The Ministry of Education, Youth Affairs and Sports is pleased to announce the Territory’s performance in the June 2026 Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC) Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) and Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination (CAPE) sittings. The results reflect broader participation, stronger overall CSEC performance and continued improvement in Mathematics, while also identifying areas requiring sustained attention.

Participation in the 2026 CSEC examinations increased by 16.3% over 2025, while subject subscriptions increased by 23.8%. Compared with 2024, candidate participation was 27.4% higher. These increases demonstrate continued progress in expanding access to internationally recognised CXC qualifications across the Territory.

In 2026, the Territory recorded an overall CSEC pass rate of 87.4%, based on the proportion of graded results awarded Grades I–III. This was 4.3 percentage points above the 2025 rate of 83.1% and 2.1 percentage points above the 85.3% reported in 2024. The number of subjects achieving a 100% pass rate also rose to 14, compared with eight in 2025 and 11 in 2024.

The Ministry also noted that the combined candidate absence and ungraded rate held steady at 5% in 2025 and 2026, representing a marked decline from 9.17% in 2024. This improvement indicates stronger candidate participation and completion; however, schools will continue to follow up on every absence and ungraded result.

Mathematics Continues Its Upward Trend

Mathematics recorded the most significant sustained improvement among the major subjects. The territorial pass rate rose from 46.45% in 2024 to 52.61% in 2025 and to 62.0% in 2026. This represents an improvement of 9.4 percentage points in one year and 15.6 percentage points over the three-year period. 

The 2026 Mathematics result was 19.85 percentage points above the regional pass rate of 42.15%. While the upward trend is encouraging, the Ministry recognises that Mathematics remains the principal system-wide area for improvement and will continue targeted teacher development, intervention, curriculum support and monitoring from the foundation years through senior secondary school.

Fourteen Subjects Achieve 100% Passes

The Territory achieved a 100% pass rate among graded sittings in the following 14 subjects:

Agricultural Science; Caribbean History; Economics; Family and Resource Management; Food, Nutrition and Health; French; Industrial Technology (Building); Industrial Technology (Mechanical); Music; Physical Education and Sport; Technical Drawing; Textiles, Clothing and Fashion; Theatre Arts; and Visual Arts.

Nine additional subjects achieved pass rates between 90% and 99%: Office Administration, Integrated Science, English A, Human and Social Biology, Information Technology, EDPM, Principles of Business, Principles of Accounts and Biology. Five subjects recorded pass rates between 80% and 89%: Chemistry, Spanish, Social Studies, Geography and English B.

Strong Performance Across English, Business and Science

English A remained a major strength, achieving a 95.7% pass rate. Grade I results represented 35.9% of graded outcomes, Grade II results 34.0% and Grade III results 25.8%. English A has maintained consistently strong performance, with pass rates remaining above 95% from 2024 to 2026. English A subscriptions also increased by 3.1% over 2025. Regionally, the 2026 English A pass rate was 80%. The Virgin Islands therefore performed 15.7 percentage points above the regional rate.

Business subjects performed strongly overall. Across Economics, Electronic Document Preparation and Management (EDPM), Office Administration, Principles of Accounts and Principles of Business, the combined pass rate was 93.2%. Economics achieved 100%; Office Administration, 97.0%; EDPM, 93.0%; Principles of Business, 92.7%; and Principles of Accounts, 92.0%.

The comparable 2026 regional pass rate across these business subjects was 77.2%. The Virgin Islands therefore performed 16.0 percentage points above the regional rate.

Science subjects also produced a strong combined result. Across Agricultural Science, Biology, Chemistry, Integrated Science, Human and Social Biology, and Physics, the combined pass rate was 91.6%. Agricultural Science achieved 100%; Integrated Science, 96.2%; Human and Social Biology, 94.6%; Biology, 91.1%; Chemistry, 88.2%; and Physics, 77.8%. Integrated Science was the strongest-performing science subject among those with broader participation.

The comparable 2026 regional pass rate across these science subjects was 75.15%. The Virgin Islands therefore performed 16.45 percentage points above the regional rate.

Technical and Vocational Subjects Record Strong Results

When the Territory’s technical and vocational subjects are grouped together, they achieved a combined pass rate of 100%. This grouping includes Family and Resource Management; Food, Nutrition and Health; Industrial Technology (Building); Industrial Technology (Mechanical); Technical Drawing; and Textiles, Clothing and Fashion. 

The comparable 2026 regional pass rate across the same technical and vocational grouping was 86.8%. The Virgin Islands therefore performed 13.2 percentage points above the regional rate.

Creative Arts Achieve 100% Passes

The creative arts also recorded exceptional performance. Music, Theatre Arts and Visual Arts each achieved a 100% pass rate, resulting in a combined creative-arts pass rate of 100%. These results reflect strong student achievement across performance, production and visual expression.

Leading CSEC Candidates

The Territory proudly recognises the exceptional achievements of its leading candidates in the June 2026 CSEC sitting. In accordance with CXC’s ranking method, candidates are ranked principally by the number of Grade I passes earned during the sitting. The leading performances were:

The Ministry congratulates these outstanding students, as well as every candidate who demonstrated commitment and perseverance throughout the examination period.

CAPE Performance

At the CAPE level, 100% of the reported results earned passing grades. Kayla Briggs of H. Lavity Stoutt Community College achieved Grade I in Biology Unit 2, Grade I in Chemistry Unit 2 and Grade II in Pure Mathematics Unit 2. Tylah Blaize, also of H. Lavity Stoutt Community College, achieved Grade II in Pure Mathematics Unit 1.

Compared with 2025, CAPE participation decreased slightly, while the overall pass rate held steady at 100%. The Ministry congratulates the candidates and the faculty of H. Lavity Stoutt Community College on these results.

Understanding the Two-Year CSEC Pathway

The Ministry reminds the public that students in the public secondary school system generally complete their CSEC subjects over the final two years of secondary school. Some students represented in the 2026 results recently graduated and would also have completed examinations in 2025. Others sat subjects at the end of Grade 11 in 2026 and are expected to complete additional examinations at the end of Grade 12 in 2027. The results from a single sitting therefore represent one stage of each student’s wider secondary certification pathway and should be understood within that two-year model.

This phased approach helps students to manage their examination load, complete CSEC qualifications earlier and, through the Ministry’s partnership with H. Lavity Stoutt Community College and the Dual Enrolment Initiative, begin earning college credits while still enrolled in secondary school.

Ministry Commends Students and Educators

“The 2026 results show that our students are responding to higher expectations and expanded opportunities. We are especially encouraged by the continued improvement in Mathematics, the growth in participation and the strong results across English, business subjects and the sciences. At the same time, the data are clear about where we must intensify our work. We will continue to support schools and teachers so that more students can achieve strong, internationally recognised qualifications,” said Chief Education Officer Mrs. Orlandette R. Crabbe.

“These achievements belong to our students, their families, teachers, principals and school communities. They demonstrate what is possible when our education system remains future-focused and student-led. We celebrate every learner who sat an examination, and we reaffirm our commitment to ensuring that every student has access to the preparation, support and opportunity needed to succeed,” said Minister for Education, Youth Affairs and Sports, Honourable Sharie B. de Castro.

The Ministry extends sincere congratulations to all CSEC and CAPE candidates and expresses appreciation to parents, educators, school leaders and examination personnel for their collective contribution. The Ministry will continue working with schools and community partners to consolidate the gains made in 2026, address areas of concern and expand meaningful pathways to further education, training and employment.