Mathematics improvement & encouraging signs of progress

The preliminary 2026 Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) results offer an encouraging indication that sustained intervention can produce measurable gains in one of the most persistent challenges facing Guyana’s education system, Mathematics.
Guyana’s CSEC Mathematics pass rate increased from 32 per cent in 2025 to 34.5 per cent in 2026. While the national figure remains below the desired level, the improvement is significant because Mathematics has historically presented difficulties for students across Guyana and the wider Caribbean. More importantly, the national increase has been accompanied by substantial gains at individual schools, demonstrating that targeted interventions can make a meaningful difference.
The performance of several schools deserves particular recognition. Belladrum Secondary moved from no passes to an 81.49 per cent pass rate, while Fort Wellington Secondary increased from five per cent to 82.15 per cent. Novar Secondary, Shivita Business College and Queen’s College recorded 100 per cent passes. Bartica Secondary improved by 57 percentage points, Rosignol Secondary by 35 points, Leguan Secondary by 28 points and Cummings Lodge Secondary by 25 points. South Ruimveldt also moved from eight per cent to 60 per cent.
Such results provide useful evidence for education policymakers, as improvement is not confined to schools traditionally associated with stronger academic performance. Significant gains in different parts of the country suggest that access to appropriate teaching support, additional instructional resources and structured intervention can alter outcomes.
The Education Ministry’s Mathematics Tents, virtual teaching arrangements and Digital School platform is part of this response. Seventeen virtual classes have connected experienced teachers with students nationally, including learners in hinterland and riverine communities. Such initiatives are particularly important in addressing disparities in access to specialised teaching.
The improvement also coincides with a significant development at the Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC), where Mathematics has become part of a pilot modular approach under the Caribbean Targeted Education Certificate (CTEC).
The rationale behind modularisation merits serious consideration. The traditional examination model can result in students completing years of study without receiving formal recognition for competencies that have been acquired because the overall subject grade does not meet the required standard. CTEC seeks to recognise learning progressively while retaining the established syllabus and assessment standards.
The Mathematics pilot provides an important basis for evaluating the approach. More than 2500 candidates participated in Module One across 15 Caribbean territories and 42 centres, with 88 per cent achieving acceptable grades. CXC subsequently reported that 69,567 candidates earned the Module One credential, including more than 41,000 candidates whose learning could otherwise have gone unrecognised under the traditional assessment structure.
This does not mean that academic standards should be reduced. CXC has made clear that the full qualification still requires successful completion of all modules at the required standard. The value of modularisation instead lies in creating a more flexible route for demonstrating competence and allowing students to build on achievements progressively.
Competencies in areas such as pricing, discounts, interest, and statistical analysis have practical applications beyond the classroom. If employers understand and recognise these credentials, modular certification could strengthen the connection between secondary education, skills development and entry-level employment.
The regional Mathematics results reinforce the importance of this approach. CXC reported a four-percentage-point increase in the regional Mathematics pass rate, to 42 per cent in 2026. That improvement, while still leaving Mathematics behind several other major CSEC subjects, demonstrates that progress is possible.
The challenge now is to convert improvement into sustained advancement.
The national Mathematics Intervention Programme, which targets Grades 10 and 11 through extended instruction, learning resources, specialised instructors and broadcast lessons, provides an important foundation. Continued evaluation will be necessary to determine which measures are producing the strongest results and where additional support is required.
The 2026 examination results also point to areas requiring attention, as more than 32,000 registered CSEC candidates did not sit examinations, while concerns were raised over incomplete School-Based Assessments and an increase in examination irregularities. These issues have direct implications for educational outcomes and require sustained attention from schools, families and education authorities.
The gender gap in examination participation also warrants closer examination, with females accounting for 59 per cent of CSEC candidates and 62 per cent of CAPE candidates. Understanding why participation becomes increasingly unequal as students progress through the education system should form part of future policy analysis.
Nevertheless, the Mathematics results provide a reason for measured optimism. The progress recorded by individual schools, the national improvement, the regional increase and the early success of modular assessment collectively demonstrate that educational challenges are not immovable.