CSEC and CAPE’s Top Students Honoured
Earlier this month, the results for the 2016 Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate and the Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examinations were released by the Ministry of Education and a whopping three hundred and sixty-six Belizean fourth form and sixth form students received distinction. While Edward P. Yorke High School had the record number of passes for CSEC overall, this year, Saint John’s College High School and the Junior College students took first place in both exams with its students capturing the top six spots in the CAPE. Today, the national award ceremonies were held in Belize City. News Five’s Duane Moody was there and has this report.
Duane Moody, Reporting
Hundreds of students from across the country converged this morning at the Saint Catherine Academy Gymnasium in Belize City for the annual national awards ceremony for the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate and the Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination. The CXC National Committee of Belize acknowledged the most outstanding performers in both exams; showed appreciation to those awardees that top individual subjects, subject group category and also recognized many others attaining grades one through three in at least six subjects in the 2016 CSEC exams.
Rhiki Alegria
Rhiki Alegria, 2016 CSEC Most Outstanding Candidate
“It was a very nice experience; it was somewhat…I thought it was going to be nothing really special, but I felt honored to be a part of these students who have worked so hard and for me to be a part of it, I feel very much honored; thankful. I know for a fact that anyone in there, once they decide on something, they put their mind to it and I am sure that they can do it because there are some very brilliant young men and women in there. And so I try to just make a speech that would motivate them.”
Jose Guerrero
Topping the CAPE is Jose Guerrero, who is currently away on another scholarship, studying cardiology in Cuba. Guerrero won the Belize Scholarship, a Samsung tablet, as well as a plaque and many other prizes. His mother, Clara Rodriguez appeared on his behalf.
Clara Rodriguez
Clara Rodriguez, Mother of Jose Guerrero [Translated]
“I was surprised. My son had always been dedicated and a good boy. We had a lot of financial problems and for that I thank God beucase I know this could be an example for other children that are in similar situations. I am a single mother or seven children and it has been hard for us to move forward. But we believe in God and know that He will open doors for them.”
The last time we spoke with CAPE’s second place candidate, Nadiya Sedasey, she was uncertain of her future. She now plans to pursue a degree in mechanical or electrical engineering.
Nadiya Sedasey
Nadiya Sedasey, 2nd Place, CAPE
“I feel excited. I was nervous at first. I was assuming worst case scenario would happen and I would fall up there and embarrass myself, but I didn’t fall so I am feeling good now. I’m feeling really excited.”
Duane Moody
“Have you decided now what will be the next step for you?”
Nadiya Sedacey
“Well the first plan is to wait for my sister. Plan ‘B,’ if I manage to get a scholarship in the near future and get I will go. But I am waiting for my sister which will be approximately two years.”
According to the CXC Local Registrar Juan Vargas, overall, Belize performed well and our students are competitive in the region. While Math continues to be a challenge; in English ‘A,’ Belize is performing above the region.
Juan Vargas
Juan Vargas, CXC Local Registrar [November 3rd, 2016]
“CXC offers a suite of thirty five subjects and we are doing thirty three of them. And if we look at the individual subjects we will see that we are doing good. We are competitive. Now if we hone in on the subjects that we have more students sitting; the English A and Mathematics, we will see that for English A we have for this year seventy point nine-three percent acceptable grade; which is grade one, two, three by CXC standards. So, those represent the grades that students get in terms of one, two, three compared to the graded entries. If we look at the region, the region has sixty-seven point four-eight; that means that we are about three percent above the region. If we look at last year’s English, we had sixty-eight point zero-eight and the region had sixty percent. The year before we had seventy-three point zero-five and the region had fifty-nine point zero-nine. So, if we look at English we are doing well. Now, if we look at mathematics which also has a large number of entries; so Mathematics for this year, we have fifty point six-one percent acceptable marks compared to the region which is forty-four. Last year we had sixty-seven percent compared to the region fifty-six and the year before we had seventy-three point zero-five and compared to the region which was forty-nine.”
Duane Moody for News Five.
