Over 17,000 students pre-registered for Sixth Form Pathways Programme

More than 17,000 students have pre-registered for the Ministry of Education's Sixth Form Pathways Programme ahead of the start of the new school year in September.

Education Minister Fayval Williams made the disclosure while speaking today at the Jamaica Teachers' Association's annual conference in Montego Bay, St James.

Williams charged that the interest from students is a positive signal for the programme, which has faced criticism.

The programme will allow students who completed grade 11 to pursue a two-year course of study with alternative opportunities, alongside the traditional sixth-form curriculum.

The initiative came in response to a 2004 report from the Task Force on Educational Reform which, among other things, highlighted shortfalls in the education sector.

“At that time in 2004, the report said 'We believe that the most pressing issue is the chronic underachievement of the system in terms of the large number of students performing well below their grade level' and they had a number of recommendations, including extending the school experience from 11 to 13 years. We recall that today, what we have implemented is the Sixth Form Pathways Programme,” said Williams.

The programme has been criticised in some quarters, with members of the Opposition arguing that it is unsustainable and that focus should instead be placed on addressing the learning loss caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Williams argued that there is a need to fast-track implementation of recommendations to improve the education sector so that Jamaica does not have to wait almost two decades to see action taking place, as was the case in addressing the concerns raised in the Task Force on Educational Reform's report.

- Christopher Thomas

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