Primary education in Jamaica

From Jamaica Wiki

Education in Jamaica is modeled on the British system. Literacy levels in Jamaica are about 88% with women (91.5%) scoring over men (84.1%).

Contents 1 Early Childhood Education 2 Primary Education 3 Secondary Education 4 Tertiary Education 5 Special Events

[edit] Early Childhood Education

Early childhood education includes basic, infant and privately run pre-schools for the 2-5 years age group. The Jamaican Government, in 1942, encouraged the setting up of early childhood education, care, and development. Of the 2,595 early childhood educational institutions, the government does not recognize 183, day care centers number 401, about 100 are infant schools and there are five special education schools, which provide early childhood upbringing and care. For the 4-6 years age group, the rate of enrollment is 94%, a record in the area.

[edit] Primary Education

In Jamaica, primary education focuses on the elementary educational requirements of students in the 5-12 years age group and primes them for secondary education. Earlier, students were usually promoted to secondary school after appearing for the Common Entrance Examinations towards the end of Grade 6. From 1999, the National Assessment Program (NAP) and Grade Six Achievements Tests (GSAT) have been implementing a range of teaching techniques to achieve a well rounded and student centric learning experience. The NAP incorporates an integrated method from grades 1-3 and a discrete subject area for grades 4-6.

[edit] Secondary Education

Lower School comprises Forms 1-3 and caters to the 10-14 age groups. Students have to deal with different subjects, with French and Spanish as second languages. Usually, students are taught Integrated Science till the 3rd form, where they start taking Biology, Physics, and Chemistry as separate branches of learning. A few schools classify students based on their academic performance the previous year. This has an important bearing on the subjects students can take afterwards in school, and the teachers that may be assigned to them.

Upper School comprises of Forms 4 & 5. In the 4th form, students can select 6-10 subjects for which they will appear in the Caribbean Examination Council's O-Level school leaving examinations. Students can establish their independent curricula with many opting for a foreign language.

Exams are given grades from 1 to 4 with 1 being a pass with distinction, 2 a pass with credit, 3 a satisfactory level pass and 4 a failure or a 'basic-level' pass.

Sixth Form, which has upper and lower divisions, is a two-year, optional, advanced post-secondary program, towards the end of which, students take the CAPE (Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Exams), the equivalent of the GCE A-Level examinations.

Getting into the Sixth Form is highly competitive, more so in the rural and suburban areas of Jamaica.

[edit] Tertiary Education

Normally, to be eligible for the nation's Universities, one has to take the A-Level or CAPE examinations, or earn a 3-year diploma from a recognized post-secondary college.

Although colleges can only award a diploma with universities having the sole right to grant a degree, a number of colleges have initiated joint programs with universities, wherein students can earn more than a college diploma. Some American universities have extension programs in several areas of Jamaica. The majority of the students who register for these part-time programs are working professionals who wish to further their education without having to shift close to the nation's Universities.

[edit] Special Events

Schools participate in the Challenge Quiz and Debating Competitions. In the sports arena, the Boys and Girls School's Championships is the chief Track and Field event, Manning Cup and DaCosta Cup competitions hold center stage in football, the Grace Shield competition is the main cricketing event and Swim Meets are held all year round.