Charlestown, Nevis(Thursday, August 23, 2012)–Premier and Minister of Education, the Hon Joseph Parry, has congratulated students, their parents and teachers of the Nevis Sixth Form College for returning outstanding results in this year’s Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examinations (CAPE).

“When you look at the results overall, especially the ‘A’ levels, they were outstanding,” said the Premier on Tuesday, August 14 while addressing the nation on his weekly radio program, In Touch with the Premier, on Choice 105.3 FM. “They were not just good. They were far better than last year.”

He reported that individual performances at the CSEC- CXC level were outstanding, at the secondary schools on Nevis, with a number of students returning excellent results. Subject performances were generally outstanding except for English Language and Mathematics which as a result lowered the overall percentage pass rate compared to the year before.

In the Nevis Sixth Form College, 534 subjects were taken at the 2012 CAPE exams with 438 passes, which gave an overall 82% pass rate, compared to 74.15 last year. “Now that is tremendously high, very high and I congratulate the teachers and the children who did so well,” said the Premier.

According to the Premier, the class just graduated which was a big one had not done very well last year, but through his personal intervention he talked to the students and with the teachers working hard and the parents giving all the support, the students were able to take things seriously.

“I remember I went and I spoke to the Sixth Form — I am not taking any credit for this, I am just stating the facts — and I am sure the teachers worked very hard and their parents and the children themselves,” said Parry. “I am just saying that they did not take the Sixth Form as seriously (in the first year), but this year they have certainly delivered.”

Returning outstanding results included Tanmay Kacker who got three I, three II and one III; Al Flemming two I, three III; Pearl Bergan two I and one II; Charles Bussue, One I, and three II; Irvichal Challenger one I and four II; Serena Clarke one I and three II.

Others were Duryan Cozier with one I, two II and a IV; Kha-lis Farrell two I, one III and one IV; Jeson LeBlanc two I, two II, and two III; Urnesia Pemberton one I, two II; Cleon Williams one I, two II and one III; and Rochelle Wade with two I, one II and one III.
“So the results overall as well as individually were better than last year, and that is a good sign,” observed Premier Parry. “I hope those who are now entering Sixth Form and those who are in their second year will make an even greater effort.”

At the Charlestown Secondary School CSEC-CXC results, outstanding persons included Chloe Williams (ten subjects, ten distinctions); Nicoyann Blackett (11 subjects, ten distinctions); Imani Caines (ten subjects, nine distinctions); and Tameka Vyphuis (ten subjects, nine distinctions).

“We do not normally have outstanding results like these,” commented the Premier. “That is the first thing that we must establish. These young students have been outstanding with these results. I remember in the past when persons got six distinctions and they were the best.”

Outstanding results from the Gingerland Secondary School were returned by Clayticia Daniel who did 12 subjects, and had eight ones (distinctions), and Chaim Walters who also sat 12 subjects, and had three distinctions.

The Charlestown Secondary School two weak areas in English Language where 89 persons took the subject and 40 passed, which is less than 50%; and in Mathematics where 62 took the exams only 24 passed. Because of the weakness in those two subjects, it pulled down the overall average considerably.

“But there are certain areas that we must celebrate, for example Agriculture Science. 42 took the exam, 30 passed, 94%; Biology, 15 took the exam, 15 passed — 100%. Biology is a subject area where people never even used to pass, and here we have 15 and 15. Chemistry 12 took the exam, 10 passed — That is outstanding 83%,” observed the Premier.

Other subjects were Caribbean History with 81% as 52 persons took their exams and 42 passed; English Literature only eight took it, and they had an 88 pass; Geography 81% (27 people took it, 22 passed); and Information Technology 31 took it, 27 passed; Technical Drawing’ six took it, six passed; Physics 17 took it, 15 passed; 88 %; Music, two took it, two passed, 100%.

“I want to congratulate again the children for doing exceedingly well generally speaking, I want to congratulate the headmaster and the teachers and the parents for giving the kind of support that the children needed,” said Parry.

“But I also want to suggest that with English Language we work harder. And you cannot wait until we reach the fifth form to begin to work on English Language. You have to start in the primary schools. People have to speak the language.

“We speak our own Nevis dialect, yes. Nothing is wrong with that, I am not saying we must not speak it. But we also have to speak the English Language early and get comfortable with it and you will make it easier for people to read, and for people to pass English Language. We have to encourage our people to speak and use the English Language.

As for mathematics, which has also presented a challenge, the Premier said: “I will want to say that we are going to have to use those persons who are good at teaching math and get them to do the kind of work that is necessary for them to perform at a higher level.”