CAPE Students to Earn Credits

Students pursuing the Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination (CAPE) will have an opportunity to earn credits that will be tenable at certain universities in the island, says Education, Youth and Information Minister, Senator the Hon. Ruel Reid.

Addressing students of St. Mary High School during a visit to the institution on April 18, the Minister said that as of September this year, he will be working with the local Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC) office in Jamaica to make this a reality .

“You will have a whole suite of subjects around your CAPE programme, which will be the equivalent to 60 college credits, so that when you complete sixth form you go into university with the credits. This means (that) you will end up completing your first degree in a much shorter time, and you will also reduce the cost of your university education,” he said.

His visit was part of a tour of schools in the parish, which also included Highgate Primary and Junior High and the St. Cyprian’s Preparatory School.

The tour was organised in response to a letter from a student of St. Cyprian’s, Alicia Blake, who expressed gratitude to the Minister for enabling her to sit the Grade Six Achievement Test (GSAT) while in hospital.

Meanwhile, the Minister said a memorandum of understanding (MOU) will be signed with the Mona Campus of the University of the West Indies (UWI) to facilitate opportunities for students on the Programme of Advancement Through Health and Education (PATH) to pursue courses of study in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).

More scholarships will also be opened up for students on the PATH programme but will require the Government to bond them “for five years, so that we can get you back to work for us in Jamaica to build our country, so that it becomes very progressive and prosperous,” the Minister said.

Senator Reid hailed the students of St. Mary High School for it being a “top school” in the parish, and described them as “exemplars of excellence”.