Factors to Keep in Mind While Choosing CSEC Classes for Your Child

If you live in Trinidad or Tobago, it is good to enroll your child in a private school that provides CSEC classes. These classes will eventually prepare your child to write the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) exam. The exam is usually held twice a year which is in May/ June for private and in-school students and in January for those who need to re-sit the exam.

The CSEC board offers a wide range of subjects in the syllabus for the CSEC classes. There are 33 subjects in a total of which 5 subjects are technical in nature and the remaining 28 are general subjects. Both the general and technical proficiencies are required for students to have a solid foundation which will help them during their higher studies and to get a break in their career.

The CSEC has a six-point grading scheme and the student’s performance is calculated on six overall and 6 profile grades. The overall grades are I, II, III, IV, V, and VI, and the profile grades are A, B, C, D, E, and F. A grade between 1- III is sufficient to pass the matriculation requirement and this qualifies a student to apply for a 4-year university program or to any institution that offers post-secondary educational programs.

Choosing the right CSEC School

When you are contemplating enrolling your child in a school that has CSEC classes between Form 1 to Form 5, do consider a few key factors. A reputed school should ideally provide the following amenities and services:

1. An innovative and safe learning environment: A student should be in an environment that nurtures their interest and curiosity and does not stifle them from thinking out of the box. A fun learning atmosphere encourages a child to think on his own, understand concepts deeply, and grow in their knowledge through interaction with teachers and other students. 2. Academic and Practical skills: A good curriculum, apart from the traditional school academic program, should include courses dealing with personality development and other life skills. The non-academic learning part in the CSEC classes is very necessary to improve the personality and confidence of a student leading to greater employability opportunities in the future. 3. Teacher-Student ratio: Small class sizes ensure that each child gets individual attention from the teacher. This contributes towards improvement in academic achievements by students as the teachers can focus on each student and clarify doubts immediately. 4. Qualified Staff: Great quality teaching comes from having a well-qualified team with committed teachers who are passionate about teaching their subject matter to enlarge the knowledge of students and motivate them to reach their academic goals. 5: Exam Preparation: The key to success is preparation. CTS College prides itself on the preparation of its students for exams – each week students are given past paper questions within their class and as homework. Their mid-term exams and end of term exams are past paper questions only. 6: Study School: At the end of the academic year the College has a full day study school for each subject. These classes are ideal for reviewing the entire syllabus and for refreshing the students’ memory before the CSEC exams. 7: Online access to all learning materials: Students will have access to a shared folder where they can access all lecture notes, homework, homework solutions, recording of the classes, past papers, and other valuable resources. These centralized resources are easy to access and are crucial for students enrolled in the programme. 8: Frequent Parent-Teacher-Student engagement: The College holds frequent online meetings with Parents and Students to ensure parents are kept in the loop regarding their child’s performance. The College also utilizes Whatsapp groups to keep in frequent communication with parents and students.

Top-ranked institutions in Trinidad such as CTS College are equipped to handle CSEC classes and meet the above criteria and expectations from parents. All these elements contribute to a well-rounded and fun educational experience for your child.