1. Introduction
As the national standard for assessing primary school achievement, the Bahamas Junior Certificate (BJC) assesses the academic and career readiness of Bahamian students, giving insight into the health and efficacy of the nation’s education system. This research report examines a comprehensive analysis of recent BJC examination results, seeking to move beyond surface-level pass rates to identify underlying trends, patterns, and disparities. By examining performance across core subject areas, this report aims to illuminate the key drivers of student outcomes. The ultimate purpose of this analysis is to provide evidence-based insights that can inform educational policy, guide targeted interventions, and foster a more equitable and successful learning environment for all students in The Bahamas.
2. Methodology
The purpose of this report is to identify and analyze the performance of examinees, by subject domain and letter grade, to present the findings in a format more accessible for gathering insights. Data is categorized primarily by subject domain and letter grades. Letter grades are categorized into grade bands, with A-C representing above-average grades and E-G representing below-average grades. Performance evaluation focuses on these grade bands.
3. Background
Examinee performance is measured using a standardized grading scale that ranges from A to G, as specified by the Ministry of Education and the Technical and Vocational Training Examination and Assessment Division. For simplification, grades are categorized into proficiency bands: A–C indicates above-average performance, while E–G signifies below-average performance. Each grade corresponds to a specific level of proficiency, as detailed below:
- Grade A: Demonstrates specific, appropriate, and comprehensive responses, with evidence of exceptional comprehension and outstanding higher-order skills, including problem-solving and critical thinking.
- Grade B: Reflects specific, appropriate, and comprehensive responses, with strong comprehension and very good higher-order skills in problem-solving and critical thinking.
- Grade C: Indicates responses that are specific and appropriate to the task, showing sound comprehension and good problem-solving skills.
- Grade D: Represents responses that are specific and appropriate, with satisfactory comprehension and adequate problem-solving/critical thinking skills.
- Grade E: Shows general basic knowledge, some comprehension of this knowledge, and limited problem-solving ability.
- Grade F: Reflects limited basic knowledge beyond recall and recognition, with minimal comprehension and notably restricted problem-solving skills.
- Grade G: Indicates very limited basic knowledge confined to recall or recognition, with no evidence of comprehension or problem-solving skills.
4. Key Findings
4.1 Overall. The analysis of the BJC 2021 examination dataset reveals distinct patterns of achievement and deficiency across subject domains. Organizing the results by subject area: S.T.E.M., Arts, Humanities, and Professional & Vocational Studies, provides a clearer understanding of where the education system is performing effectively and where targeted interventions are most urgently required.
4.1 | Table 1: Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (S.T.E.M.)
Subject | % of Above Average Scores (A–C) | % of Average Scores (D) | % of Below Average Scores (E–G) |
General Science | 43.49% | 14.93% | 41.58% |
Health Science | 36.60% | 16.11% | 47.28% |
Mathematics | 40.46% | 16.50% | 43.04% |
Technical Drawing | 71.78% | 12.86% | 15.35% |
4.1 | Table 2: The Arts
Subject | % of Above Average Scores (A–C) | % of Average Scores (D) | % of Below Average Scores (E–G) |
Art | 88.42% | 9.36% | 2.22% |
Craft Study | 84.35% | 12.22% | 3.42% |
4.1 | Table 3: The Humanities
Subject | % of Above Average Scores (A–C) | % of Average Scores (D) | % of Below Average Scores (E–G) |
English Language | 50.03% | 19.34% | 30.64% |
French | 35.73% | 32.53% | 31.73% |
Literature | 62.56% | 22.34% | 15.09% |
Religious Studies | 50.28% | 13.80% | 35.92% |
Social Studies | 64.73% | 18.67% | 16.60% |
Spanish | 55.75% | 18.11% | 26.14% |
4.1 | Table 4: Professional & Vocational Studies
Subject | % of Above Average Scores (A–C) | % of Average Scores (D) | % of Below Average Scores (E–G) |
Family & Consumer | 55.65% | 34.93% | 9.42% |
4.2 Foundational Core Subjects. The data reveals notable trends in the foundational core subjects. (Foundational core subjects are the essential disciplines, such as Mathematics, Sciences, Languages, and Humanities, that provide students with the basic knowledge, skills, and competencies needed for higher learning, workforce readiness, and informed citizenship.)
4.2 | Table 1: Performance in Foundational Core Subjects
Subject | Total Candidates | % of A–C Scores | % of E–G Scores |
Mathematics | 5,351 | 40.46% | 43.04% |
English Language | 5,839 | 50.03% | 30.64% |
Literature | 1,365 | 62.56% | 15.09% |
General Science | 3,456 | 43.49% | 41.58% |
Social Studies | 3,975 | 64.73% | 16.60% |
French | 375 | 35.73% | 31.73% |
Spanish | 1,270 | 55.75% | 26.14% |
I. Mathematics
- A–C grade range: 41.54% (BJC 2020) to 40.46% (BJC 2021)
- E–G grade range: 44.02% (BJC 2020) to 43.04% (BJC 2021)
Mathematics performance has worsened: A–C grades have decreased by 1.08%, and E–G grades have decreased by 0.98% from the BJC 2020 to the BJC 2021. Overall, performance has slightly declined.
II. English Language
- A–C grade range: 47.26% (BJC 2020) to 50.03% (BJC 2021)
- E–G grade range: 33.68% (BJC 2020) to 30.64% (BJC 2021)
English Language performance has improved: A–C grades have increased by 2.77%, and E–G grades have decreased by 3.04% from the BJC 2020 to the BJC 2021. Overall, performance has strengthened.
III. Literature
- A–C grade range: 60.53% (BJC 2020) to 62.56% (BJC 2021)
- E–G grade range: 15.64% (BJC 2020) to 15.09% (BJC 2021)
Literature performance has improved: A–C grades have increased by 2.03%, and E–G grades have decreased by 0.55% from the BJC 2019 to the BJC 2020. Overall, performance has strengthened.
IV. General Science
- A–C grade range: 47.55% (BJC 2020) to 43.49% (BJC 2021)
- E–G grade range: 32.83% (BJC 2020) to 41.58% (BJC 2021)
General Science performance has worsened: A–C grades have decreased by 4.06%, and E–G grades have increased by 8.75% from the BJC 2020 to the BJC 2021. Overall, performance has declined.
V. Social Studies
- A–C grade range: 59.30% (BJC 2020) to 64.73% (BJC 2021)
- E–G grade range: 17.36% (BJC 2020) to 16.60% (BJC 2021)
Social Studies performance has improved: A–C grades have increased by 5.43%, and E–G grades have decreased by 0.76% from the BJC 2020 to the BJC 2021. Overall, performance has strengthened.
VI. French
- A–C grade range: 52.81% (BJC 2020) to 35.73% (BJC 2021)
- E–G grade range: 21.76% (BJC 2020) to 31.73% (BJC 2021)
French performance has worsened: A–C grades have decreased by 17.08%, and E–G grades have increased by 9.97% from the BJC 2020 to the BJC 2021. Overall, performance has notably worsened.
VII. Spanish
- A–C grade range: 63.11% (BJC 2020) to 55.75% (BJC 2021)
- E–G grade range: 16.94% (BJC 2020) to 26.14% (BJC 2021)
Spanish performance has worsened: A–C grades have decreased by 7.36%, and E–G grades have increased by 9.20% from the BJC 2020 to the BJC 2021. Overall, performance has declined.
4.3 Disparate Performance Across Subject Domains. A comparative analysis shows significant differences in student success rates, categorizing subjects into high-performing and low-performing classifications. High-performing subjects have a concentration of A–C grades scored within the 70% or greater range; in contrast, low-performing subjects have a concentration of over 30% of examinees scoring in the E–G range.
4.3 | Table 1: High-Performing Subjects
High-Performing Subjects | Total Candidates | % of A–C Scores | % of E–G Scores |
Art | 88.42% | 9.36% | 2.22% |
Craft Study | 84.35% | 12.22% | 3.42% |
Technical Drawing | 71.78% | 12.86% | 15.35% |
4.3 | Table 2: Low-Performing Subjects
Low-Performing Subjects | Total Candidates | % of A–C Scores | % of E–G Scores |
English Language | 50.03% | 19.34% | 30.64% |
French | 35.73% | 32.53% | 31.73% |
General Science | 43.49% | 14.93% | 41.58% |
Health Science | 36.60% | 16.11% | 47.28% |
Mathematics | 40.46% | 16.50% | 43.04% |
Religious Studies | 50.28% | 13.80% | 35.92% |
5. Analysis
The analysis of the BJC 2021 examination results reveals a year of continued polarization, where areas of exceptional strength became stronger while systemic weaknesses in core subjects persisted or deepened. The most striking finding is the record-breaking performance in the Arts, with subjects like Art achieving an unprecedented 88.42% of students scoring in the above-average (A-C) band. This demonstrates that the consistent excellence in creative and applied disciplines is not only stable but capable of reaching new heights, setting a clear benchmark for achievable student success within the system.
Conversely, the data confirms a chronic and severe crisis in foundational STEM subjects. Mathematics and the Sciences remained at critically low levels of proficiency. Most alarmingly, General Science and Health Science deteriorated further, with 41.58% and 47.28% of candidates, respectively, scoring in the below-average (E-G) band. This indicates that the downward trajectory observed in previous years has solidified into a persistent state of underachievement, leaving nearly half of the student cohort deficient in essential scientific literacy and numeracy.
The results for core humanities and languages present a mixed picture. English Language showed modest recovery, crossing the 50% threshold for A-C grades, and Social Studies continued to improve. However, this progress is offset by the ongoing decline of modern foreign languages. French failed to recover from its 2020 collapse, and Spanish continued to worsen, indicating that the challenges in language instruction may be broader than initially apparent. The overall landscape reinforces the entrenched structural divide: the system excels in fostering demonstrable skill and creativity but struggles systematically with the cumulative, abstract knowledge required in core academic disciplines.
6. Conclusion
In conclusion, the 2021 BJC results underscore a system defined by extreme and growing disparities in student outcomes. The extraordinary success in the Arts proves the system’s immense potential, yet the entrenched failure in STEM subjects represents an equally profound systemic failing. The fact that core academic subjects like Mathematics and General Science have not recovered from their declines, and in some cases have worsened, suggests that previous interventions have been insufficient and that a fundamental reassessment of teaching and learning in these areas is urgently required.
The continued struggles in modern languages further indicate that vulnerabilities extend beyond the traditionally weak subjects. Policymakers and educators must confront this reality with targeted, evidence-based strategies. The exceptional and consistent pedagogy in the Arts should be studied as a model for engagement and mastery. A sustained, system-wide effort is now critical to translate that proven potential into the core academic curriculum, ensuring that all Bahamian students attain the foundational competencies necessary for their future academic, vocational, and civic lives.
7. Citations
- Department of Statistics. Labour Market Information Newsletter, Volume 34, No. 45. Ministry of Finance, The Bahamas, December 2021.
- Ministry of Education & Technical & Vocational Training Examination and Assessment Division. National Examinations Report BJC & BGCSE 2025. August 2025.