Overview of the Education System  

Education in Jamaica is administered and delivered by the Ministry of Education and Youth through its central head office and six administrative regional offices. 

The Honourable Minister of Education and Youth has policy responsibility for the Ministry and the Permanent Secretary is the Administrative head.  Formal education comprises the early childhood, primary, secondary and tertiary levels and is provided by government solely, or in partnership with private providers, churches or trusts. The private sector participation in the provision of formal education is approximately 85 per cent at the early childhood level and 5 per cent at both the primary and secondary levels. 

The importance of education is underscored by the budgetary allocation to the Ministry of Education and Youth which is second only to the Ministry of Finance and Planning.  The Government’s budgetary allocation to the education sector for 2005/2006 was 10.9 per cent of the total budget. 

For further information on the Ministry of Education and Youth, Jamaica, click here . In 2006/2007, public formal education at the early childhood, primary and secondary levels of the education system was accessed by approximately 541,000 students in 986 schools.  During that year, 22,363 teachers were employed in public schools.Table 1 provides information regarding the number of public schools and enrolment from the early childhood to the secondary level. 

Table 1 Number and Type of Institutions and Enrolment (2006/2007)

Source: Statistics Section, MoEY