered in 2012. The performance of candidates has been consistent over the past three years. In 2014, 94 per cent of the candidates achieved Grades I–III compared with 93 per cent in 2013 and 92 per cent in 2012.
Some candidates experienced challenges applying the knowledge and information presented in the syllabus to the examination context. It is recommended that teachers expose students to at least one cultural form from another territory.
VISUAL ARTS
Approximately 69 per cent of the candidates who wrote the examination in 2014 achieved Grades I–III compared with 77 per cent in 2013. The percentage of candidates achieving Grades A–C declined in seven of the eight options offered: Drawing, Graphic Communication, Printmaking, Textile Design and Manipulation, Sculpture and Ceramics, Leathercraft and Fibre and Decorative Arts compared with 2013. The greatest decline in performance was in the Leathercraft and Fibre and Decorative options. Performance in the Painting and Mixed Media option recorded a slight improvement. Performance on the Reflective Journal at declined compared with 2013. |
