Secondary
Structure and Content
Secondary education runs from Forms 1 to 5 (grades 7 to 11). Students participate in all subject areas offered from Form 1 -3 and can opt for any four or more of the subjects offered at this level. A mixture of general and technical subjects make up the secondary curriculum.
Despite educational reforms and modernization of academic facilities, there are still issues regarding curriculum design and facilities for the support of students’ learning. For example, some schools lack resources for science and computer laboratories and there are insufficient facilities for teaching physical education and performing and cultural arts among others.
Assessment and qualifications
Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC) offers two examination at the secondary level:
(a) the CCSLC Examination ( Caribbean Certificate of Secondary level Competences)
(b) The CSEC Examination ( Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate)
CCSLC
The Caribbean Certificate of Secondary Level Competence (CCSLC) is awarded at the end of lower secondary (Form 3). The certificate is conferred jointly by the Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC) and the Ministry of Education.
Student can enter as candidate to write this exam any time after Form 3. Subjects offered are Modern Language, English Mathematics, Social Studies and Integrated Science. Students can write any of these or all of these subjects at any time. Presently only seven schools offer the CCSLC but by 2019 all schools must offer the exam to students.
Grading Scheme
[table id=17 /]CSEC
At the end of Form 5 students sit the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) examinations or the Cambridge General Certificate in Education (GCE) Ordinary level examinations.
Students can follow and write as many as 14 CSEC subjects. All students are required to sit external examination in English and schools must submit at least 75% of their student to sit mathematics. However, the number of subjects taught at different levels varies among secondary schools which results in a less than uniformed curriculum across the schools.
The CSEC examinations are offered in over thirty subjects within the following subject fields:
• Arts and humanities
• Business and human development studies
• Mathematics and science
• Technical studies and creative arts.
Subjects are studied at either General or Technical Proficiency.
*Until 2009, subjects could also be taken at the Basic Proficiency level, which was considered to be of a lower level.
Students who wish to continue their studies beyond secondary education (Form 5) can take the Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination (CAPE) or the Associate Degree two-year programme at T.A. Marryshow Community College. For more information about the CAPE, please see Higher Education System.
SECONDARY GRADING SCHEME
Internal Assessment
Schools generally set their own minimum pass mark for assessments; these range from 50% – 60%. Institutions offer a variety of subjects, the subjects vary based on the school size and the facilities present at the institution. There is continuous assessment in the first two terms (trimesters) with a summative exam in the final term (trimester). Report cards are issued to indicate performance in a given term (see sample page)
External Assessment
The Caribbean Examination Council (CXC) issues two types of external examinations for students at the secondary school level. CXC qualifications can be used in Grenada (and the Caribbean), as an entrance into higher education and the job market.
CARIBBEAN EXAMINATIONS COUNCIL
Certificate of Secondary Education (CSEC)
As of 1998 candidates receive both an overall grade (graded I to VI) for General and Technical subjects, and a profile grade (graded A to F). The profile grade provides information on the candidate’s specific strengths and weaknesses within a certain aptitude or skill within each subject.
The descriptors for both overall grades and profile grades are as follows:
Overall grades:
[table id=15 /]
Profile grades:
[table id=16 /]
Subjects taken at Basic Proficiency level have not been offered since 2009; these were considered to be at a lower tier in the Certificate of Secondary Education. High marks obtained in Basic Proficiency subjects were not considered by the Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC) to be equivalent to any marks obtained in General and Technical Proficiency subjects.
The overall grade is normally displayed on the certificate in written format, followed by the Roman numeral in brackets. The profile grade is shown in brackets after the profile on the right-hand side of the certificate.
The Grenada National Accreditation Board would like to acknowledge and express its gratitude to all those who helped in the provision and compilation of the information provided. Namely, but not exclusively The Ministry of Education and Human Resources, Measurement and Evaluation unit, The St. George’s University enrollment and planning department, T. A. Marryshow Community College; Office of the Registrar.