| Education System in St. Vincent and The Grenadines |
Education on the twin Islands of St. Vincent and The Grenadines in the Caribbean Sea is free, but not compulsory, which undoubtedly contributes to the nation’s alarming record of child labor. Primary school lasts for 7 years.
Attendance at secondary school hovers around 60% for both sexes. The first phase of this lasts for 5 years. This is followed by a further 2 year period for students intending to study further at tertiary level abroad.
General vocational training is provided by the department of public works, and agricultural training by the ministry of agriculture. The ministry of education is responsible for adult education.
There are perhaps 1,000 young people studying at the Teachers Training College affiliated to the University of the West Indies, and the St Vincent Technical Community College founded in 1997 and illustrated here. It presents diploma programs in secretarial & business studies, electrical electronic & engineering technology, building construction, and agricultural science.
Students with higher academic aspirations must cross the ocean to North America to study further. Few return home to plow back the benefits.
