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Best BJC results in twenty years reports Bahamas Ministry of Education
By Ministry of Education, Science & Technology
Aug 9, 2016 - 8:18:32 PM

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Bahamas National High School Diploma positively affecting BJC candidacy

Nassau, Bahamas –  The Honourable Jerome K. Fitzgerald, Minister of Education, Science and Technology along with senior Ministry officials announced the 2016 Bahamas Junior Certificate (BJC) and Bahamas General Certificate of Secondary Education (BGCSE) results on Tuesday, August 10th, 2016.

In releasing this year’s results, greater emphasis is being placed on the improvements made over the last two years since the inception of The Bahamas High School Diploma (BHSD). Now more than ever, more students are sitting BJCs due to the fact that it is a prerequisite for the Diploma.

Minster Fitzgerald acknowledged the fact that contrary to popular belief; more students are performing better than those who are not. “The fact of the matter is that more students are performing above average than those performing below average. Cumulatively, more students are achieving A-D than those receiving E and below. For the BJCs, 64% of the grades are A-D and 36% are E and below. For the BGCSEs, 71% of the grades are A-D and 29% are E and below.” The Minister also noted that there is still much work to be done. “As I said the improvements are encouraging but we still have a long way to go.”

This year’s results have seen an increase in the number of BJC candidates and a slight decrease in the number of BGSCE candidates.

11,703 candidates from a total of 120 centres registered to BJC examinations for 11 subjects offered. The candidates came from 68 independent or private schools and 52 government schools. This represents a 10.69% increase over 2015. The total number of grades awarded in 2016 is 41,894 compared to 39,657 in 2015, an increase of 5.64%. Overall, the number of candidates achieving grades A-D compared to last year increased by 1,667.

While the numbers were slightly down for BGCSE this year, 6,450 candidates from 104 centres registered to the BGCSE examinations. 65 centres were independent or private while 39 were government schools. This number represents a decrease of 1.13% when compared to last year. The BGSCE offers a total of 27 subjects with the overall average number of subjects written per candidate being four (4).

The University of Cambridge International Examinations remains the accreditation body for BGCSEs. In a statement issued, Cambridge acknowledged that the examinations continue to maintain their standard to international examinations. “University of Cambridge has taken measure to ensure that the standards of achievement represented by grades A – G in the 2016 BGSCE examination in the [27] subjects listed are equivalent to those represented by the corresponding grades in the International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE) and the General Certificate of Education O Level (GCE O Level).

This year marks the 24th sitting of both examinations; the BJC examinations since its re-introduction in 1994 and the BGSCE examinations since its inception in 1993.

Background:


The Bahamas’ Ministry of Education, Science and Technology (MoEST) has responsibility for more than 50,000 K-12 students in approximately 170 educational institutions in The Commonwealth of The Bahamas, which are dispersed over 14 districts in the major islands. Our goal is to increase the graduation rate from 50% to 80% by 2030. The MoEST aims to create an educational system that is technologically sound and competitive and that develops the strengths of each child, whether academic or otherwise, towards the maximum contribution that he/she is able to make to the national development of The Bahamas.

Each year the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology through its Examination and Assessment Division administers two national high school examinations, The Bahamas Junior Certificate (BJC) and The Bahamas General Certificate of Secondary Education (BGCSE) designed to be taken in ninth and twelfth grades respectively. Examinations are intended to measure and assess students’ knowledge, skill and aptitude of a specific subject.

Providing equity in education was always a key focus of The Bahamas’ Ministry of Education. Historically, examinations were for a selected few and disadvantaged many students. Prior to 1954, Bahamian students sat the Cambridge Senior Certificate which later became the Cambridge Overseas School Certificate. However, it was designed for the academically ambitious high school student and only a small percentage of the school population sat these examinations. Certificates were awarded on the basis of a group of subject passes and persons who failed one paper were disqualified and unable to obtain certification. In 1954, The Bahamas Junior Certificate was introduced for students as an exit examination for students completing compulsory education.

As for The Bahamas General Certificate of Secondary Education, it was implemented in 1993 to provide currency, accessibility, certification, comprehensiveness and cultural relevance. Most notable, the BGCSE is designed to recognize positive achievement, taking into account the varying abilities rather than levels of failure.

Over the years, the results of our national examinations have been done a grave disservice. Year after year, there has been a national average assigned to our examinations and statistically, it is impossible to derive a national average when the variables include so many multiplicities.

The grading scheme and equivalency of the BGCSE are designed to ensure proper differentiation across a wider ability range, thus providing candidates with the opportunity to show what they know, understand and can do.

In order to reflect the wide reflect the wide ability range, grades are awarded on a seven point scale with the upper limits A, B and C being equivalent to the A, B and C grades of the GCE ‘O’ Level examinations. The lowest grades D-G are awarded for acceptable performance at a modest level and not for a poor performance on too difficult a question paper. Candidates who do not reach the required standards are un-graded and do not receive certificates.

The grades nevertheless are anchored to the traditional GCE ‘O’ Level standard and accordingly recognized as equivalent to the British GCSE and IGSCE examinations. It is important to note that on a seven-point scale, D does not denote failure. All grades indicate a measure of positive achievement. Grade ‘A’ denotes the highest level of performance while grade ‘G’ denotes the lowest level.

Here is a general guide to what each of the seven grades indicates:

A – Knowledge is specific, appropriate and comprehensive; evidence of exceptional comprehension skills; and outstanding high-order, problem-solving and critical thinking skills.

B - Knowledge is specific, appropriate and comprehensive; evidence of exceptional comprehension skills; very good high-order, problem-solving and critical thinking skills.

C - Knowledge is specific, appropriate to the task - evidence of sound comprehension skills; good high-order, problem-solving skills.

D – Knowledge is specific and appropriate to the task – comprehension evident, critical thinking and problem-solving skills satisfactory.

E – General basic knowledge exhibited, also evidence of an ability to comprehend this knowledge and limited problem-solving skills.

F – Basic knowledge still limited – goes beyond the recall and recognition level to show some understanding of this basic knowledge; very limited problem-solving skills evident.

G – Limited basic knowledge about the tasks required and only at the recall or recognition level; with no comprehension and no problem-solving skills evident.

The seven point grading scheme ensures a sharper distinction between the qualities of performance at each grade. The grades can be categorized as follows:

A, B & C – Above Average

D – Average

E, F, & G – Below Average

In order to ensure and maintain credibility and integrity of the national examination, in 1988 The Bahamas entered into an agreement with the University of Cambridge Local Examination Syndicate (UCLES) to provide consultancy and training services.

Accreditation by UCLES takes the form of a public statement that the standards of the scheme of assessment administered by the Examination and Assessment Division of the Ministry of Education are valid and reliable. To ensure validity and reliability, UCLES provides detailed involvement in every stage of the examination process. Although the examinations are written locally, no examination is authorized for printing until approved by Cambridge University.

The BGCSE certificates carry the crests of the University of Cambridge and the Commonwealth of The Bahamas coat of arms.


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