EXPANDED SECONDARY PROGRAMME

There has been a demonstrated need to provide a broad general education for all secondary school students with established minimum standards and levels of attainment. As a result the Government of Jamaica (GOJ), through the Ministry of Education, Youth and Culture (MOEYC) made a proposal for the development of the Expanded Secondary Programme.

Programme Goals

• To ensure that students obtain a broad general education with a set minimum standard of academic achievement.

• To ensure that students receive standardised certification and transcripts on successful completion of five years of secondary schooling.

Target Group

The programme has been developed for all students in Grades 10 and 11. Features will be built in to allow students sitting Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC)/Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC) subjects to qualify for the High School Diploma.

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Courses

All students should pursue a compulsory core of six subjects, including Information Technology (that may or may not be taken as a subject for examination) and a set of activities constituting an expanded school experience. The six subjects proposed are:

• English (including Literature)
• Mathematics
• A Social Science subject
• A Natural Science subject
• Information Technology

The core subjects for special education schools are to be determined by these schools and technical/vocational schools will be advised as to their core subjects.

In addition to the core subjects, students may choose from one of four options:

• The sciences
• The humanities
• Technical and vocational subjects
• Visual and performing arts.

The expanded school experience will allow for the inclusion of critical areas such as:

• Personal development
• Guidance and counselling
• Physical education and sport
• Clubs and societies

Additionally, there will be new courses to satisfy the need for the expanded school experience such as:

• Civic responsibility
• Work ethics
• Values and attitudes
• Community service

These courses will:

• Be especially beneficial to students who are not entered for the full range of subjects in CSEC.

• Supplement current offerings at secondary schools.

• Build on and articulate with the Grades 7 to 9 programme.

• Be built on clearly stated standards.

A common syllabus is to be developed for Grades 10-11 by the Core Curriculum Unit in collaboration with the Technical/Vocational Unit for students not sitting CXC.

The syllabus will identigy units and modules that students can complete within specified times.

Teaching and Learning

Lessons will be student-centred and performance/competency based, and will support the student in acquiring, developing and applying skills in real-world contexts.

Assessment

The Jamaica High School (JHS) Certificate/Grade Nine Achievement Test (GNAT)will be used as the entry points for the programme and will determine, for the most part, the entry status of students to begin the programme, especially in Mathematics and Language Arts.

There will be continuous assessment as well as end-of-course assessment and these will be based on the course units. Grades will be awarded according to specifications and will be nationally moderated. Additionally, national assessments/tests will be part of the programme.

Certification

Students will work towards satisfying the requirements for the award of a High School Diploma. The diploma will be awarded on satisfactory completion of five years of schooling at the secondary level.

Considerations for Certification

• The standards established by course requirements.

• The expected level of performance of most students.

• The inclusion of students who now sit the CSEC examinations.

• The inclusion of those who now sit the National Vocational Qualification of Jamaica (NVQJ) Programme.

• The need to satisfy further career/life choices, immediately after school, leaving work, or further tertiary education.

• The programme is likely to displace the Secondary Schools Certificate (SSC).

Transcripts

Specific areas of the school transcript will be standardised, while giving the individual schools room to reflect their individuality.