Basseterre: St. Kitts, April 21, 2021: The faculty of the Advanced Vocational Education Centre (AVEC) hosted a Professional Development Day Training session for second year students within on Wednesday April 21 at the Ministry of Agriculture’s Conference Room under the theme The Only Way to do Great Work is to Love What You Do.
Participants included students from the various areas of study offered at AVEC such as General Construction, Motor Vehicle Repairs, Welding/Metal Fabrication, Electricity/ Electronics, Commercial Food Preparation, Data Operation, General Office Administration and Cosmetology.
School Counsellor and organiser of the session Ms. Tracy Wattley expressed that the professional development day session is a culminating activity for the trainees who have been participating in employability skills classes in preparation for their upcoming internships.
“The professional development day, comes after some sessions in employability skills, where they [students] take classes on different employability skills that are needed when they [students] go out into the world of work. Today is the culmination of all those sessions,” she said.
Director of AVEC Mr Winslow Brookes explained that the purpose of the session is to provide those students with the required knowledge to enhance themselves in the work place as they embarked on the next phase of their training.
“We intend to equip the trainees with the knowledge, the concepts, skills experiences, attitudes, personal and social competencies; all that are required for success in life,” he said.
Mr. Brookes further urged the trainees to make the most of the work life experience. He said, “See it [internship] as an opportunity to enhance your knowledge, to be a better person in the execution of your duties and also to get to know people-to network. Build a rapport with the workforce. I want you to see this work readiness professional day as a stepping stone towards success.”
]]>Basseterre, St. Kitts, November 05, 2020 (Ministry of Community Development, Gender Affairs and Social Services): The New Horizons Juvenile Rehabilitation Centre was abuzz with excitement in late September, after learning that its residents received a 100% pass rate during the 2020 CXC/CSEC Examination sitting.
The students, three males and three females between the ages of 14-17 years old sat a combination of four subjects – namely, English, Mathematics, Office Administration and Social Studies, and received passing grades, ranging from a Grade I (A ) to a Grade III (C) in the subjects.
“We were elated!” exclaimed New Horizons teacher Ms. Mary Clarke, noting that they expected some residents to do well, but were unsure that all residents would be able to pass the exams. ”When they all passed, everybody was excited. It was a pleasant surprise for everybody”, she said.
The Centre, which provides a structured residential programme for teens with behavioural issues, offers four subjects, namely, English, taught by Ms. Clarke, Maths and Social Studies, taught by Mr. Clyde Williams, and Office Administration, taught by Ms. G. Deslyn Richards. The academic classes supplement the counselling, skills and self-development programmes which the teens undergo during their time of residency.
In speaking of the 2019-2020 school year, Ms. Clarke indicated that it was going well until the COVID-19 pandemic and ensuing lockdowns forced teachers to suspend classes at the end of March, while residents remained at the Centre. “It was hard, because we were not there with them, to offer them the usual support”, she said. Although Ms. Clarke noted that teachers sent work for the students, she disclosed that some of the residents became anxious and de-motivated, and others were not disciplined in completing their assignments, “and so we had to find ways of encouraging them”, she said.
With the 2020 CXC examinations now over, many of the students are looking towards their future and the possibilities that lie ahead of them- a matter that is also discussed with their individual Probation Officers, before they are released from the Centre by the age of 18.
Ms. Clarke advised that past residents have gone on to further their education at institutions like the Advanced Vocational Educational Centre (AVEC) as well as the Clarence Fitzroy Bryant College (CFBC), depending on their ability and academic achievement. She lauded the importance of the continued academic development provided for residents at the New Horizons Juvenile Rehabilitation Centre. “It is important; it helps to boost their confidence. In the past, they would have had issues with school for whatever reason, but when they reach here and realize ‘I can do this’, it helps them”, she explained.
]]>Basseterre, St. Kitts, September 28, 2020 (SKNIS): Minister of Education, the Honourable Jonel Powell, gave the preliminary Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) Examination results on September 28, which showed that there were more acceptable grades recorded this year over that of 2019.
During a press conference, held at the Clarence Fitzroy Bryant College (CFBC) Conference Room, Minister Powell stated that St. Kitts and Nevis entered some 1762 candidates to write the CSEC Examinations in 32 subject areas this year realising an increase of 101 candidates over 2019. 1327 candidates wrote exams in St. Kitts. 742 of the entries were private candidates while 585 were students registered across the seven secondary institutions.
Nevis, on the other hand, recorded 435 candidates writing CSEC Examinations in 28 subject areas. 85 of that total were school candidates while 250 registered privately.
Minister Powell said that based on final statistics published by CXC, the Federation recorded 6342 subject entries for CSEC Examinations this year.
“Although 6342 subject entries were recorded, from the 1762 candidates, 6079 were actually reported by the CXC council as being sat with 1464 entries in Nevis and 4615 in St. Kitts,” said the minister. “The fallout of 263 was due to absenteeism.”
Minister Powell stated that acceptable grades for CSEC Examinations are grades one to three. He noted that during the examination period under review St. Kitts and Nevis recorded 5109 acceptable grades. This is some 818 more than last year.
This year, there were 1486 grade one’s, 1920 grade two’s and 1703 grade three’s. Minister Powell said that secondary schools in St. Kitts returned 3143 acceptable grades, while those in Nevis recorded 1012. Private candidates in St. Kitts attained 724 passing grades with 230 in Nevis.
The Education Minister noted that in St. Kitts, the Washington Archibald High School received the highest acceptable grades being 829 from 999 entries. On Nevis, the Charlestown Secondary emerged as the school with the highest acceptable grades, some 568 from 642 entries.
Of the 5109 acceptable grades returned for CSEC Examinations 4155 were obtained by school candidates and 954 by private registrants for a national pass rate of 84.03 percent as against 80.37 percent recorded in 2019, said Minister Powell.
“So we are pleased to report an increase in our national pass rate this year over last year,” he said.
The Federation recorded a national pass rate of 86.32 percent for English A which saw 700 acceptable grades from 811 entries.
“This is a slight increase over 2019 which realised 84.15 percent,” said Minister Powell. “There was however a marked decrease in English B, which scored 49 acceptable grades from 69 entries when compared to 61 acceptable grades from 71 entries recorded in 2019 with a pass rate of 85.92 percent. This year’s English B returned a national pass rate of 71.01 percent.”
Minister Powell said that Mathematics returned 503 acceptable grades from 832 entries with a pass rate of 60.46 percent showing a modest increase over 2019’s 51.06 percent.
Principles of Business, Office Administration, EDPM, Physical Education and Information Technology continue to be popular subject choices nationally returning remarkable acceptable grades and a national pass rate of over 90 percent in each discipline, said the minister.
The Education Minister stated that 970 less than acceptable grades representing four, five and six, from 6079 entries were returned nationally.
“Though it may be 15.9 percent this should not go un-noticed as it points to the need to engage students differently to assist them in performing creditably as 970 less acceptable grades are 970 too many,” said Minister Powell.
The award of ungraded results of CSEC candidates who should have received grades is being investigated and an update will be provided in a subsequent report.
Candidates are seeking to challenge grades received by utilizing CXC’s query and review process. Therefore, final statistics may be impacted, said Minister of Education, the Honourable Jonel Powell.
]]>Persons interested in pursuing Accounting, Principles of Business, Office Administration, Maths or English at the CSEC level are kindly asked to contact. Vision and Purpose Academic Institute at 762 7659, 669 1640 or 466 9378 as soon as possible.
Registration for the new semester begins on Monday 20 July and ends 15 August. This is followed by Orientation sessions on 19th and 22 nd August as classes begin on
Monday 24 August.
Sign up now at Vision & Purpose where no one is left behind!
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