Modest overall improvement in 2026 BGCSE exams, Math grades decline

The 2026 BGCSE results point to modest improvement in national pass rates, but the sharp decline in mathematics performance remains a major challenge for education officials.

Director of Education Dominique McCartney-Russell delivered the 2026 BGCSE results today, reporting that the overall A-D pass rate increased from 70.13 percent in 2025 to 71.49 percent this year.

The A-C pass rate also edged upward, moving from 51.13 percent to 51.61 percent.

However, McCartney-Russell said the improvement was driven primarily by increases in Grades C and D, while the proportions of students earning Grades A and B declined.

Mathematics remains the most significant area of concern.

The subject recorded an A-D pass rate of just 33.3 percent, with the number of A-D passes falling by 14.1 percent compared with 2025.

Bookkeeping/Accounts also remained below the 50-percent mark, recording a 44 percent pass rate.

Despite those challenges, Biology showed meaningful improvement, with the number of A-D passes increasing by 16.7 percent and the overall pass rate reaching 59.8 percent.

Several subjects recorded particularly strong performances.

Art and Design C achieved a 100 percent pass rate, followed by Carpentry and Joinery at 98.1 percent, Food and Nutrition at 97.3 percent, Art and Design B at 97 percent, Graphical Communication at 96.1 percent and Music at 95.6 percent.

Auto Mechanics recorded a 94.3 percent pass rate, Literature 93.7 percent and Office Procedures 91.9 percent.

Other strong results were recorded in Geography at 88.9 percent, French at 87.4 percent, Electrical Installation at 86.7 percent, Art and Design A at 86.5 percent, Religious Studies at 85.7 percent, Chemistry at 82.7 percent and English Language at 81.6 percent.

Commerce recorded an 80.6 percent pass rate, while Spanish was at 79.5 percent, History at 79.4 percent, Physics at 76.7 percent and Combined Science at 76.2 percent.

McCartney-Russell also highlighted a continued gender gap in examination performance, with female students outperforming their male counterparts overall.

The female A-D pass rate was approximately 73.55 percent, compared with 68.46 percent for males.

Females recorded increases at Grades A, C and D compared with 2025, while males improved at Grades C and D but saw declines at Grades A and B.

The U rate was 3.15 percent for females and 4.60 percent for males, pointing to a continuing difference in overall performance.

Of the 6,169 candidates registered for the 2026 BGCSE examinations, 2,002 sat five or more subjects, representing approximately 32.5 percent of the overall candidature.

Of those students, 649, or approximately 32.4 percent, achieved Grade C or above in at least five subjects. That figure increased from 627 candidates in 2025.

Another 987 candidates, or approximately 49.3 percent of those who sat five or more subjects, achieved at least five A-D passes, up from 970 last year.

But only 360 candidates achieved at least a C in Mathematics, English Language and a Science subject — representing just 5.83 percent of the overall BGCSE candidature.

The Education Ministry cautioned that the figures should be viewed within the context of students who spread their subject load across multiple examination years.