19 Jan 2020

The 2019 Junior Certificate Examination (JCE) results released on January 17 indicate that the female candidates outperformed their male counterparts.

In a press statement released on Friday Botswana Examinations Council (BEC) states that a total of 41 048 candidates sat for the examination, showing a slight decrease in candidature compared to 41 062 candidates in 2018.

BEC states that 20 219 (49.26 per cent) were male candidates and the other 20 829 (50.74 per cent) represented female candidates who sat for the 2019 Junior Certificate Examination.

The release states that the overall pass rate for the 2019 JCE cohort is 84.76 per cent. 

This year, three candidates obtained a Merit compared to six (6) in 2018. A total of 484 candidates obtained Grade A (1.18 per cent) showing the same trend when compared to the 483 candidates (1.18per cent) in 2018.

Grade B was awarded to 4 205 candidates (10.24per cent) compared to 4 104 (9.99per cent) in 2018, showing a slight increase of 0.25%.

As for Grade C, 9 833 candidates (23.95 per cent) compared to 9 944 (24.22 per cent) in 2018, showing a slight decrease of 0.27per cent.

A total of 14 181 candidates obtained Grade D (34.55 per cent) compared to 14 234 (34.66 per cent) in 2018, showing a slight decrease of 0.11 per cent. Some 6 088 candidates got Grade E (14.83 per cent) compared to 5 863 (14.28 per cent) in the previous year, showing an increase of 0.55 per cent.

Ungraded candidates were 5 920 (14.42 per cent) compared to 5 719 (13.93 per cent) in 2018, showing an increase of 0.49per cent. This year, 334 candidates compared to 709 in 2018, did not meet minimum requirement for the award of a qualification and therefore denoted with an X.

Overall performance for government schools indicates that 85.50 per cent of candidates obtained Grades E or better (pass grades) compared to 85.80per cent in 2018. The performance also indicated that 37.50 per cent of the candidates obtained Grades C or better (credit grades) compared to 38.00 per cent in 2018, representing an almost similar performance to that of 2018.

It says the overall performance for all 2019 JCE candidates which includes government schools, private schools and private candidates indicates that 84.76% of candidates obtained Grades E or better (pass grades) compared to 84.34% in 2018 showing an insignificant increase.

The performance states the release also indicates that 35.38% of candidates obtained Grades C or better (credit grades) compared to 35.40% in 2018. ENDS