PIRLS 2006 Encyclopedia

Figure 1 Representation of the Education Sector in Trinidad and TobagoPIRLS 2006 EncyclopediaTERTIARY EDUCATIONPOST-SECONDARY EDUCATIONSECONDARY EDUCATIONPRIMARY EDUCATIONPREPRIMARY EDUCATION(Early childhood care and education)3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18AGESOURCE: Ministry of EducationMusic and drama are included in the curriculum at some schools. Religious instructionis common among denominational schools. Spanish, the first official foreign language ofTrinidad and Tobago, has been piloted in primary schools and is now being introducedinto all schools.The primary program culminates in the Secondary Education Assessment, asa measure of readiness for passage into the secondary level. A postprimary level ofeducation has been phased out, although the school-leaving certification at that levelstill represents proof of basic education and attainment.Secondary education is provided at secondary (Forms 1–5), junior-secondary(Forms 1–3), senior-comprehensive (Forms 4–5), and advanced-level (Form 6) schools.Continuation classes exist at senior-comprehensive schools for students repeating coursesoffered at upper-secondary levels (Forms 4–5).The secondary level offers a wide range of subject choices and a great degree ofprogram divergence. Students attending secondary schools possess widely varying levelsof literary and numeric competence. At the secondary level, several youth developmentand apprenticeship centers offer technical and vocational education: residential andnonresidential, senior comprehensive schools, Service Volunteered for All life centers,Trinidad and TobagoTIMSS & PIRLSInternational Study CenterLynch School of Education, Boston College 417