THE EDITOR, Sir:
I have read with great interest the rankings done by Professor Vasciannie, based on the 2002 CXC examinations - The Gleaner, August 2003.
It is my view that these rankings are, for practical purposes, conveniently based but nevertheless do not give a truly accurate picture. By lumping grades 1, 2 and 3 together, the quality of the passes is ignored so that the resultant figures in effect give the same weight or importance to a grade 3 pass as to a grade 2 or grade 1 pass.
The two tables provided, however, enable some very useful comparisons to be made between the performances in English and in Maths.
English Mathematics
TABLE 1
Average pass mark 81.5% 59.7%
Highest mark by a school 98% 98%
Lowest mark by a school 71% 41%
Range (difference between
highest and lowest mark) 27% 57%
No. of schools acquiring over 70%. 20 (all) 3 (17 below)
TABLE 2
Comparative figures in five selected schools
English Maths Difference
Campion 98% 98% Nil
Kingston College 78% 73% - 5%
Wolmer's Girls 85% 68% - 17%
St. Andrew's 88% 67% - 21%
Mt. Alvernia 87% 41% - 46%
It is clear that much more attention needs to be given in Mathematics. Campion and Immaculate head the list of schools. Nevertheless, special mention should be made of Morant Bay which despite its resource limitations performed better in Mathematics than such schools as Calabar, Cornwall, DeCarteret and Mt. Alvernia.
I am, etc.,
R.H. ALEXANDER
Temple Meads
Kingston 6
