THE MINISTRY of Education and Youth is currently exploring the possibility of allowing more schools to implement a sixth- form programme.
In her contribution to the Sectoral Debate in the House of Representatives last week, Education Minister Maxine Henry-Wilson said the Government was aiming to increase the access to tertiary level from 18 per cent to 33 per cent by 2010.
"We are reviewing the sixth- form programme as a viable vehicle to tertiary access," she said.
Mrs. Henry-Wilson said her ministry not only intends to increase the intake of students accessing sixth-form programmes at high school, but also in community colleges.
The Education Minister said that, despite the negative perceptions of the performance of upgraded high schools, several of them including, Old Harbour High School, St. Catherine, now offer some sixth-form disciplines.
Currently there are about 5,000 students pursuing sixth form education.
Meanwhile, Mrs. Henry-Wilson said her ministry would be including a non-academic component in the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate curriculum. She said this is in keeping with the task force recommendation to provide a greater degree of coherence between the curriculum and the grades 10 and 11 programmes.
The Education Minister said students currently receive a school leavers' certificate which only represents the fact that they attended school. She said the revised curriculum would allow students leaving secondary schools with appropriate certification.
To this end, come September, all students in secondary institutions must be, among other things, actively involved in at least two extra curricular or co-curricular activities to be eligible for a School Leavers' Certificate.
These will include community service; education for citizenship; clubs and societies; and guidance and counselling.
