The Ministry of Education recognizes that minimum Academic and Non-Academic standards have to be formally established if quality education at all levels is to be realized. This document addresses the Non-Academic Norms.
Attention has been given to the siting of schools and basic requisites, sanitary and safety facilities, classroom size and acessories, class and school enrolment, composition of staff in terms of trained and untrained teachers, teacher qualifications, school grades, entitlement for administrative staff, teacher-student ratio, outdoor facilities, laboratories for Science and Information Technology, acessories and facilities for workshops and laboratories for Pre-vocation Education, accommodation for teachers and students, etc. Attention was also placed on requisites and space utilization at Practical Instruction Centres and Departments.
It, however, must be pointed out that much emphasis was not put on the construction of school buildings and the designs and specifications of classroom furniture. Designs, plans and specifications are available .at the Planning Unit of the Ministry of Education.
These norms, which will be reviewed and updated from time to time, will allow the functionaries at the Central Ministry and those in the regions to speak with one voice as they encourage the nation to work towards the attainment of the minimum standards stated herein. They will also serve as guides to other stakeholders, interested persons and groups who seek to make inputs in the education sector.
This document will be in every education institution and Department of Education. It is expected that it will serve as a constant reminder to education practitioners of the standards they ought to embrace.
It will be imprudent to think that these standards can all be achieved over-night .Some of them can be put in place almost immediately, while the others can be implemented in either the medium or long term.
The following persons have contributed to the development of these norms:
Mr. Herbert Grandison whose responsibility it was to ensure that Non-Academic Norms were developed and documented in this manner, Mr.Jerry Simpson, Mr. Philip Neri, Ms. Olga Britton, Mr. Yoganand Indarsingh, Mr. Duane Parris, Ms. Lorna Me. Pherson, Ms. Desiree Wyles-Ogle, Ms. Lorraine Barker-King, Ms. Shirley Inniss, Ms. Mildred Lowe, Mr. Linden Smith, Mr Smeaton Russel, Ms. Pam Kingpetcharat, Mr. Nathan Coullin. Special thanks to you all.
The Non-Academic Education Standards contain the following norms:
- General
- Nursery
- Primary
- Secondary
- Science Laboratory
- Information Technology
- Allied Arts
- Practical Instruction Centers / Departments
- Accommodation for Teachers
- Dormitory Facilities (Students)
Genevieve Whyte-Nedd
Former Chief Education Officer.
