Categories: Caribbean

Jamaica’s Ministry of Education (MOE) is rolling out a new Career Advancement Programme (CAP) designed to ensure that secondary school leavers are both literate and numerate and have some kind of vocational/technical qualification for post-secondary studies or work.  The Minister says that a major goal of this program is to reduce the problem of poorly trained/educated youth.  He says that approximately 26,000 students leave secondary school currently without any sort of credential, and that almost half of that number leave secondary school after grade nine.  The other half either never sat any secondary exam or failed all of their Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) subjects.  CAP aims to reverse this trend by giving more skills and training at the secondary level that can channel them into a career while also having access to diagnostic testing, career counseling, apprenticeships, and non-standard class hours.  The end of the program incorporates job orientation and placement.  The current phase of this program is being rolled out as a pilot in 11 high schools focusing on 2,000 students.

http://www.jamaica-star.com/thestar/20091218/news/news17.html

Cayman Island’s Ministry of Education has announced a proposed reform of secondary education to be launched in September 2010.   The new Education Modernisation Law is expected to completely reform the education system by preparing students better for work or further education through a variety of strategies.

A major element of the proposed changes centers on the extension of compulsory education beyond examinations after Year 11; studies will continue for another ‘bridge’ year post-CXC/GCSE exams.  This additional mandatory year will provide options to further prepare  students for a variety of paths: AP/IB diploma programs, foundation programs for students wanting to improve their results, and technical and vocational programs with work-based training.

Another new component of the reform includes the creation of two ‘all through’ high schools that will replace the two existing schools that separate middle school and high school.  The ‘all through’ schools will cover grades 7 through 11 (ages 11 to 16).  A new core curriculum will also be introduced requiring all pupils to study the basic English, math, and science courses as well as IT, social studies, and religious studies.  Technical subjects are being added to the core curriculum that focus on subjects relevant to the Caymanian economy: tourism & leisure, catering, health & social care, and music technology.

More information can be found online at http://www.caymannetnews.com/news-19315–1-1—.html

Staff at the Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC) may be responsible for the subjects that were left ungraded on the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate for more than 100 students at the Tabaquite Composite School in Barbabos.  The marks for the School-Based Assessments were apparently not received by the CXC, despite having been sent by encrypted file from the school to the Ministry of Education, resulting in students being graded in only 2 of 7 subjects.  The grades have been resubmitted by the school, and students should get their results next week.

http://www.trinidadexpress.com/index.pl/article_news?id=161521299

Fees are now being waived in Trinidad & Tobago for private candidates who take the Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC) exam.  Fees have been waived for those who take the exam through secondary schools, but now private candidates will no longer be responsible for paying exam fees (unless they register late).  This is an effort by the government to encourage more diverse groups of people to take the national exam. The other big difference is that students are now limited to only two free chances per exam subject.  For more information, see http://www.trinidadexpress.com/index.pl/article_news?id=161519439

A new medical university, Dixon-Byrd Medical University, is being established on St Kitts.  It will offer Bachelor, Master, and Doctoral degrees among other programs.  The school has received the Certificate of Programme and Institution Accreditation from the Minister of Education.

http://www.caribbeannetnews.com/education/education.php?news_id=13687&start=0&category_id=41