Structure of Education
System
Pre-higher education:
Duration of compulsory education:
Age of entry: 5
Age of exit: 12
Structure of school system:
Primary
Type of school providing this education: Primary
School
Length of program in years: 6
Age level from: 5 to: 11
Certificate/diploma awarded: Common
Entrance Examination
Secondary
Type of school providing this education: Secondary
School (traditional system)
Length of program in years: 5
Age level from: 11 to: 16
Certificate/diploma awarded: Caribbean Examinations
Council Secondary Education Certificate
Junior Secondary
Type of school providing this education: Junior
Secondary School (new system)
Length of program in years: 3
Age level from: 11 to: 14
Senior Secondary
Type of school providing this education: Upper
Secondary School (new system)
Length of program in years: 2
Age level from: 14 to: 16
Certificate/diploma awarded: Caribbean Examinations
Council Secondary Education Certificate
Sixth Form
Type of school providing this education: Sixth
Form (traditional system and new system)
Length of program in years: 2
Age level from: 17 to: 19
Certificate/diploma awarded: General Certificate
of Education Advanced 'A' Level; Caribbean Advanced
Proficiency Examination (CAPE)
School education:
Primary education is compulsory and lasts for
six years leading to the Common Entrance Examination.There
are two types of secondary education: the traditional
academic sector providing five or seven years
of schooling (Five years of secondary school followed
by two years of Sixth Form) and the new system
providing three-year junior secondary and two
years of senior secondary schooling and two years
of Sixth Form. New-type schools offer a more diversified
curriculum than the traditional schools.After
five years of secondary school, courses lead to
the examinations for the Caribbean Examinations
Council Secondary Education Certificate or GCE
O Levels, and after a further two years to GCE
A level examinations or to the new Caribbean Advanced
Proficiency Examination (CAPE). Technical and
vocational courses are also offered in Business
Studies; Engineering; Surveying; Home Economics;
and Graphics and Applied Arts.
Higher education:
Higher education is provided by the University
of the West Indies (UWI), St Augustine campus,
the National Institute for Higher Education, Research,
Science and Technology (NIHERST), technical colleges,
teachers' colleges and a host of private institutions.
The University is financed through contributions
from participating governments, grants from private
corporations and individuals, and fees from students.
Other tertiary-level institutions in the country
include various colleges and institutions providing
training in Teacher Education, Agriculture, Forestry
and Fishery, Technical and Information Technology,
Management and Banking, Languages, Nursing and
Health Care, and Theological Education. There
is a growing number of private tertiary institutions
of overseas origins which have accredited status
with North American universities, e.g. the Caribbean
Union College. As from 1991, responsibility for
university-level education and for the provisioning
of the National Institute for Higher Education,
Research, Science and Technology has been entrusted
to the Ministry of Planning and Development and
the Ministry of Finance.
Main laws/decrees governing higher education:
Decree: Education Act Year: 1966
Academic year:
Classes from: Aug to: May
Languages of instruction: English
Stages of studies:
Non-university level post-secondary
studies (technical/vocational type):
Non-university level:
There are a number of institutions, both public
and private, providing a wide range of courses
leading to the award of the National Technician
Certificate. The National Institute of Higher
Education, Research Science and Technology (NIHERST)
includes four main teaching divisions and offers
courses leading to the award of an Associate degree,
a Diploma or a Certificate.
University level studies:
University level first stage: Bachelor's
Degree:
The Bachelor's Degree is conferred after studies
lasting three to five years by the University
of the West Indies. A Diploma is also awarded
after one year.
University level second stage: Master's
Degree:
The Master's Degree is conferred by the University
of the West Indies two to three years after the
Bachelor's Degree. A Postgraduate Diploma is also
awarded two years after the Bachelor's Degree.
A research-based Master's Degree leads to the
award of a Master of Philosophy (Mphil).
University level third stage: Doctorate:
The Doctorate usually requires a further two years
after the Master's Degree.
Teacher education:
Training of pre-primary and primary/basic school
teachers
Primary school teachers must hold five CXC/GCE
passes and study for two years in a Teacher Training
College where they obtain a Teacher's Diploma.
Alternatively, they remain in the system for two
years before proceeding to two years of compulsory
in-service training at the Teacher Training Colleges.
Continuing training is available part-time for
one year at the School of Education, which confers
a Certificate of Education. This is recognized
as the first year of completion of the three-year
BEd introduced in 1992.
Training of secondary school teachers:
The School of Education offers a one-year part-time
Diploma in Education. It is offered in Mathematics,
Modern Languages, Social Studies, Science and
Educational Administration. The School of Education
also offers a Masters in Education, a two-year,
part-time Degree programme designed for teacher
educators, school principals, administrators and
supervisors.
Training of higher education teachers
Higher education teachers are trained at recognized
universities. |
