Performance in the 2016 Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination (CAPE) remained consistent with that of the past five years. Approximately 90 per cent of the entries achieved Grades I-V, which are the acceptable grades at CAPE.

Thirteen per cent of the entries achieved Grade I, just under 20 per cent achieved Grade II, 23 per cent achieved Grade III, 20 per cent Grade IV and 14 per cent achieved Grade V.

Performance improved in 19 of the Units offered this year. These include a ten-per cent improvement in History Unit 1 with 81 per cent of entries achieving acceptable grades this year compared with 71 per cent in 2015. There was also a 10-per cent improvement in performance in Management of Business Unit 1 with 96 per cent of entries achieving Grades I-V compared with 86 per cent in 2015.

Environmental Science Unit 1 saw an eight-per cent improvement with 97 per cent achieving acceptable grades this year compared with 89 per cent last year. For Computer Science Unit 2, there was a four-per cent improvement in performance. Ninety-six per cent of entries achieved Grades I-V this year compared with 92 per cent in 2015. Similarly, 90 per cent of entries for Applied Mathematics achieved acceptable grades compared with 86 per cent in 2015, for a four per cent improvement.

100 per cent
In five Units, entries achieved 100 per cent of acceptable grades; these include Art and Design Unit 1, Performing Arts Unit 2 (Cinematic Arts), Performing Arts Unit 2 (Drama), Performing Arts Unit 2 (Music), and Digital Media Unit 2. Other New Generation CAPE subjects that returned exceptional results include Entrepreneurship Unit 2 and Physical Education and Sport Unit 2 in which 99 per cent of entries for both Units achieved acceptable grades.

Ninety-nine per cent of entries for Management of Business Unit 2 and French Unit 2 also achieved acceptable grades.

First-time offerings
Two subjects were offered at CAPE for the first time at the May/June 2016 sitting: Logistics and Supply Chain Operations and Integrated Mathematics. Seventy-one per cent of entries for Logistics and Supply Chain Operations Unit 1 achieved acceptable grades, while 50 per cent of entries for Unit 2 achieved similar grades. For Integrated Mathematics, the recently introduced compulsory Unit to obtain the CXC Associate Degree for students not doing any other CAPE Mathematics Unit, 47 per cent of entries achieved acceptable grades.

The subject previously offered as Geometrical and Mechanical Engineering was changed to Building and Mechanical Engineering Drawing (BMED), and offered for the first time at this year’s May/June sitting. Eighty-six per cent of entries for BMED (Mechanical Engineering) Unit 1, and 75 per cent for BMED Unit 1 (Building Drawing) achieved acceptable grades. Ninety per cent of entries for BMED Unit 2 (Mechanical Engineering) and 84 per cent of entries for BMED Unit 2 (Building Drawing) achieved acceptable grades.

Performance in Caribbean Studies and Communication Studies, the two traditional compulsory Units at CAPE continues to be excellent. For both Units, 97 per cent of entries achieved acceptable grades.

Growth
The number of CAPE candidates this year grew by just over 300, from 30, 547 candidates in 2015 to 30, 859 candidates this year. The number of subject entries however fell marginally from 122, 795 entries in 2015 to 121, 711 in 2016. The two largest CAPE Units remain Communication Studies and Caribbean Studies with 16, 425 entries and 12, 565 entries respectively. Pure Mathematics with 5704 entries, Management of Business with 5195 entries, and Chemistry Unit 1 with 5126 entries complete the top five CAPE Units.

New Subjects for 2017
Two more New Generation subjects will be added to the CAPE offering come the May/June 2017 sitting. These are Green Engineering and Financial Services Studies. The two subjects will commence teaching in September 2016 and the first examinations will be offered in May/June 2017 sitting.

Green Engineering was recently launched at a ceremony held in Guyana on 28 July, while Financial Services is slated to be launched in September in Antigua and Barbuda.

 

 

For further information, please contact Cleveland Sam, Public Information Officer at (246) 227 1892 or via e-mail @ ClSam@cxc.org.