Re Imagining Education In The Commonwealth Caribbean

Canute S. Thompson examines the nexus between the place and scope of the educational enterprise of a country and a country's developmental prospects and experience. His central claim is that the sustainable development of a country is a function of the quality of its education system and the levels to which its citizens are educated. He argues that in this calculus, the quality of post-secondary and tertiary education systems is a determinant of a country's prospects for development. In examining the issue of underdevelopment facing the Caribbean, Thompson explains that institutions of higher learning in the region face the imperative of finding ways of becoming both more accessible and more relevant to the developmental needs of the region. Taking account of the provisions of the General Agreement on Trades in Services, he points to the disadvantages this trading arrangement poses for higher education institutions in small developing states and suggests ways in which the vulnerabilities these institutions face may be addressed. While asserting that higher education institutions, including and especially the University of the West Indies, must find ways to remain viable in a highly competitive marketplace, Thompson argues that governments of the region have a duty to ensure the survival and success of these institutions. In this vein, he advances recommendations for the public funding of access to higher education. Thompson also examines impediments to development - such as crime, the decline in social activism, weak institutional processes and leadership, and public mistrust - and explores their connection to education. He concludes that the path to sustainable regional development is dependent on improving the quality of, and access to, education, and that such improvements will in turn help contain crime, inspire social activism, strengthen institutional processes and leadership, and ultimately restore public trust.

The Secretariat's work programme on improving basic education is targeted to teacher education in Commonwealth countries. It is widely recognised that teachers are central to quality education. A well prepared and motivated teaching force is essential for effective teaching and learning. The Secretariat is engaged, therefore, in a range of measures which include seminars, workshops and development, as well as the publication of resource materials for the training and professional development of teachers.

This book brings together leading scholars of Caribbean education from around the world. Schooling continues to hold a special place both as a means to achieve social mobility and as a mechanism for supporting the economy of Caribbean nations. In this book, the Caribbean includes the Greater and Lesser Antilles. The Greater Antilles is made up of the five larger islands (and six countries) of the northern Caribbean, including the Cayman Islands, Cuba, Hispaniola (Haiti and the Dominican Republic), Puerto Rico, and Jamaica. The Lesser Antilles includes the Windward and Leeward Islands which are inclusive of Barbados, St. Vincent, Trinidad and Tobago along with several other islands. Each chapter provides a unique perspective on the various social and cultural issues that define Caribbean education and schooling. The Handbook on Caribbean Education fills a void in the literature and documents the important research being done throughout the Caribbean. Creating a space where Caribbean voices are a part of “international” discussions about 21st century global matters and concerns is an important contribution of this work.

The change process is immensely complex. It is a journey, not a blueprint. How we make that journey in the present should be informed by our experiences in the past. This book takes the reader through that journey, traversing the stages of initiation, design, development, implementation, institutionalization of curriculum innovations in schools in several Commonwealth Caribbean countries. Through an analysis of the problems experienced at the various stages the author distils broader insights into the dynamics of curriculum change which bears significance not just for the Commonwealth Caribbean but for all developing countries with similar characteristics. The author proposes ten drivers for change to guide future action and eight challenges for 'doing change differently'. As a source of information for teachers, principals, education planners and other stakeholders involved in curriculum change, this book is invaluable.

An introductory volume in a series of publications which focus on the impact of scale on the development of national education systems in the small states of the Commonwealth. Experienced educators and administrators from the Caribbean, the Mediterranean, Africa, the Indian Ocean and the South Pacific examine curriculum, training, post-secondary education, technical education, distance education, regional co-operation and aid for education in the context of the problems and challenges set by smallness of scale. The volume is edited by Kazim Bacchus, Director, Centre for International Education and Development, University of Alberta, Canada and Colin Brock, Chairman of the International Education Unit, University of Hull, Britain.