The Ministry of Education, Youth and Information has announced that, starting this 2021-2022 school year, it will begin the formal implementation of two additional years of high school for students who complete Grade 11 and want alternative opportunities alongside the traditional sixth form CAPE curriculum. 

According to the ministry, the two Sixth Form Pathway programmes are designed to ensure that all Jamaican secondary students are able to access educational opportunities at Grades 12 and 13.

“Any student who completed Grade 11 in the 2020-2021 academic year and is not enrolled for the traditional CAPE curriculum or courses at the tertiary level, can be offered admission to one of the Sixth Form Pathway Programmes to pursue a two-year programme of study,” the ministry said.  

At present, only about 35 per cent of the approximately 40,000 students who complete Grade 11 transition to the traditional CAPE sixth form programme or tertiary programmes.

The ministry sid that, among the reasons for this historically low take-up of sixth form has been the absence of alternative programmes alongside CAPE and limitation on the physical capacity at the country’s secondary schools.

“As such, in addition to designing two sixth form programmes, the ministry has also begun establishing partnerships between our secondary schools and public and private tertiary institutions to increase the number of spaces available for students to access programmes at the Grades 12 and 13 levels,” the ministry stated.

“In the near future, as the ministry expands sixth form spaces at our high schools, our students will be able to seamlessly transition to a sixth form programme at the school they attend.”

For the 2021-2022 academic year, students will be granted provisional approval to commence their Sixth Form Pathway programmes based on their internal records, their exit examination registration and pending exam results.

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“As customary, the traditional sixth form CAPE programme commences by the second to third week in September of each year. For this 2021-2022 school year, the two Sixth Form Pathway programmes will commence by September 20, 2021. All programmes will start by using the remote learning approaches (online, audio-visual and learning kit) until otherwise notified regarding face-to-face.”

Said Education Minister Fayval Williams: “We are extremely delighted to be able to offer this opportunity to our students who complete Grade 11. These programmes will help to provide technical skills in addition to the academic learning our students will receive.”

She added: “We are excited at the prospects of all our students experiencing two more years in an academic setting. This will ensure that they gain much needed life skills, certification and maturity for the world of work, entrepreneurship or advanced studies.”

Students and parents are asked to contact Dr Phylicia Marshall, assistant chief education officer at 876-292-4295/[email protected] or visit our website at educate.gov.jm/ to learn more.