G. A. Dwyer Astaphan, Lawyer, Social Activist, Former Tourism minister in St. Kitts-Nevis (file photo)
Former Tourism minister now social activist Dwyer Astaphan says competences in Maths, Science, Technology and Reading Comprehension by certain countries in the world equated to higher human development indicators, least corruption and best governed.
Speaking on Freedom FM Issues on Wednesday, Astaphan pointed out the culture of the education system and having skillful mathematics teachers encourages and fosters better results in the subject area. However, he revealed statistics showing SKN students were failing in Maths or not taking it as a subject area. Astaphan further demonstrated that the failure of mathematics by our students, have to do with the way it is taught and the philosophy of the leadership in the country. He said mathematics originated in Africa and that of a home grown subject Caribbean countries should be more adept at it.
According to LOOP News, Fifty-two per cent (52%) of the candidates who wrote the CSEC Mathematics examination for 2020 have passed meaning 48% had failed.
And this is, in fact, “a slight improvement” over 49 per cent passes in 2018 and “a marked improvement” over 2019 when some 46 per cent of candidates attained acceptable grades, according to the Director of Operations, Examination Services Division at CXC, Nicole Manning.
However, in speaking to Loop News on the sidelines of the ceremony for the official release of the July 2020 Examinations Results, CXC Registrar and CEO Dr Wayne Wesley said:
“With having just over 50 per cent or 52 per cent I think it was, we, certainly CXC would be concerned about students and their preparation for these examinations.