Grade seven Mount Alvernia High students excels in 2026 CSEC exams

KINGSTON, Jamaica — Long before Mount Alvernia High School student in Montego Bay, St James, Kenya Gardener, sat her first Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) examinations in the May/June 2026 sitting, her mother had been teaching her lessons that extended beyond the syllabus: how to stay organised, believe in her abilities and approach her studies with consistency and discipline. That foundation, coupled with Kenya’s determination and academic ability, has helped her earn a Grade One distinction in Social Studies and a Grade Two in Principles of Business after sitting both Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) subjects in grade seven, years ahead of the traditional examination timeline. Kenya said she was pleased with her results, having initially believed that the examinations would be extremely challenging.

“Once I started to go through the information, I realised it wasn’t that hard, and that I kind of overestimated the difficulty,” she further shared. Her experience with the two subjects differed. Social Studies was relatively familiar territory, drawing on knowledge gained through the Primary Exit Profile (PEP), which enabled her to grasp much of the content more easily.

Principles of Business, however, presented a steeper learning curve. As she received more instruction and gained a better understanding of the concepts, the subject became increasingly manageable. Practicing past papers was among the biggest factors in her preparation.

She found that she performed particularly well when working through questions with clear instructions and answer options. “I could understand it more, and I would get better grades in it,” the student explained. Her preparation, however, was not without challenges.

The disruption caused by Hurricane Melissa affected her ability to attend classes and consult teachers when she needed clarification on certain topics. Kenya’s mother, Tashika Yateman-Gardener, an educational coach, became instrumental in helping her bridge those gaps and stay on track with her studies. She would explain and elaborate on topics her daughter found difficult to understand, while also establishing structured periods for lessons in the aftermath of the hurricane.

This formed part of a broader learning environment Yateman-Gardener had created at home, making education a consistent part of everyday life.