|
Caribbean Islands Education
Barbados had one of the oldest and most advanced education
systems in the Eastern Caribbean in the late 1980s. Education dated
back to 1686, when private funds were used to build the first
school. Throughout the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries,
education was controlled by the Anglicans, who were later joined by
other religious groups. By 1962 education was free for all
nationals and administered primarily by the state. This trend
continued, so that by 1984 only 4 percent of the primary and
secondary schools were managed by churches.
Barbados' longstanding emphasis on education was evident in the
values and goals of contemporary society. Education has
traditionally been associated with success and upward mobility. In
1970 Barbados officially claimed to have achieved a 99-percent
literacy rate, a figure that was questioned by some observers.
Despite these doubts, observers generally agreed that in the 1980s
literacy in Barbados exceeded the rates of other Caribbean
societies.
In 1984 Barbados had 126 primary schools, 110 of which were
administered by the state. Approximately 1,350 teachers were
available to instruct the 35,000 students. There were sixty-four
secondary schools, five of which prepared students for technical
careers. A total of 6,000 students attended secondary-school
programs.
Postsecondary education consisted of seven institutions that
awarded degrees or certificates. Four schools offered specific
vocational training: the Barbados Institute of Management and
Productivity, the Erdiston Teacher's Training College, the
Tercentenary School of Nursing, and the Samuel Jackman Prescod
Polytecnic.
Academic programs at the university level were conducted at the
Cave Hill Campus of the University of the West Indies (UWI) and the
Barbados Community College, which offered vocational and technical
classes as well. The UWI also included Codrington College, a local
theological seminary.
In 1979 the government created the Skills Training Programme to
augment existing education programs. It was designed to fulfill the
need for short but intensive training in vocational subjects and to
prepare students for careers in mechanics, electronics,
horticulture, masonry, plumbing, and other technical and vocational
occupations.
Although the educational infrastructure was designed to meet
both the nation's academic and vocational needs, observers
seriously questioned Barbados' ability to provide quality
instruction in fields related to tourism, agriculture, and
manufacturing, the major economic undertakings in the 1980s. Few
courses were actually offered in agricultural science and commerce;
as a result, an inadequate number of Barbadians were being prepared
to take on the responsibilities inherent in a growing economy.
The education system was also criticized for being stratified
along socioeconomic lines. In general, upper-class Barbadians
prepared for university studies at the best primary and secondary
schools, received a disproportionate number of scholarships, and
had the best records for entering the professional disciplines. On
balance, however, most Barbadians felt that the education system
still afforded opportunities to achieve at least limited upward
mobility. The government appeared to be attempting to address
specific criticisms of its educational policy; its goals for
Barbadian education in the 1980s included the promotion of equal
educational opportunity and enhanced technical and vocational
programs in all schools. In spite of its shortcomings, the
Barbadian education system remained the best in the Eastern
Caribbean in the 1980s.
Data as of November 1987
|
