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10. The subject entries in January 2017were 34,570 versus 40,090 subject entries for the
January 2016 examination cycle. This figure represented a 14 percent decline relative to the
2016. Only Chemistry, which increased by 24 percent, and Physics which increased by 29 per
cent, showed increases in 2017. The most significant levels of decline were experienced in
English A which declined by 19 per cent, and Human and Social Biology by 22 per cent.

E-Testing
11. The year opened with the introduction of electronic testing (e-Testing) of the CSEC®

suite of subjects. In the January 2017 Examinations, CXC successfully delivered twelve
Multiple Choice examinations. Seven territories participated in e-Testing, taking from one to
eleven subjects in various combinations. The territorial distribution is shown in Table 1 below.

Table 1: 2017 January E-Testing Territories
TERRITORIES NUMBER OF
SUBJECTS TAKEN

Anguilla 4

Cayman Islands 8

Dominica 9

Grenada 11

Jamaica 1

Montserrat 4

St Lucia 9

12. The e-Testing was conducted with few challenges that required intervention beyond
the level of the centre or the Local Registrar. Most of the issues reported related to login or
loss of power at the centres. From the preliminary analysis, the performance of the
candidates who wrote the examinations using the electronic method was equivalent to the
traditional testing mode. This being the first e-Testing session at this level, an exit survey was
offered with 30 percent of the candidate population responding. 96 per cent of the
candidates expressed a favourable assessment of the new modality, and recommended that
it be extended to other subjects in the May-June examinations.

Marking Operations
13. Preparations for the online marking of the January 2017 examinations began in
September 2016. Marker trends were examined and top markers were identified. These
formed the primary source of the marking personnel for January exams. 1,058 Markers were
contracted for the marking exercise. Helpdesk service was initiated on 17 January and
continued to 18 February. Between 16 January and 10 February, 89 calls and 1,056 emails and
other written correspondence were received by the Helpdesk.

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