Jeremiah Cantave.
PHILIPSBURG--St. Maarten Academy recorded 318 Grade One results in the 2026 Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) examinations, with 90.1 per cent of the 23 subjects sat producing acceptable grades of I to III.
The results, released as the school marks World Teachers’ Day on October 5, showed that nearly three-quarters of the results were Grade I or II, while 33.9% were Grade I.
A total of 126 students from Forms 3, 4 and 5 sat CSEC examinations. Of the 88 Form 5 students who completed programmes of between eight and 12 subjects, all passed at least six subjects, resulting in 100% matriculation to tertiary education, according to the school.
In addition, 82 of the 88 Form 5 students, or 93.2 per cent, obtained at least five passes, including Mathematics and English A.
Jeremiah Cantave led the class with 11 Grade Ones and one Grade Two. His Grade Ones were in Additional Mathematics, Biology, Chemistry, Electronic Document Preparation and Management, English A, English B, French, Human and Social Biology, Information Technology, Mathematics and Physics. He obtained a Grade Two in Caribbean History.
Maya Curiel and Atarah Baptiste were among the other top performers, each obtaining nine Grade Ones. Curiel also recorded eight straight-A Grade Ones, while Baptiste passed all 12 subjects she sat.
Ashmini Persaud, who sat 12 CSEC subjects as well as Communication Studies at the Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examinations (CAPE) level, obtained nine Grade Ones, three Grade Twos and one Grade Three.
Xinyi Feng obtained nine Grade Ones and one Grade Two, while Hadassah Isaac recorded nine Grade Ones and two Grade Twos.
Among students who sat 11 subjects, Mike Browne and Gelisa Peynado each obtained eight Grade Ones and three Grade Twos. Xavier Aventurin obtained eight Grade Ones, one Grade Two and two Grade Threes.
Business student Adjwoa Bernabe also delivered a strong performance, obtaining seven Grade Ones, one Grade Two and two Grade Threes. Bernabe, who is an accomplished debater, ranked first on the school's merit list in English A.
12 subjects record 100% pass rate
Twelve subjects recorded a 100% pass rate, with particularly strong results in several areas.
All 31 students who sat Electronic Document Preparation and Management obtained Grade Ones under teacher Kester Small. In Physical Education and Sport, all 15 candidates obtained Grade Ones under Ranish Sullivan.
In Theatre Arts, 14 of the 15 candidates obtained Grade Ones and the remaining student obtained a Grade Two under Melissa Hamm.
The school's English A results were also particularly strong. All 112 candidates passed, with 88, or 78.6%, obtaining Grade Ones and the remaining 24 obtaining Grade Twos.
English Department Head Sharon Layne Lam taught 94 of the 112 candidates. Seventy-one of her students obtained Grade Ones, including 31 with straight-A profiles, while 23 obtained Grade Twos. Vanessa Anderson also contributed to the department's results.
Form 4 student Anthony Klien also performed strongly, obtaining Grade Ones in both English A and English B. He ranked second in English A and first in English B on the school's merit list.
Strong results in Sciences and Tech
Biology produced 15 Grade Ones among 19 candidates, with 18 obtaining Grade I or II. Physics recorded 14 Grade Ones among 19 candidates.
All 47 candidates in Integrated Science passed, while all 38 Human and Social Biology candidates also passed, including 13 with Grade Ones.
Information Technology recorded a 100% pass rate among 75 candidates, with 68 obtaining Grade I or II.
All 69 Principles of Business candidates passed, including 16 Grade Ones and 60 Grade I or II results. Social Studies also recorded a 100% pass rate, with all 50 candidates passing and 45 obtaining Grade I or II.
The three candidates who sat Music all passed, with one Grade One and two Grade Twos.
Mathematics recorded a 94.4% pass rate. Of the candidates, 24 obtained Grade Ones, 44 Grade Twos and 16 Grade Threes, with 76.4% achieving Grade I or II.
The school also highlighted the performance of Jaden Moore, the only Form 4 student to sit General Mathematics, who ranked 10th with a straight-A profile.
7 subjects above 80%
Seven additional subjects recorded pass rates above 80%.
Caribbean History recorded a 95.2% pass rate, with 20 of 21 candidates passing. Chemistry followed at 94.7%, with 18 of 19 candidates passing, including 11 Grade Ones.
Visual Arts recorded a 90.9% pass rate, with 10 of 11 candidates passing. Principles of Accounts had an 89.9% pass rate among 69 candidates, while Geography recorded 88.2%, with 15 of 17 candidates passing.
Economics recorded an 87% pass rate, with 20 of 23 candidates passing. Additional Mathematics recorded an 81.3% pass rate, with 13 of 16 candidates passing.
The school said modern languages remained an area requiring attention, noting that staffing shortages in French and Spanish had affected the subjects over the past four years.
Spanish recorded a 78.9% pass rate, with 30 of 38 candidates passing, including 15 Grade Ones. Four Form 3 students also obtained Grade Ones.
French recorded a 61.1% pass rate, with 33 of 54 candidates passing and seven obtaining Grade Ones.
Dutch NT2 results
In the Dutch as a Second Language NT2 examination in February, 91 students sat the examination, including 89 Form 5 students and two Form 4 students who took the examination a year early.
In speaking, 82 students, or 90.1%, reached level A2 or higher, including four who reached B1. In writing, 69 students, or 75.8%, reached A2 or higher, including three at B1.
Eleven students obtained the full NT2 certificate. Imani Moeloet and Alicia Nijbroek achieved B1 in all four skills, while Omari Smith reached B1 in writing.
Wei Jie Chen, Joshua Henry, Tiara Hodge, Khalil Lake, Ashmini Persaud, Maalik Richardson, Krish Sidhwa and Andreescio Thomas also passed all components. Moeloet and Thomas achieved the full certificate as Form 4 students.
Vice Principal Joanna Trim attributed the CSEC results to the work of students and teachers, while acknowledging areas where the school needs to improve.
“These results belong to our students, but they were built in our classrooms,” Trim said, noting the 90% overall pass rate, the 12 subjects with 100% pass rates and the 318 Grade One results.
FAVE Board Executive Director Drs. Tallulah Baly congratulated the Class of 2026 and the teachers, parents and guardians who supported the students.
The school's management, led by Principal Kim Lucas Felix, also congratulated the students and thanked teachers, support staff, parents, guardians and corporate donors for their support.
