An Examination Into the Predictive Validity of the Barbados Secondary School Entrance Examination Scores in Relation to the Caribbean Secondary Examination Certificate

• In Event: Poster Session 14
  In Poster Session: Fostering Research in Multiple Communities

Abstract

This study investigated the policy of the compulsory, one-shot examination that serves as the basis to allocate students to secondary schools. It explores the predictive validity of the Barbados Secondary School Entrance Examination (BSSEE) in relation to the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC). Research has shown that causal logic is not the most useful way to view the relationship between past academic performance and future academic outcomes, as there could be several intervening variables that may affect future academic outcomes. The sample included 252 secondary aged students from schools across Barbados. The results showed that BSSEE accounted for 29% of the variance in relation to CSEC. Implications for policy are highlighted.

Author

• Martin Timothy Hall, Charles Sturt University