Mathematics pass rate edges up to 34.5 per cent as hinterland schools make major gains

Chief Education Officer Saddam Hussain (Sachin Persaud)

— Education Ministry points to targeted interventions

GUYANA’S mathematics performance at the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) examinations has recorded a modest improvement, with the national pass rate moving from 32 per cent in 2025 to 34.5 per cent this year.

This was according to Chief Education Officer Saddam Hussain, who, while presenting the 2026 CXC results, described the improvement as significant, particularly given the disruption experienced by the cohort during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The students who wrote this year’s examinations missed most of Form One, having experienced periods of online learning and a delayed return to face-to-face classes.

Hussain said the Ministry of Education had implemented several interventions aimed at improving mathematics outcomes, including additional instructional support, virtual teaching and the provision of learning resources.

Among the more notable initiatives was the ‘Maths Tents’ programme, through which experienced teachers in Georgetown provided virtual instruction to students in hinterland communities.

According to the CEO, some 17 classes across the country benefitted from the initiative, with teachers in Georgetown delivering lessons virtually to students in other regions using internet connectivity and smartboards.

He noted that the initiative was supported by the provision of textbooks, geometry sets, calculators and other resources, allowing students to participate without having to provide the necessary materials themselves.

Hussain also highlighted significant improvements in mathematics performance at several schools across the country.

Rosignol Secondary recorded a 35 per cent increase in its mathematics performance, while Bartica recorded a 57 per cent improvement. Belladrum Secondary moved from a zero per cent pass rate to 81.49 per cent, while Fort Wellington Secondary increased from five per cent to 82.15 per cent.

Other notable improvements were recorded at Leguan Secondary, which increased by 28 per cent; Black Bush Secondary, up 24 per cent; and South Ruimveldt Secondary, which moved from eight per cent to 60 per cent.

Hussain said the Ministry will now also examine the impact of student attendance at ‘Maths Tents’ on examination performance to determine the programme’s effectiveness.

“We are now correlating attendance at the ‘Maths Tents’ to the results to see how far it has gone,” he said, while describing the initiative as a “phenomenal success” based on the Ministry’s observations.

Another development highlighted by the Chief Education Officer was CXC’s modularisation of mathematics, which was piloted at four schools this year.

Under that approach, he noted that the mathematics syllabus was divided into three parts, allowing students to complete the subject in modules rather than sitting the entire examination at once.

The results from the pilot schools were significantly higher than the national mathematics pass rate of 34.5 per cent. The four schools recorded an overall pass rate of about 90 per cent under the modular approach.

Those schools were Aurora Secondary, with 88 per cent passes; Bygeval, with 100 per cent; Richard Ishmael, with 87 per cent; and St Ignatius, with 71 per cent.

Hussain said the results warranted attention as Guyana continues to grapple with historically low mathematics performance.

He also pointed to the role of the Government’s broader education investments, including the Guyana Digital School, in supporting students and teachers.

While the 34.5 per cent national pass rate remains low, the Education Ministry is expected to continue assessing the interventions and examining whether approaches such as modularisation and targeted virtual instruction can help produce sustained improvements in mathematics performance.