Gordon, Erica Donna;
(2019)
Problems, pressures and policies affecting the progress of the Caribbean Examinations Council examinations: a postcolonial response to secondary education in Jamaica.
Doctoral thesis (Ph.D), UCL (University College London).
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Abstract
Various factors have impacted on and fashioned Jamaica’s secondary education. Firstly, colonization saw the introduction of an imported British foreign system. Then, political independence led educators and nationalists to advocate for an examination system, which would meet the needs of the populace. Consequently, the Caribbean Examinations Council, (CXC) was established to design and implement relevant, culture-specific curricula and examination systems. However, this local examination body has not been able to address all the problems associated with the legacy nor cater to the various demands of the nation that have been imposed by external agencies and globalization. This single case study, which draws on theories of education, colonialism, globalization and post colonialism, examines the extent to which CXC examinations have successfully replaced colonial examinations in Jamaica. Various methods were utilized to ascertain a range of views and embrace both qualitative and quantitative traditions: – interviews with CXC personnel, government, education and industry officials; a survey with teachers, examination of census data and documentary analysis of reports were the data collection strategies. An analysis of the syllabuses reveals the extent to which the content, assessment and suggested methodologies adequately prepare Jamaicans to contribute to national development and function effectively globally. Findings indicate mixed perceptions about CXC’s effectiveness. While the examinations are adequate in terms of their Caribbean content, student-preparation and the availability of access to more students, success rates, especially in Mathematics and English at the CSEC levels, have been deemed unacceptable. Findings also show that various internal and external factors, including the colonial legacy, neo-colonialism and the demands of globalization drive the education product and impact CXC students’ success. The implication is that the Government, stakeholders and Council will have to continue to undertake revisions of syllabi, effect curricular, infrastructural and administrative changes to improve their offerings to meet the demands of globalization.
| Type: | Thesis (Doctoral) |
|---|---|
| Qualification: | Ph.D |
| Title: | Problems, pressures and policies affecting the progress of the Caribbean Examinations Council examinations: a postcolonial response to secondary education in Jamaica |
| Event: | UCL (University College London) |
| Open access status: | An open access version is available from UCL Discovery |
| Language: | English |
| Additional information: | Copyright © The Author 2019. Original content in this thesis is licensed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) Licence (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). Any third-party copyright material present remains the property of its respective owner(s) and is licensed under its existing terms. |
| UCL classification: | UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Education UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Education > UCL Institute of Education UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Education > UCL Institute of Education > IOE - Education, Practice and Society |
| URI: | https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/10072923 |
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