In Jamaica Whats the typical education?
by Lexi
(new york)
A: A child start out in kindergarden at age 2 1/2, sometimes 3, or even 4 years old.
After that they go to Primary school where they typically start out at five years old or later depending on when they start kindergarden.
Primary school goes up to grade 6...at which point the child should be 11 years old. Here they take the GSAT exam to determine which high school they will attend.
High school goes from First Form (grade 7) to Sixth Form(grade 12).
Students with the hightest scores go to the traditionally top High schools in the country.
While in High school, students in fifth form take the CXC exams (just changed to CSEC) on up to 8 subjects. If they want to do more subjects they have to go outside the school. Students must choose the subjects they will take while in fourth form.
Those who pass each subject with a scores of 1's and 2's that satisfy the basic requirement of 6 distinctions (1's) and two 2's...to get selected to go to sixth form.
In sixth form they get to take up to 5 subjects of their choice which will culminate in the GCE A-level exams.
Those who pass with distinction can apply and get accepted to the top Local Universities such as UWI and UTECH (the requirement for entrace is three GCE A-level subjects with high scores, plus the CXC taken and passed in fifth form).
Those who don't get to go to sixth form can go to local community colleges, improve on their scores, take the CAPE (equivalent to GCE A-level), then get into University.
