BVI students caught up, good CXC scores expected — Principals

Despite the significant setback at the beginning of the academic year in September, Principals at two major secondary schools in the territory are reporting that senior students are adequately prepared for the Caribbean Examination Council (CXC) exams, which began this month.

During separate interviews with BVI News, principal of Elmore Stoutt High School (ESHS), Sandy Underhill, and Principal Hilroy George of Bregado Flax Educational Centre said they are confident their students will perform well during this year’s exams.

Having witnessed the level of work from teachers and students, Principal Underhill said she is expecting this year’s CXC students to produce similar results to last year’s examinees.

ESHS had a pass percentage of just fewer than 90 percent during the 2017 sitting.

“It may sound overconfident but history has shown that in our institution when our back is against the wall, we rise to the challenge and I don’t believe that this year will be any different,” she said.

An unofficial comparative analysis between senior students who remained in the BVI and students who relocated to other CXC countries after the hurricanes have shown that the level of preparation from both sets of students is virtually the same, Underhill explained.

Strong SBAs

Over on Virgin Gorda, Principal George said his students are upbeat about this year’s CXC exams.

He said his students have presented strong School-Based Assessments (SBAs), which he believes is telling of what the school’s CXC results might look like this year.

SBAs are school projects that are part of CXC’s examination requirements, and they contribute to the students’ final CXC test scores.

“Based on the SBAs that I’ve seen and based on the drive and the motivation that I’m seeing with the kids, … I expect them to do well. And if they don’t do well, to me, it’s just a matter of going into the exam room and just panicking because I would say they are well prepared,” he said.

Back in September, the BVI was devastated by a flood and two category-five hurricanes, which damaged several local schools; causing them to operate under makeshift structures such as tents.