Primary Education in the Caribbean

Childhood development is a vital area of importance in an individual’s life. Pursuing a career in primary education will help you contribute to building a strong foundation for children ages 5-11. In this month’s post, we will provide you with routes you can pursue in Primary Education.

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Academic Routes

Before you start an academic course, there are a few things that you should consider:

Entry requirements
Subjects you need for the career(s) you have in mind

Be sure to speak to us at Brain Food TCI, or any other career advisor you may have access to if you need assistance where entry requirements are concerned.

Secondary and Post-secondary towards Higher Education

Most, if not all, high schools require you to do CXCs, GCSEs, or any other equivalent to be able to progress to Higher Education (college/university). For institutions in the Caribbean, such as the University of the West Indies, you are required to have 5 CXC (CSEC & CAPE) OR IGCSE & GCE subjects, including Mathematics and English.

If an institution does not have any of these examination bodies listed when searching what is required, search for equivalencies through their admissions page or contact them directly for more information. Also, some courses may require you to have certain subjects other than Mathematics and English that are compulsory for entering the course. Be sure to check the entry requirements to know exactly what is required.

Higher Education

As mentioned earlier, CXCs and/or other equivalents are required to proceed to this level. In higher education, you can obtain:

Undergraduate

Associate Degree
Bachelor’s Degree

Postgraduate

Master’s Degree
Ph.D

Depending on your journey and your career choice, you can decide how far you need to go in terms of further education. You do not need to pursue a Master’s degree or Ph. D. unless it is required based on your career choice.

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Primary Education at the University of the West Indies

The University’s Humanities and Education Faculty provides diplomas, Bachelor’s and Master’s programmes in Primary Education at three of its campuses:

Cave Hill (Barbados)
Mona (Jamaica)
St. Augustine (Trinidad and Tobago)

The School of Education has a three-fold mission: to

Prepare educators for national and regional education systems
Conduct research on educational issues and concerns, and provide data to inform the educational decision-making process
Provide leadership in institutional development and programme quality to education systems.”

Their activities in the program include:

Local teaching offering a wide range of face-to-face undergraduate and graduate programmes. Regional teaching through the distance education mode.
Educational research, including action research on classroom and school problems, postgraduate and staff research projects.
Professional outreach through the Ministry of Education (MOE) curricula initiatives such as PEIP I, PEIP II, PEIP Language Arts component and ROSE.
Public Service; serving on committees, school boards, service organizations, policy-making arms of government, and editorial and review boards.

For more School of Education information, click here for Mona. and click here for St. Augustine.

Bachelor’s of Primary Education (Mona, Jamaica)

The course at Mona is designed to “thrust us towards the holistic development of reflective professionals who are sensitive to the need to combine caring and advocacy with competencies in school and classroom management, leadership, and information and communication technologies.” In this course, you can venture off into two pathways: Early Childhood Care and Education OR Primary Education.

The entry requirements for this course are as follows:

Satisfy the matriculation requirements of the university
Have successfully completed an approved programme of training for certification as a teacher in his or her country
Possess a level of professional experience as a teacher that is deemed satisfactory by the School of Education
Possess any other qualification that the School may require.

Technical Routes

Internships, Volunteering & Work Experience

It is encouraged that you take local opportunities in Education; experience is the best teacher. Even if it’s volunteering or seeking internships with departments that contribute to the cause or a family member building a house, take the small opportunities right in front of you. In the Interior Design field, there are careers such as Interior Decorator, Stage Production Engineer, and Event Coordinator just to name a few. If these types of jobs interest you, read on to find out how you can get started.

It is encouraged that you take local opportunities in Education. Even if it’s volunteering or seeking internships with after-school clubs or activities or tutoring, take the small opportunities right in front of you. In the Education field, there are careers such as Coach, Teaching Assistant, or Substitute Teacher just to name a few. If these types of jobs interest you, read on to find out how you can get started.

Here are potential places to seek volunteering/internship opportunities:

Childcare Center
Religious Organizations
School

With the options above, you can obtain skills and experience that can lead you to a successful progression in the field and make it easier to get your foot in the door.

From the information provided, you can start right here in your region and at home. Feel free to embark on those opportunities. Always remember to embrace all opportunities near or far.