Saint Lucia Education System ([year] Update)

Saint Lucia Education System (2024 Update)

The St. Lucia education system, based on the British model, has undergone significant changes in the past two decades and now assures that all children receive a progressive quality education to prepare them for the modern workplace or to pursue advanced studies.

Education Statistics

The current Saint Lucia education system has seventy-five (75) primary schools and twenty-four (24) secondary schools on island.

Over 95 percent of Saint Lucia’s children aged three to five attend one of the country’s more than 150 preschools or 33 day care centers.

Compulsory Education Begins at Age Five

Primary education consists of a three-year Infant program (grades 1 – 3) followed by four years of Primary instruction (grades 4-7).

Some communities have separate Infant and Primary schools while others are together being referred to as Combined schools.

At the end of the seventh grade, students take the Common Entrance Examination (CEE) to determine placement for additional compulsory schooling.

Students choose which secondary school they wish to attend and the CEE scores are used in school assignment with those with higher scores getting preference.

The Saint Lucia Education Act

The 1997 Saint Lucia Education Act requires all students to remain in school until 16 years of age.

The Universal Secondary School Act (2006/7) assures every student a secondary school placement where they complete five years of basic studies (Forms 1-5).

A small percentage who do not fit into a traditional secondary school program can continue into a three-year Senior Primary Program or CARE Schools, comparable to Vocational Education in many countries, which focuses on preparing students for future jobs.

College

Many students continue on at the Sir Arthur Lewis Community College which offers two year certificated degrees in a variety of areas.

There is also a branch of the University of the West Indies in Saint Lucia which provides for the first two years of a degree program after which students complete their studies at the main campuses in either Jamaica or Barbados.

Uniforms

All Saint Lucia students, including those in tertiary programs, are required to wear uniforms with each school having a different color and style.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *