How does the school system work in Trinidad and Tobago?

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Warriorpoet

Well cronologically

age1-3 there are daycare centres privately owned
more for care than teaching

age 3-5 there are kindergartens privately owned
teaching basic understanding

age 5-6 you enter primary school which is much like grade school begin with 1st year and

2nd year more basic understanding and introduction to various basic subjects such as

writing arithmetic and reading

age 7-11 begin entering standards 1 - 5 in same primary schools where each year students

are assessed based on performance and understanding before progressing
at standard 5 they write what is called SEA secondary entrance assessment (i beleive that

is what it stands for) to be placed in a high school or college what you would call a junior

high. NB a student may stay at this level till 14 if they do not have a firm understanding and

cannot progress... at this point they are placed into school leaving centres to be taught a

trade, or absorbed into various programmes geared towards teaching skills

Age 11-16 high school or college... according to how you did in SEA, where you live and

the popularity of your schools of choice (4 choices that you make before writing SEA) you

will be placed in a high school in Forms 1-5
forms 1-2 teach an overall syllabus and are geared towards seperating students according

to perfromance and aptitude towards sciences, mathematics, modern studies (english

history etc) and business (Accounts, business etc )
forms 3-5 (some schools 4-) teach the official CXC ( Caribbean Examination Council

Ordinary Level Examination Syllabus. At the end of form 5 this exam is written
A CXC Cerificate is considered Maths, English and any other three subjects... traditionally

at least 1 science subject is also taught... you will need at least these to get into

government service and teaching... in these exams grades 1-3 are considered passes equivialent to your A B C and of course distinctions would be granted if the grade 1 has a full A profile... the least subjects written are 5 the most,,, ummm i know people who wrote 12 at once in prestige schools... THe better you do here determines what you can do... at this point you can apply for jobs with just your O Levels, do A levels or enter tertiary level institutions to do programmes eg MCSE, ABE, A plus etc that do not have many entry requirements

Age 17-19 high schools or colleges can take people in to write GCE ( english exams) Advanced Levels or CAPE ( CXC) Advanced Levels, usually 2 years unless you repeat. The same high schools/colleges just different classes, like your high school. CAPE is realitively new standard and is exams are written at end of each two years that count towards final grade. GCE is the older more recognised body and exams are written at END of two years. How you do here determines if you can enter university, go on to tertiary or work according to your taste.

Age 19+ University/ Tertiary Official institutions are the UNIVERSITY OF THE WEST INDIES UWI and UNIVERSITY OF TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO UTT. UTT offers more skills training eg engineering degrees, Geology etc Eneergy related programmes. UWI is the general and traditional university, compedition is high and requirements for entry are high as well ... to do law, medicine, engineering, social sciences etc you can go here

There are also a number of PRIVATE TERITARY insititutions that also offer degrees, MCSE, Diploma and certificate programmes etc however in law and medicine in particular to progress you must go to UWI as the Hugh Wooding Law school is the only place to pass the bar to become a practicing lawyer and the only MEDICAL School is at Mount hope.

It should also be mentioned that up to this point education is FREE... and tertiary is now subsdised 95% by government programmes such as GATE/HELP so education is easily avaliable

If you wish to do your MASTERS or DOCTORATE then that is only financed up to 50% or less so that is really up to you if you wish to go that far...

Hope this answers your question wP

c w

you talk like you from south US, with the yall, I am a trini that lives in GA. I saw that you got your question answered, nice talking to you!!

hottawarrior - win lose or draw

lol, after that there isnt else to say about the school system.

Stevie, yuh showing yuh age dred, lol. actually the A' levels now being replaced by CAPE - Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Exam (Well ah hope that is what cape means lol).
its now being examined by CXC and more 'geared' towards Caribbean students.

ne hows, welcome, and feel free to pass in anytime! and if you have a virtual bottle of Johnny Walker you is we friend for life! lol

Ashti

Well gul. First yuh have to go to kindergarden. Den when yuh reach 5 years is primary school. yuh go dey until yuh reach 11 years. yuh write ah exam ( SEA) . Den yuh go tuh ah 5 years school ( secondary school) . Yuh then write CXC Exams. If yuh do good yuh could go for 2 more years and write A Levels. Then yuh done dey yuh could go University etc.

By the way , trini posse please welcome our latest fan.
WELCOMEEEEEE!!!!!!!

Lets ABIDE in Him

ooo gaaaaaaaaaaaaddoy!!ah thought ah was in ah class room dey Warrior poet:)
Yuh good.. rell good.
I came from an older time compared to what poet was sharing.
After preschool years I went ahead to Primary School where there are " standards" rather than " grades " as they say here in North America. This is from standard 1-5. At the age of 11 when I was in standard 5... I had an exam to sit called the Common Enterance Exam. This exam determined the level of your brilliance or lack thereof and placed you in a school to matched you. Back then you could go to a 5 year secondary school or a 3 year junior secondary school.
The secondary schools were quite the thing though. There were religious school ranging from Catholic, Hindu, Muslim, Christian, and it did not matter what your religion was.. you'd go to a Muslim High School if your abilities matched that standard. Interesting eh lol.
You learned the religion but it was not crammed down your throat.
In secondary schools instead of " Grades " there were " Forms"
So you started all the way from Form 1 to 5 and you could do advanced which is like grade 13 for two years to do subjects that you would take at a university or college level.

gosh i tired yes.
I going in my bed.
Nite nite all.. it real late here. lookin like i have jumbie:)

take good care eh
sAndyJamEs

StevieV

I would bet I even older dan Warrior Bride. In primary school I did the common entrance exam (also known as 11 plus) I passed for a 5 year high school and at Form 5 I did the GCE exam (the british system General Certificate Exam). The year I did GCE was the year CXC was introduced.

Chara

Aye Warriorpoet ah rel crack up wen ah read your answer.Yuh lay de thing out rel good dred.Well gyul ah believe Warrior poet give yuh all yuh need to know bout de school sytem in we country.Yuh eh go need more details than that.lol

Ah jus answer to tell yuh that yuh make meh feel good to know yuh like how we talk.Thank you very much.Dont be shy to drop in again and WELCOME!!! :)

Sugga

well ah must sey warrior poet have it down pact!

welcome!!!

julien

de poet on the right track dey man. But de main reason for the school system wuking is mammy belt in yuh **** if yuh eh do good in school and everybody know dat !! Min. of education, ha !

Re$h

well warrior pet deserve the "best answer" i jus come for meh lil scrunting 2 points..
oh and WELCOME!!!!

lez

you have been given all the info you need by my brothers and sisters in the posse faith. I work in the school system and i dont think i could have given you a better answer.

apart from the johnny walker, bring some curry duck and you in de lime like if you born here.

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