P6 National Examinations results - An overview |01 February 2018

As part of its emphasis on accountability and transparency, the Ministry of Education and Human Resource Development is pleased to publish the P6 National Examinations results, focusing on the trend in performances, by subject, in the last five years in state schools, and the Pass Rates and Grade Distributions by school and subject for 2017.

The main objectives of P6 National Examinations are to:

a)      assess the level of attainment/achievement of learning targets in the examinable subjects at the Primary Cycle of education;

b)      assist in the effective beginning of Secondary Education Cycle;

c)      influence the design and improvement of learning programmes for the Primary Cycle of education;

The total student populations for 2016 and 2017 are 1290 and 1267 respectively.

The tables and graphs below show:

        i.            Grades Distribution by subject over the last five years in relation to the Ministry of Education and Human Resource Development’s bench mark;

      ii.            The National Means for the six examined subjects (English, French, Creole, Mathematics, Science and Social Studies) over the last five years.

Tables 1 to 3.25 show the Pass Rate by subject and a summary of grade distributions by school and subject.

Remarks

Grade Distributions of A* to Cover the last five years

The trend generally depicts erratic performances over the years but with definite gaps away from the Ministry of Education and Human Resource Development’s benchmark of 50% or more of the student population scoring grades A* to C. Achieving this target remains largely a big challenge, especially in mathematics. However, it should be noted that French has shown improvements towards the established benchmark, following a sharp drop in 2014.

Further, it should be noted that the performance in most subjects have also shown a drop from the benchmark from 2016, with the exception of Kreoland mathematics in 2017. Social Studies has shown a continuous decline over the past five years.

Mean score by subject over the last five years

The mean scores (%) show the percentage mark that most students tend to score in the subject sat. They also represent the degree of success the students have experienced in attaining the objectives of the primary six programmes of study in the last five years.  

By and large, students have shown much more success in languages, notably Kreol and French. However, it is worth noting that English showed considerable improvement in 2016 and this remained constant in 2017.

Further, after a steady decline in the means of social studies, a sharp increase in 2017 is noted with much optimism. However, the performances in mathematics and science in the last two years remain a concern with the latter showing a dip in 2017. The former, though picking up in 2017, remains below 40%.

Pass Rates and summary of grade distributions by school and subject

Pass Rates remain relatively high, in the range of 94% to 80% with French being the highest and Mathematics the lowest.

Table 1:  Grades Distribution by Subject (2013-2017)

Figure 1:  Grade Distribution A* to C at P6 by Subject in State Schools, 2013 - 2017

NB: Ministry of Education and Human Resource Development’s bench mark: At least 50% of the student cohort scoring A* to C in a subject.

Table 2: Mean Score, by Subject, in State Schools, 2013 - 2017

Figure 2:  Mean Score, by Subject, 2013 - 2017