100% pass without extra school year – St George’s

Following the release of final year exam results, which show St George’s Secondary School achieving a 100 percent pass rate, school principal Dr Antoinette Rock said she does not foresee the institution joining the government-owned schools in implementing the additional school year known as Grade 12.

Of the four public secondary schools in the territory, only Claudia Creque Educational Centre on Anegada secured a 100 percent pass rate. Its two Grade 12 students actually passed with honours.

The principal at the privately run St George’s Secondary told BVI News Online: “I don’t know enough about the reasoning for having the extra year; so I can’t really comment on that.”

“But all I know is our children have been able to achieve within those first five years (Grade 7 to 11), and it gives them perhaps an added advantage. So, if they then go on to the local college to do their CAPE (Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination) or their Associate’s Degrees, they would already be a step ahead [in terms of years],” added Dr Rock.

She noted that her school’s top student Chris-Tian Roberts did 12 CSEC subjects administered by the Caribbean Examination Council (CXC) this year, adding that none of her final-year students actually sat fewer than seven CSEC subjects in 2017.

“We don’t limit them here at the school. We would expect them to do not less than eight CSEC [subjects]. But, if you want to do 12 and you are able to fit your time, it is quite OK to do that,” Dr Rock said.

St George’s Secondary has 34 students enrolled in final year (Grade 11).

Dr Rock noted that one of her Grade 11 students already has been accepted in a tertiary institution abroad. “There is a student here who has now achieved her CXC [subjects], and she has already been accepted by a university in the United States to start her degree programme.”

“I don’t know what will happen in the future. But, for now, we [at St George’s Secondary] will continue to have that five year programme,” added Dr Rock.