Public Disclosure Authorized THE STUDY OF Public Disclosure Authorized SCHOOL ADMINISTRATION Consultants: John Boich Trevor Hamilton Franklin Johnston Public Disclosure Authorized This Study was undertaken for the Jamaica Ministry of Education As part of the World Bank IV Project Hon. Carlyle Dunkley, Minister of Education Public Disclosure Authorized Permanent Secretary, Cecil Turn~r August, 1990 WORLD BANK IV STUDY JAMAICA "REFORM OF SECONDARY EDUCATION" ~ THE GE GOVERNMENT SERVICES August, 1990 WORLD BANK IV STUDY - VOLUME II THE REFORM OF SECONDARY TECHNICAL VOCATIONAL EDUCATION IN JAMAICA - ANALYSIS AND RECOMMENDATIONS For: The Ministry of Education, Jamaica From: GE Educational Services World Bank Education IV Research Studies Education Programme Preparation and Student Loan Project Chief Consultant for Volume II - Dr. Clyde Maurice Prepared by Dr. Clyde Maurice Florida State University Consultant for Manpower Research: Dr. Leo Richards University of The West Indies 1 Volume II The Reform of Secondary Technical/Vocational Education in Jamaica - Analysis and Recommendations Overview -- The Context of Technical Vocational Education 3 Chapter 1 Options for the Delivery of Secondary Tech/Voe Education 1-1 Chapter 2 Options for the Organization of Instructional Content 2-1 Chapter 3 General Implementation Issues and Ideas 3-1 Chapter 4 Technical Vocational Education in the Senior Secondary Cycle 4-1 Chapter s Implementation Strategy 5-1 Appendix A - Subject Offering by Parish A-1 Appendix B - Distribution of Vocational Programs by Parish B-1 Appendix c - Framework of a National Training Plan C-1 Appendix D - Facilities in Tech/Voe Subjects by School Type D-1 Appendix E - Achievement in Tech/Voe Subjects E-1 Appendix F - Partial Analysis of Cost Per Subj~ct F-1 Appendix G - Employer Needs and Perceptions of Training G-1 2 THE CONTEXT OF TECHNICAL VOCATIONAL EDUCATION AT THE SECONDARY LEVEL - AN OVERVIEW Curricular reform in secondary education in general, and in secondary vocational education in particular, is premised on the assumption that the curriculum can be improved, modified or undergo some manner of change so as to enhance curricular ~ractices and better achieve the goals that the curriculum is intended to accomplish. Such a judgment is usually predicated upon an analysis of current circumstances, and upon substantive evidence that such reform initiatives are indeed necessary. Studies which have been done in the recent past do point to concerns which may warrant comprehensive educational reform. But the nature and direction of the reform initiative must be firmly rooted in the context and circumstances within which curriculum efforts are now embedded. The purpose of this section of the report is to look at the . context within which the technical vocational curriculum is currently administered and delivered, and to examine the circumstances which now affect the implementation of the curriculum. The approach to this analysis is necessarily brief and summative since its primary intent is to highlight some of the major issues which may have implications for any form of curricular change. It is assumed that if any technical vocational curriculum ig to be successful, certain preconditions must be met: some minimum educational infrastructure must be in place; and some level of cohesiveness must be established. To ascertain the degree to which these factors affect the current delivery of technical vocational education, a few critical areas of performance will be assessed. The following areas of performance are discussed below: a. The scope of the secondary technical vocational education function. b. The national training context of which secondary technical vocational education is a part. c. Teachers. d. Materials, facilities and equipment. e. Curriculum content. f. Curriculum specification and standards. g. Certification in technical vocation. h. Secondary Technical Vocational Education in the context of the National Labour Market. i. Monitoring and supervision. j. Industry Liaison and participation. k. Articulation. 1. Timetabling. m. The cost of Vocational Education. 3 The Scope of Secondary Technical Vocational Education Technical vocational education at the secondary level represents the largest and perhaps the most costly component of the national system for technical vocational education and training. Some type of vocational curriculum is offered in virtually all secondary schools. And. in addition to the agricultural subjects offered as part of the primary and secondary curriculum there are two secondary vocational schools offering primarily agricultural courses. If the incidence of vocational training is used as the key indicator. opportunities for technical vocational education at the secondary level abound. For one reason or the other. all types of secondary schools offer vocational subjects. The technical high school served to generally expand technical and vocational education and training for the targeted age group; the comprehensive secondary and the new secondary schools were part of general thrust to vocationalize the secondary curriculum; and the traditional high schools are increasingly incorporating vocational subjects in response to expressed need and social relevance. The vocational courses which exist in a few of the all-age schools are generally intended to assist students in acquiring marketable skills since their prospects for further secondary education are discouraging. The scope of the technical vocatiorial enterprise is as wide as it is diverse. A total of 241 schools offer some form of technical vocational education. And. while the types of courses offered by each school may vary. a total of 15 subjects are offered .. These subjects (and their sub-elements where they exist) are listed in figure 1 and at the levels at which these subjects are done are noted in Table 1. General Home Economics. Woodwork. Technical Drawing. Metalwork. Agriculture. and Art and Craft are typically done in grades 7-9. Few schools off er Electrical or Electronics as subjects at this level. Subjects such as Clothing and Textiles. Food and Nutrition. Home Management. Carpentry and Cabinet Making. Machineshop and Welding and other courses of a vocational nature are generally offered in grades ten (10) and eleven (11). But other subjects such as Auto Mechanics. Electrical Installation and Plumbing can be found as part of the vocational programs in selected secondary schools. In sum. while there are standard technical vocational offerings at the secondary level. and while there is a general philosophy of offering exploratory courses in grades 7-9 and more specializ~d courses in grades 10 and 11 (although the emphasis remains exploratory). the scope of courses offered in the secondary school. although rich and diverse. represents a significant expansion of subjects based more on history. tradition. social need and opportunism than on economic relevance and cost efficiency criteria. The first column of Appendix D shows the number of schools by school type which offer selected vocational subjects. 4 As programs have expanded, so has enrollment. There is an average of 25 students in each vocational class while enrollment in some vocational classes is as high as 39 students. It appears that many of these classes are oversubscribed thus placing a significant burden on available resources. No analysis was conducted of class enrollment by school type, but a cursory examination of the data reveals that classes in the all-age and new secondary schools are, on the average, larger than classes in other schools. FIGURE 1 VOCATIONAL SUBJECTS CURRENTLY OFFERED IN SECONDARY SCHOOLS Agriculture Arts and Crafts Cosmetology/Beauty Culture Business Education Principals of Accounts Typewriting Shorthand Home Economics Clothing and Textiles Food and Nutrition Industrial Arts (Exploratory/Pre-vocational) Woodwork Metal Work Technical Drawing Vocational Education Carpentry and Cabinetmaking Electrical Installation Machine shop and Welding Plumbing and Pipef itting Vocational Crafts Dressmaking Cookery and Catering Services Childcare Auto Mechanics 5 TABLE 1 LEVEL AT WHICH SPECIFIC VOCATIONAL SUBJECTS ARE OFFERED SUBJECT AREA IN VOCATIONAL EDUCATION LEVEL AT WHICH DONE lA - Woodwork 7-9 lA - Metalwork 7-9 Technical Drawing 7 - 9; 10; 11 Electrical Installation 10; 11 Auto Mechanics 10; 11 Machineshop/Welding 10; 11 Carpentry Cabinetmaking 10; 11 Plumbing 10; 11 Art and Craft 1-6; 7-9; 10; 11 Vocational Crafts 10; 11 Agriculture 1-6; 7-9; 10; 11 Home Economics - General 7-9 Food and Nutrition 10; 11 Clothing/Textiles/Dressmaking 10; 11 Catering Services 10; 11 Beauty Culture 10; 11 Childcare 10; 11 Business Education 10; 11; (7-9 planned) Principles of Accounts 10; 11 Typewriting 10; .11 Shorthand 10; 11 Home Management 10; 11 6 Another aspect of the scope of technical vocational education at the secondary level is the geographic distribution of technical vocational courses. Appendix A presents. by school type and parish. the name of schools and the type of courses offered. An examination of the data reveals two critical points. First. it will be noted that for some parishes, Kingston/St. Andrew for instance. there is extensive duplication of courses. Schools in close proximity generally offer the same type of courses. In light of the expenses incurred in mounting technical vocational courses. it may not be necessary to have such a high level of duplication. Vocational programs can be consolidated so that there is an adequate representation