Education: Primary to Tertiary Education in Jamaica

Jamaica is regarded around the world for its rich culture – especially its music, white sand beaches, friendly and highly educated people. The visitors that traverse its shores bring in millions of dollars making it a popular Caribbean destination.

Jamaican Educators

Being the third largest, E nglish-speaking Caribbean country, it is populated with over 2.5 million people and like any other third world nation; it makes a great effort to provide the best education to its students, at all levels.

The Jamaican education system is structured into four main levels; namely early childhood, primary, secondary and tertiary education.

Children up to age five access early childhood education through daycare centers and basic or prep schools throughout the island. There are over three hundred thousand students in Jamaica’s primary schools, that range from grades one through to six. In secondary schools, students have the option of going to co-ed schools (both boys and girls) or boys-only and girls-only schools.

Jamaican school children at play

They start from grades seven through to thirteen and complete two sets of major exams – one at grade eleven, and if they continue, one at grade thirteen – to move on to tertiary institutions or to the world of work.

Tertiary education is accessed through universities, teachers’ colleges, and specialized institutions such as the College of Agriculture, Science and Education and Edna Manley College of Visual and Performance Arts. Through adulthood, Jamaica provides institutions to offer quality education to its people.

The Jamaican education system is of great importance, to Jamaica’s government. Students who do exceptionally on their exams in primary school are granted scholarships for their high school education.

The government recently subsidized the tuition for every child at the secondary level and exam fee in grade eleven. Millions of dollars are spent annually on back-to-school programs that aid students with tuition costs.

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About the writer:
Poetess Denise N. Fyffe is a published author of over 30 books, for more than ten years and enjoys as a Training. Counselor. She is a freelance writer for online publications such as Revealing the Christian Life, Jamaica Rose, Entertainment Trail, My Trending Stories among others.

Check out her book The Expert Teacher’s Guide on How to Motivate

This handbook highlights the most efficient teaching techniques to motivate students. The Expert Teacher’s Guide on How to Motivate Students initially examines who is an expert teacher and how to become one. Then it will delve into how to get students to learn any subject by implementing effective motivation strategies.