Ministry of Education, Youth, Sports and Library Services Five Year Education Sector Plan (2013-2017)

‘Success for Every Learner’

Ministry of Education Five Year Sector Plan (2013-2017). All Rights Reserved.

Contents List of Tables ........................................................................................................................................... ii List of Figures ......................................................................................................................................... iii Initialisms and Acronyms ....................................................................................................................... iv Message from the Minister..................................................................................................................... v Foreword from the Permanent Secretary ............................................................................................. vi Introduction ............................................................................................................................................ 7 Turks and Caicos Islands – land and its people ................................................................................... 7 Turks and Caicos Islands – its education system ................................................................................ 8 The Legal Framework .......................................................................................................................... 8 Foundations for the Plan..................................................................................................................... 9 The Strategic Imperatives ..................................................................................................................... 12 Strategic Imperative 1: Provide the number of school places to equitably meet Government targets and international commitments ........................................................................................... 13 Strategic Imperative 2: Improve the quality and accountability of Leadership and Management .. 20 Strategic Imperative 3: Improve Teachers’ Professional Development ........................................... 30 Strategic Imperative 4: Improve the quality of Teaching and Learning............................................ 37 Strategic Imperative 5: Improve Curriculum and Strategies for Assessment ................................... 42 Strategic Imperative 6: Increase access to quality Early Childhood Development Services ............ 47 Strategic Imperative 7: Provide opportunities for all learners in Technical and Vocational Education and Training ...................................................................................................................................... 51 Strategic Imperative 8: Increase provisions for Tertiary and Continuing Education ........................ 56 Cross Cutting Issues .............................................................................................................................. 61 Special Education. ............................................................................................................................. 61 Boys Education .................................................................................................................................. 62 Disaster Risk Reduction..................................................................................................................... 63 Counselling and Second Chance Learning ........................................................................................ 63 Projected Enrolments and Staffing ....................................................................................................... 67 Financial issues...................................................................................................................................... 70 The costs of the Plan ......................................................................................................................... 70 Financing the Plan ............................................................................................................................. 72 Monitoring and Evaluation ................................................................................................................... 75 Annex 1: Areas to be covered by a Professional Development Program ......................................... 78 Annex 2: Teacher Deployment.......................................................................................................... 79 Annex 3: Academic studies beyond Form 5 ..................................................................................... 81 Annex 4: Standards for Early Childhood Institutions At a Glance..................................................... 82 Annex 5: Shift teaching issues and options ...................................................................................... 83 Annex 6: Technical Institute issues and options ............................................................................... 84 Annex 7: Building program for Providenciales................................................................................. 85 Annex 8: Possible school staffing structures .................................................................................... 87 Annex 9: Main Actions Required in the Implementing Education Plan ............................................ 89 Annex 10: Teacher salary scenarios .................................................................................................. 91

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List of Tables Table 1: Population by age group, 2012 ................................................................................................. 8 Table 2: Primary school enrolments, 2013/14...................................................................................... 14 Table 3: High school enrolments, 2013 / 2014 ..................................................................................... 14 Table 4: Summary of costs for Strategic Imperative 1 initiatives. ........................................................ 18 Table 5: Summary of costs for Strategic Imperative 2 initiatives ......................................................... 26 Table 6: Primary school teacher information by school ....................................................................... 31 Table 7: High School teachers by nationality, 2013 / 14 ...................................................................... 32 Table 8: Summary of costs for Strategic Imperative 3 .......................................................................... 33 Table 9: Summary of costs for Strategic Imperative 4 .......................................................................... 39 Table 10: Summary of costs for Strategic Imperative 5 ........................................................................ 44 Table 11: Summary of costs for Strategic Imperative 6 initiatives ....................................................... 49 Table 12: Summary of costs for Strategic Imperative 7 initiatives ....................................................... 54 Table 13: Scholarships and TCICC appropriation by year ($‘000s) ....................................................... 56 Table 14: Scholarship awards by category, 2013 ................................................................................. 57 Table 15: Summary of costs for Strategic Imperative 8 initiatives ....................................................... 59 Table 16: Examinations data by gender, 2010 to 2013 ........................................................................ 62 Table 17: Summary of costs for cross cutting initiatives ...................................................................... 64 Table 18: Historic total public school enrolment figures ...................................................................... 67 Table 19: Projected primary school enrolments by Grade, 2013 to 2017 ............................................ 67 Table 20: Primary school teacher requirements by year ...................................................................... 68 Table 21: Number of primary school classes by grade ......................................................................... 68 Table 22: Average primary school class sizes by Grade and year ......................................................... 68 Table 23: Number of specialist teachers by year .................................................................................. 68 Table 24: Projected high school enrolments by Form, 2012 to 2017 ................................................... 68 Table 25: Number of high school teachers, 2012 to 2017 .................................................................... 69 Table 26: Total personnel costs, 2013 to 2017 ..................................................................................... 70 Table 27: Recurrent costs of new initiatives, 2013 to 2017.................................................................. 70 Table 28: Ministry of Education recurrent budget and total Other Operating Costs, 2013 to 2017.... 71 Table 29: Total Ministry of Education recurrent requirements, 2013 to 2017 .................................... 71 Table 30:Ministry of Education recurrent requirements with no change of pupil teacher ratio ......... 71 Table 31: TCIG recurrent budget, 2013 to 2017 ................................................................................... 71 Table 32: Education share of TCIG recurrent budget, 2013 to 2017 .................................................... 72 Table 33: Education share of recurrent budget with no change of pupil teacher ratio ....................... 72 Table 34: Capital investment requirements, 2013 to 2017 .................................................................. 72 Table 35: Education share of TCIG capital budget ................................................................................ 72 Table 36: Funding by budget category in $’000s, 2006 to 2015 ........................................................... 73 Table 37: Projected funding gap for Other Operating Costs ................................................................ 73 Table 38: Possible solutions for closing the gap ................................................................................... 74 Table 39: Performance Assessment Framework .................................................................................. 75 Table 40: Targets by Strategic Imperative reference number .............................................................. 77 Table 41: Pupil teacher ratios for primary schools, 2013 / 2014 school year ...................................... 79 Table 42: Pupil teacher ratios for high schools, 2012 / 2013 school year .......................................... 79 Table 43: Primary school ‘specialist’ staffing by school ........................................................................ 80 Table 44: Scholarships awarded to 2013 Form 5 graduates by type of course and gender ................ 81 Table 45: Scholarships awarded to 2012 Form 5 graduates by type of course and gender ................ 81 Table 46: Unit building cost by building type ....................................................................................... 85 Table 47: Indicative building costs for new education institutions ..................................................... 85 Table 48: Indicative building costs for Providenciales infrastructural development ........................... 86 Table 49: Primary school personnel costs under three different scenarios ($’000s) ........................... 91 Table 50: High School personnel costs under three different scenarios ($’000s) ................................ 91 ii | P a g e

List of Figures Figure 1::Map of Turks and Caicos Islands .............................................................................................. 7 Figure 2: The education structure.......................................................................................................... 8 Figure 4: Possible education structure for Providenciales................................................................... 16 Figure 5: Possible staffing structure for a small primary school ........................................................... 87 Figure 6: Possible staffing structure for a large primary school ........................................................... 87 Figure 7: Primary school personnel costs under three different scenarios ($’000s) ............................ 91 Figure 8: High School personnel costs under three different scenarios ($’000s) ................................. 92

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Initialisms and Acronyms CAPE CARICOM CCCJ CSEC CU CVQ CXC DoC DoE DOH DSD EAB ECD EMIS GSAT HEB HRD IT LS MoE NGO OOC PAF PGCE PTA SNAP SNU TCI TCICC TCIG TPDP TVET UNICEF UWI

Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examinations Caribbean Community Council of Community Colleges of Jamaica Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate Curriculum Unit Caribbean Vocational Qualification Caribbean Examinations Council Department of Culture Department of Education Department of Health Department of Social Development Education Advisory Board Early Childhood Development Education Management Information System Grade Six Achievement Test Higher Education Board Human Resources Directorate Information Technology Library Services Ministry of Education Non-Government Organisation Other Operating Costs Performance Assessment Framework Post Graduate Certificate of Education Parent Teacher Association Special Needs Association of Providenciales Special Needs Unit Turks and Caicos Islands Turks and Caicos Islands Community College Turks and Caicos Islands Government Teacher Professional Development Plan Technical and Vocational Education and Training United Nations Children’s Fund University of the West Indies

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Message from the Deputy Premier and Minister of Education

The development, advancement, and positioning of a country’s sustainability significantly depends on the quality of education and skills training opportunities provided to the population. The Education Sector Plan, 2013-2017 represents the blueprint that the Ministry of Education and by extension, the Turks and Caicos Government has approved to guide the development of the education sector. The underlying theme of this plan is the Success of Every Child. It is our commitment that every child can and will succeed. This commitment and theme gives us the opportunity to address each aspect of our system to ensure that each child, those academically included, those with disabilities, those with a preference for skills and vocational education, can and will find a pathway to success. This Plan was developed after many consultations with both private and public stakeholders within the Turks and Caicos Islands. The Education Sector Plan has outlined, Eight Strategic Imperatives that the Ministry of Education has adopted and approved. It is those Imperatives that will be central to the realization of a strong and relevant education system for our people. The Government is committed to the task of ensuring that the Imperatives coupled with the Cross Cutting issues are addressed with alacrity and passion. The realization of this plan, however, will require commitment and dedication to ensure that the goals are achieved. The Plan will be subjected to an annual review and evaluation. It is the intention to develop small teams representing various stakeholders who will be involved in the monitoring and evaluation aspects of this plan. This will ensure that the proposed actions and imperatives remain relevant and applicable and there is a high level of participation and involvement. There is no denying that the world has transformed into a global village, with competition and quality being pivotal to the success and sustainability of the economy. This means that the areas of skills development teaching and training, the extending of relevant programs at the Community College, the commitment to ensure adequate provision of space for all eligible school aged children are going to be key in this implementation phase. My Government is committed to the task and we will see it through. We look forward to progressing this sector plan. We are committed to the notion that every child must succeed and this plan provides the opportunity for us to create avenues through strong academics and skill and vocational teaching to ensure that every child is put on a pathway to be a secure and productive participant in the development of these Lovely Turks and Caicos Islands. Akierra Missick, MP, Deputy Premier & Minister of Education, Youth, Sports, and Library Services December 2013

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Foreword from the Permanent Secretary This plan builds on the progress made in the Education Development Plan 2006-2010. It is guided by our vision for education and also the aims as articulated in many national plans. The first priority must remain to provide thirteen years of education for all of our children. We must ensure that all of our children, including those with special needs, complete their education. This priority is the very least that needs to be achieved. The Plan is based upon the premise that a basic education of 11 years from Infant 1 through to Form 3 is of benefit to the whole community and these 11 years should be used to imbue all children with a sense of what it is to be a Turks and Caicos Islander. The basic education curriculum will involve a strong recognition of custom that goes back many years, a strong grounding for accepted religious principles, a respect for elders, parents, brothers and sisters and a basic knowledge of the modern world. All children should follow a common curriculum during these years. These years should be used to provide children with the knowledge, the skills and the experience to be able to live peacefully and productively within the Turks and Caicos Islands community. On completion of these eleven years of basic education our young people will have a number of pathways available to them as they move through adolescence into adulthood. All students who complete their basic education will receive two further years of education. These final two years should be used to allow children to develop their skills and knowledge in the field in which they are most inclined and in which they are able to excel. EVERY CHILD CAN SUCCEED. The child will use these years to prepare themselves for life after school -usually in the world of formal employment. It is the role of the education system to provide the environment and the opportunity for every child to discover what it is they are able to succeed in and then provide them with the opportunity to excel in that particular field. Our system at present is very academically oriented and children in the later stages of their education will be given the opportunity to achieve meaningfully in non-academic fields. Financial assistance for future education or training for our most talented, in whatever field, will continue to be available through the scholarship program. The numbers benefiting, however, will be significantly lower than has been the case in recent years. Parents are going to have to take on a much greater share of the responsibility for educating their children at the tertiary level. This Plan is neither going to be easy nor cheap to implement, and for it to be successful all stakeholders will need to play their part. Government will need to show strong long term resolve to complete a comprehensive building program. The Ministry and the Department will have to show fiscal discipline to ensure that what few funds they have at their disposal are spent in pursuance of the outcomes expected from this Plan. The Plan and the budget should be inextricably linked. It is the role of parents to make sure that their children attend school on a daily basis and support them and their schools in any way that they can. The children for their part must learn to take responsibility for their own learning from an early stage. Non-Government Organisations are very supportive of those in need and their contributions should be acknowledged and supported by Government. More is needed though, and the private sector will also be expected to play their part because, after all, they will benefit as much as anybody from a well-educated, well trained and orderly society. It is acknowledged that the business community does much already but we should not be afraid of asking for even greater levels of support if it is needed. Let no one stop this from happening. Mrs. Cheryl Ann Jones, Permanent Secretary December, 2013 vi | P a g e

Introduction Turks and Caicos Islands – land and its people1 The Turks and Caicos Islands are a British Overseas Territory consisting of the larger Caicos Islands and smaller Turks Islands, two groups of tropical islands in the Lucayan Archipelago, part of the larger Antilles island grouping. They are known primarily for tourism and as an offshore financial centre. The total population is 31,458, of whom approximately 24,000 live on Providenciales in the Caicos Islands2 The Turks and Caicos Islands lie southeast of Mayaguana in the Bahamas island chain and north of the island of Hispaniola. Cockburn Town, the capital since 1766, is situated on Grand Turk Island slightly more than 1,000 kilometres east-southeast of Miami in the United States. The islands are geographically contiguous with the Bahamas, but are politically separate. The eight main islands and some 300 smaller islands have a total land area of 616.3 square kilometres consisting primarily of low, flat limestone with extensive marshes and mangrove swamps along with a significant area of beach front (surely not 332 square kilometres?). The weather is usually sunny and relatively dry but suffers frequent hurricanes. The islands have limited natural fresh water resources; private cisterns collect rain water for drinking. The primary natural resources are spiny lobster, conch and other shellfish. The two distinct island groups are separated by the Turks Island Passage. Figure 1::Map of Turks and Caicos Islands

It is this geography that makes for most of the challenges faced in planning for education in the country. 1 2

From Wikipedia DEPS 2012 Census

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The latest population data from the 2012 census is presented below: Table 1: Population by age group, 2012

Total population Providenciales Grand Turk and Salt Cay North Caicos Middle Caicos South Caicos Parrot Cay Total

0 to 3 year pop

4 to 11 year pop

1447 299

2330 546

12 to 16 year pop 1273 364

60 3 59

144 21 133

104 11 83

1868

3174

1835

23,769 4939 1312 168 1139 131 31,458

Turks and Caicos Islands – its education system3 The Turks and Caicos Islands have an educational system that dates back to the immediate postemancipation period in the early 1840s. For more than a century, the provision of primary education for the mass of the population was the prime focus of the effort on the part of the Government. Following the Second World War, the thrust to expand secondary education that was witnessed in the rest of the Caribbean did not leave the TCI untouched, and as devolution of control to local legislature evolved, the representatives of the people insisted on the expansion of secondary education as a prime objective of government policy. This effort on the part of the state was complemented by the work of religious organizations that responded to the demand for secondary education in 1921. It was only a matter of time before interest in access to tertiary education and postsecondary training would have led to the establishment of the required structures. By 1994 TCI had established its own Community College. It could be said that the country now has a well articulated educational system spanning all the levels of education, even though at the highest level, the post-secondary and tertiary sector is still in the process of emerging. Figure 2: The education structure Age

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18 World of work

Early childhood EC1 EC2

Primary school I1

I2

G1

G2

G3

G4

High School G5

G6

F1

F2

F3

F4

F5

CC or other inst Post sec programs

Compulsory education

Other institutions Further studies

World of work

The Legal Framework4 The Education Ordinance, Chapter 100 of the Laws of the Turks and Caicos, is the primary legislation underpinning the operation of the educational system of TCI. The Ordinance confers power on the Minster of Education to promote the education system of the Islands by the establishment of institutions devoted to the development of the human resources of the community. The ordinance 3 4

Derived in its entirety from the Five Year Education Development Plan, 2006 to 2010 Derived in its entirety from the Five Year Education Development Plan, 2006 to 2010

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recognises three stages of public education – primary, secondary and tertiary - but makes provision for pre-school, special, adult, technical or vocational and health and family life education. The school system is recognised to be comprised of a public or private system. The Minister is enjoined to provide such number of public schools as is necessary to secure a place for all students in the compulsory school age group – from four to sixteen years of age.

Foundations for the Plan International and national obligations There are certain international obligations, in particular, the Millennium Development Goals and Education For All goals that the Government of TCI (TCIG) has committed to and that need to be taken into account whilst developing this Plan. The eight Millennium Development Goals as developed by the United Nations are: Goal 1 Goal 2 Goal 3 Goal 4 Goal 5 Goal 6 Goal 7 Goal 8

Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger Achieve universal primary education Promote gender equality and empower women Reduce child mortality Improve maternal health Combat HIV/AIDS and other diseases Ensure environmental sustainability. Develop a global partnership for development.

It is reasonable to believe, even with the current economic climate, that those goals relating to education can be achieved within the time frame. The UNESCO International Commission on Education for the 21st Century argues that education is a process of lifelong learning and proposed four pillars to be used as guiding principles to determine the objective and content of schooling and these are: 1. 2. 3. 4.

Learning to live together Learning to be Learning to know Learning to do

The TCI MoE has adopted these, and then modified and expanded the principles to suit the TCI. As a result, three further pillars have been added: 5. Learning to think 6. Learning to communicate 7. Learning to change National / macro level policy framework The overall objectives of the Plan are consistent with the national vision as articulated in the Socio Economic Development Plan – 2008 to 2017: By 2017 the Turks and Caicos will be a balanced, diversified and competitive economy which provides a high standard of living for all in a safe and secure environment where environmental protection is the cornerstone of all our development efforts The education contribution to this comes from the vision as put forward in the 2006 to 2010 Education Development Plan.

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A unified and professionalised educational service and system with a firmly established, widely accepted and acknowledged unity of purpose, working through mutually beneficial strategic partnerships with all relevant publics to provide the widest array of learning opportunities for all, as the major source of meaningful and sustainable empowerment, appropriate for a sound quality of life in the 21st century The Socio Economic Development Plan starts with the statements that: We, the People of Turks and Caicos Will Build a Society, Committed to:  Advancing the livelihood of and empowering all citizens, with economic and social opportunities to achieve their full potential, irrespective of social origin;  Promoting the fundamental rights of all, at the same time as each recognises a responsibility to the other;  Creating an environment welcoming to those invited to join TCIslanders in the development of the economy and society of Turks and Caicos Islands;  Engendering national pride in the achievements of TCIslanders and in their space, and so managing the national patrimony to bequeath a resource of value to be equally cherished by generations to come; and  Maintaining a society that would assure the fullest participation of all in the development of the country and in the sharing of the benefits of its growth Focus of the Strategic Plan This Plan presents eight Strategic Imperatives for education in the Turks and Caicos Islands and identifies outcomes expected and the main strategies for achieving these. The Plan covers the years 2014 to 2018 and builds on the progress made in the Five Year Education Development Plan 20062010 (Ministry of Education, Youth, Sports, Arts and Culture, 2006). This Plan will be implemented over a period of major public sector expenditure control across the whole of the Turks and Caicos Government. It is recognised that the situation can change very quickly and that even five years is a long period for a plan to remain current in this environment. As such, this Plan will be subject to an annual planning and monitoring process. Education has long been a priority for Government of all persuasions and as such the objectives are consistent with previous initiatives. It is not expected, in the event of a change in Government, that there will be any significant changes in policy direction. Methodology and consultative process This Plan has been a long time in gestation. The Five Year Education Development Plan has never been formally reviewed and nor has there ever been an effective implementation strategy formulated in order to realise the outcomes expected. The TCI has experienced a degree of turmoil in recent years and when Government was restored they called for a series of consultations relating to education. These consultations, along with the Education Development Plan, 2006 to 2010, have been used as core documents in the development of this plan. This plan has been formulated following consultations with core groups, discussions, visits to all Islands in the Turks and Caicos and meetings with key TCIG officials. Organisation of the Plan The Plan is organised in a number of sections as outlined below: The Introduction that provides background information and an overview of the Plan. The Strategic Imperatives. There are eight Strategic Imperatives and it is these that form the main part of the Plan. The Strategic Imperatives broadly define the critical areas to be addressed in order 10 | P a g e

that the education system can perform as expected. There is a log frame at the end of each of the Strategic Imperative sections which provide timelines for implementation and some indicative costs. There are a few Cross cutting issues that are very important but that do not sit naturally within any of the Strategic Imperative sections. These are dealt with in a similar fashion to the Strategic Imperatives. Projected enrolment and staffing provides detail of expected enrolment and staffing levels in the public schools. Finances provides detail of expected expenditures for each of the Strategic Imperatives for the plan period as well as regular recurrent expenditures. Monitoring Framework describes the monitoring and evaluation framework for the Plan. It collates the targets that are identified throughout the Plan and also includes a Performance Assessment Framework (PAF). Annexes. There are a number of issues that have arisen during the formulation of this Plan that deserve greater consideration and discussion. Each of these issues is discussed in a little more detail in these annexes and in some cases may help to explain the way in which certain decisions were reached.

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The Strategic Imperatives This chapter provides information on each of the eight Strategic Imperatives. In addition to these specific Strategic Imperatives there are also a number of cross cutting issues, of no lesser importance, but that do not sit naturally as a part of any of the eight Strategic Imperatives. These are dealt with in a separate chapter with their own related strategies and activities. Each of the eight Strategic Imperatives are organised in a similar fashion. First, is a brief narrative that sets the scene and provides a rationale for the particular Strategic Imperative. The current situation is analysed and this is followed by an explanation as to how these imperatives are going to be realised. These narratives are followed by a number of key outcomes and the strategies and activities that will be required in order to achieve the outcomes. After this main section there are a few notes on any cost implications. It has not yet been possible to assign anything other than indicative costs. This is because, first, the costs of many of the activities will be determined by policy decisions that have yet to be made and, second, that work still needs to be done to calculate the costs of some activities. It is important that decision makers at all levels be made aware of the cost implications of making a particular decision although it is equally important to stress that cost should not be the only, or even necessarily the primary, consideration in the process of policy deliberation. There is a table giving some indicative costs of the initiatives proposed for that particular imperative. This is followed by a section showing the responsibilities of different stakeholders ranging from Government to schools and parents. Finally, in each section there are two or three key indicators identified and these are used for the Performance Assessment Framework (PAF). The outcomes, strategies and activities are further outlined in log frame form at the end of each Imperative. The log frame provides an indicative time line, indicative costs, the indicators for the strategies and activities that have been identified as well as an attempt to prioritise the individual activities. The strategy references shown in bold in the narratives are linked to the activity references in column 1 of this first log frame. The second column of the log frame shows the priority attached to each activity.   

Priority 1 (red) activities are those that if not achieved will seriously compromise the successful implementation of the Plan Priority 2 (orange) activities are those that need to be achieved if TCI are to achieve the wider development goals in education Priority 3 (green) activities are those that, whilst highly desirable, are not absolutely critical to the achievement of higher level goals

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Strategic Imperative 1: Provide the number of school places to equitably meet Government targets and international commitments The primary sector includes two years of infant and six of primary education. Tables of the most recent data are shown in the section on enrolment and staffing projections and also in Annex 2. Anecdotally, virtually all children enrol in schools and attrition is very small. Most of the children enter school at the age of four years, as per the education policy. The number of children from overseas varies from island to island. The primary sector is still considered one of the priorities with the quality of education provided being the major concern along with the overcrowding in some instances that is in danger of compromising the quality of education provided. Compulsory education continues in secondary schools from Form 1 to Form 5 although there is no obligation for children to remain at school beyond the age of 16 years. The children attend either one of the four public secondary schools or one of a number of schools operating in the private sector. Successful completion of Form 5 entitles students to a Secondary Education Certificate, Diploma or a Statement of Attendance. The award that a student gets depends upon his or her performance and attendance. On entry into secondary school, students are streamed on the basis of their performance in the exam sat at the end of Grade 6, the Grade Six Achievement Test (GSAT). The high schools have to deal with an extremely wide range of ability and whilst this may be manageable in the two larger schools because they have a much larger number of classes it can cause problems in the smaller institutions. Students are able to move between the streams but it is not clear how frequently this happens. On completion of Form 5, the students wishing to continue on to further academic studies must do so at their own cost or on a scholarship provided by the Turks and Caicos Islands Government or privately. Scholarships are awarded for students to study A levels, usually in the science disciplines, at the BWI Collegiate on Providenciales or to undertake Associate Degree programs at the Community College. The BWI Collegiate is the more expensive option even though it is only a partial scholarship that is awarded. It is one of the strengths of education in TCI that there are so many different ways in which students are able to matriculate – the International Baccalaureate is also available at BWI Collegiate. This is discussed more fully in Annex 3. Fees are not charged at either the primary or the secondary schools although parents are required to pay for student work books (primary) or textbooks (secondary), as well as uniforms and other attendant costs. Text books are provided by Government in the primary schools and there are sufficient books to allow for one to be shared between two children. The costs to parents are not considered prohibitive and it is estimated that they have to pay in the region of $100 a year for the work books. Small sums are budgeted by the Department of Social Development (DSD) for children from needy homes. In the 2013/14 DSD budget there was $2000 appropriated for the purchase of text books. The system for the purchase of text books appears cumbersome, it is slightly different on Providenciales than elsewhere, but it is reported to be effective even on outer islands where there is a Treasury presence. In addition to the text book purchases, the Department of Social Development and Gender Affairs provides support through welfare benefits to children in need. There is an appropriation of $100,000 in the 2013 /14 budget for this. These children benefit from school books being purchased as well as from uniform provision and small stipends. The DSD works with the Guidance Counsellors in the schools. In October, 2013, there were 93 children benefitting from this program and a further 23 were looked after by foster carers, supported by the same Department. Despite the textbook purchase scheme and the allowances paid to teachers for them to purchase materials there is still a shortage of, in particular, teacher resource materials and consumables that all schools require. There is no policy relating to class size but 25 is a recommended size for infant and 28 for primary classes. 30 is considered to be the maximum. The classes on Provo in the Infant 1 grade all appear to be 26 suggesting that this may be the recommended maximum size. Practitioners advocate that 13 | P a g e

infant classes should be between 15 and 18. The CARICOM ECD Guidelines5 could be used as a guide to help TCI determine class sizes. Classes get larger as they move through the grades due, first, to there being very few drop outs and, second, to a rather larger number of transfers in as a result of new immigrants enrolling their children in the public system. In general, the country has done well in providing sufficient space for all of its children. The tables below show total enrolments in primary schools, public and private for the compulsory grades. The final column in the first of these tables shows the percentages attending public and private schools. Table 2: Primary school enrolments, 2013/14

2013/2014 Enrolment Primary KI K2 G1 G2 G3 G4 G5 G6 Sub-total Spec. Educ. Total Primary

Public Public Total Private Private Total Boys Girls Public Boys Girls Private 140 133 273 148 171 319 140 126 266 102 96 198 140 159 299 108 72 180 183 191 374 70 52 122 149 164 313 72 56 128 120 140 260 58 60 118 168 151 319 53 58 111 178 164 342 46 35 81 1218 1228 2446 657 600 1257 44 31 75 0 1262

1259

2521

657

600

1257

2013 592 464 479 496 441 378 430 423 3703 75 3778

Table 3: High school enrolments, 2013 / 2014

Secondary Form 1 F2 F3 F4 F5 Total Secondary

Public & Public Public Public Public Private Boys Girls Total Boys Girls Total Overall 153 132 285 33 16 49 171 158 329 37 36 73 155 167 322 29 32 61 140 177 317 23 24 47 142 147 289 15 24 39 761 781 1542 137 132 269

334 402 383 364 328 1811

The most critical issue in the primary sector is the overcrowding in the Providenciales primary schools and this needs an urgent response. There are a number of options available for alleviating this problem. If a significant rise in class size is discounted then it becomes inevitable that there will need to be new facilities established. One possibility would be for existing schools to be expanded but this is not desirable because of space consideration and also the fact that schools will become too large. A completely new primary school could be established but the MoE option is for a

5

http://www.caricom.org/jsp/community_organs/cohsod_education/early_childhood_development_guidelines .pdf

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kindergarten centre to be established to cater for the Infant 1 and 2 classes from across all three schools. (Strategy ES1.1.2). Target 1 For an Early Childhood Centre to be established by 2017 Prior to this an interim measure will have to be put in place with the placement of container classrooms to house the infant classes (Strategy ES1.1.1). In order to guard against the repetition of the use of container classrooms all schools will be required to produce school plans that would include an infrastructure component that would identify, well in advance, when new buildings are going to be required as a result of increasing population. The Ministry would then be in a position to be able to use these and complete a national infrastructure plan (Strategy ES1.1.3). The establishment of an Early Childhood Centre would also have the effect of easing pressure on the primary schools that would now only have to cater for Grades 1 to 6. Target 2 National school infrastructure plan completed by 2014 The most pressing issue regarding access to secondary education is the overcrowding at the Clement Howell High School. This has been brought on both by increasing numbers going through the primary schools in Providenciales and also, anecdotally, as a result of parents moving their children from the private schools back to the public providers as a result of the harsher economic climate and an increasing confidence in the public school system. There are, again, a number of options available and it is recommended that as an emergency measure the school introduce shift teaching until such time as a more permanent solution is at hand (Strategy ES2.1.1). There are many ways in which shift teaching can be managed in this situation and much can be learnt from international experience. There will be no need for large numbers of further staff to be employed although there may be extra allowances needed as some teachers may be required to work outside of their normal hours of duty (see Annex 5 for further discussion). In the longer term, the simplest solution would be to build a second high school on Providenciales but doing so may mean the country is missing out on other opportunities. There are demands for a vocational education pathway to be made available in the high schools and, as is discussed as a part of S1 7, there is also a need for TVET courses to be made available for TCI as a whole. It is, then, a preferred option to establish a separate Technical Institute for students in Forms 4 and 5 to follow a non-academic pathway (Strategy ES2.1.4). This would lead to students being able to gain both CXC and Caribbean Vocational Qualifications (CVQ). These courses may also be made available to students who have recently completed Form 5 and require further training so that they are able to compete in the employment market. It is expected that this institution would be a part of the TCICC which would also offer more advanced TVET courses – see SI 7. See Annex 6 for discussion of possible options for the establishment of this institution. The figure below shows what the education structure in Providenciales might look like as a result of these changes and could be replicated on other islands as enrolments grow.

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Figure 3: Possible education structure for Providenciales

These measures would lessen the pressure on the Clement Howell High School but not to the extent of being sufficient to effectively ameliorate the problems currently being faced. It is further proposed that a middle school be established on the present site of the Oseta Jolly Primary School to cater for the Form 1 and 2 classes (Strategy ES2.1.2). This would ease the difficulties faced by some young children as a result of having to move from a primary school to a large high school with attendant social pressures. There are a number of issues that would need to be resolved prior to such a school being established. There would need to be some specialist rooms, such as for woodwork. There may also be issues relating to staff who presently work in both the lower and the upper schools. This would certainly be the case if the two sites were a distance apart but creative timetabling should be able to overcome the problem given that the two schools will be close together. Finally, the curriculum for such a middle school will also have to be considered. As a result of this initiative the Oseta Jolly Primary School (Strategy ES2.1.3) will need to be relocated. All of these infrastructural development projects are discussed further and indicative costs provided in Annex 7. Target 3 To build a new primary school by 2016 There are a number of ways in which the arrangement for students wishing to further their academic studies beyond Form 5 can be made more cost effective for both parents and Government. The preferred strategy would be for the TCICC to be further developed to allow for A levels to be offered as well as the present Associate degree programs (Strategy ES3.1.1). Dormitory accommodation (Strategy ES3.1.3) would need to be established in order to cater for students from other islands. This would be significantly cheaper than providing even partial scholarships to private institutions. The present system of students finding their own accommodation and being awarded a stipend should not be seen as a long term solution. Prior to a dormitory being constructed a register of approved accommodation providers should be established if only to give parents assurance that their children will be looked after responsibly. Scholarships would be offered to selected students gaining places at the Community College (Strategy ES3.1.2) There will need to be other work done at the TCICC, such as the upgrading of the science facilities and there may be opportunities for some facility sharing between the college and the H. J. Robinson High School. A problem that has been affecting all schools is a lack of funds for basic maintenance. This will eventually result in a need for rehabilitation rather than maintenance. In theory, the schools are allocated maintenance funding in the Public Works Department budget but they then have to compete for these funds with other schools and also other sectors. All schools should be required to 16 | P a g e

develop their own maintenance plans (Strategies ES1.2.1 and ES2.2.1), as part of their School Improvement Plans, which should then be used by the Department to formulate a national maintenance plan (Strategies ES1.2.2 and ES2.1.2). Funds must then be provided in the form of grants to allow for maintenance work to be carried out in schools. In an ideal world these funds would be allocated directly to the schools. However, in order to ensure accountability Governing Bodies would have to be established before this could happen – see SI2. Outcomes, strategies and activities ES1 Sufficient places in an appropriate and safe environment for the 4 to 11 year age group  Establish a sufficient number of primary schools o Use a containerised classroom model to establish a temporary site for a kindergarten centre. o Establish a permanent kindergarten centre at Provo o Complete an infrastructure plan for primary education to include both new classrooms and other facilities  Keep schools adequately maintained o Complete a maintenance plan for existing facilities o Provide maintenance grants to schools. o Completion of school plans to include an annual maintenance component. ES2 Sufficient places in an appropriate and safe environment for the 12 to 16 year age group  Establish a sufficient number of schools to cater for Forms 1 to 5. o Introduce / Conduct a feasibility study, to include costing, for the implementation of shift teaching at Clement Howell High School on a temporary basis. o Establish a middle school on the site of the Oseta Jolly Primary School, adjacent to Clement Howell High School. o Relocate Oseta Jolly Primary School o Establish a Technical Training Institute o Complete an infrastructure plan for secondary education to include both new classrooms and other facilities  Keep high schools adequately maintained o Complete a maintenance plan for existing facilities o Provide maintenance grants to schools. o Completion of school plans to include an annual maintenance component. ES3 Suitable opportunities for students to continue their studies beyond Form 56  Provide opportunities for students to continue studies beyond Form 5 o Establish more places at the TCICC for A level courses o Award scholarships for students to take A levels, Associate .and Bachelors Degree programmes. o Establish boarding facilities at the TCICC Cost and planning implications There will be significant cost implications given the need for three new institutions, all on Providenciales. These institutions are an Early Childhood Centre, a primary school to replace the places lost due to the Oseta Jolly Primary School becoming the Middle School and a new Technical Institute. This huge construction program will need to be carefully phased and budgeted for. There are some broad indicative costings available for the building of some of these institutions. The cost of a technical institute is particularly difficult to put an estimated figure on because there has never been one built before. The estimates for this institute have been taken from estimates for high school buildings.

6

See also Strategic Imperative 8

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 Temporary containerised early childhood education centre $761,500  A new primary school to replace the Oseta Jolly school $5,705,750  The permanent early childhood education centre $3,951,600  Establishment of a middle school $1,841,750  A new technical institute $9,239,400  TCICC development $1,000,000 Greater detail and a possible time line for the actions that need to take place are provided in Annex 7. Table 4: Summary of costs for Strategic Imperative 1 initiatives.

2013 Recurrent Development Total

2014 3.0 761.5 764.5

2015 317.0 4272.8 4589.8

2016 316.1 4272.8 4588.9

2017 325.3 5055.6 5380.9

Total 341.1 5055.6 5396.7

1302.5 19418.3 20720.8

Summary of responsibilities Government   

Formulation of a comprehensive infrastructure development plan Budgeting for construction program Budgeting for maintenance

Schools   

Completion of School Improvement Plans. Implementing transitional arrangements Community College to develop additional programs for post-secondary studies

Monitoring / indicators   

Enrolment rates at Infant 1, Grade 1 and Grade 6. Enrolment rates at Form 1 and 5. Average class size in Infant 1, Form 1

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Ref

Implementation period and costs

Activity

Establish sufficient schools ES 1 ES1.1

ES1.1.1

ES1.1.2

2013

2014

2015

2016

Perf Indicator Rec/d ev

2017 Tota l

Ensure that there are sufficient places in an appropriate and safe environment for the 4 to 11 year age group Establish a sufficient number of primary schools Use a containerised classroom model to establish a temporary site for a kindergarten centre Establish a kindergarten centre at Provo

761.5 Dev

761.5

1975.8 1975.8 3951.6 Dev

# of classrooms constructed # of children enrolled

ES1.1.3 Complete an infrastructure plan for primary education to include both new classrooms and other facilities ES1.2 ES1.2.1 ES1.2.2

ES1.2.3

ES2 ES2.1

ES2.1.1

2.0

Keep schools adequately maintained Complete a maintenance plan for existing facilities

2.0

4.0 Rec -

2.0

Provide maintenance grants to schools. Completion of school plans to include an annual maintenance component.

187.7

190.8

200.7

2.0

4.0 Rec

206.7

785.9 Rec

$ spent

-

Ensure that there are sufficient places in an appropriate and safe environment for the 12 to 16 year age groupEstablish a sufficient number of schools to cater for Forms 1 to 5 Introduce / Conduct a feasibility study, to include costing, for the implementation of shift teaching at Clement Howell High School on a temporay basis

-

3.0 Rec

3.0

ES2.1.2 Establish a middle school on the site of the Clement Howell High School.

920.0

1840.0 Dev

2852.8 2852.8

5705.6 Dev

920.0

# of sts enrolled in middle school

ES2.1.3 ES2.1.4 ES2.1.5

ES2.2 ES2.2.1 ES2.2.2 ES2.2.3

ES3 ES3.1 ES3.1.1 ES3.1.2

ES3.1.3

Relocate Oseta Jolly Primary School Establish a Technical Training Institute Complete an infrastructure plan for secondary education to include both new classrooms and other facilities Keep high schools schools adequately maintained Complete a maintenance plan for existing facilities Provide maintenance grants to schools. Completion of school plans to include an annual maintenance component

3079.8 3079.8 6159.6 Dev

2.0

2.0

Inf plan endorsed by cabinet (?)

2.0 121.3

125.3

124.6

2.0

4.0 Rec

126.4

497.6 Rec

-

Ensure that there are suitable opportunities for students to continue their studies beyond Form 5 Provide opportunities for students to continue studies beyond Form 5 Establish more places at the TCICC for A level courses Award scholarships for students to take A levels, Associate .and Bachelors Degree programmes Establish boarding facilities at the TCICC

4.0 Red

# of sts enrolled in TTI

-

500.0

500.0

-

# of courses offered

-

# of scholarships awarded

1000.0 Dev

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Strategic Imperative 2: Improve the quality and accountability of Leadership and Management The education system in TCI is highly centralised and this is an appropriate way for it to be administered. There is both a Ministry and a Department of Education. The Ministry is responsible for matters of policy, planning and administration whilst the Department is responsible for all aspects of running the schools. The Department of Education is divided into two Zones with the Director and some of the staff being based on Providenciales whilst the Deputy Director, along with the remainder of the staff, is on Grand Turk. The staffing in the two locations are not mirror images of each other. There are education officers in both locations responsible for supervising the schools. In addition to these, Zone 1 boasts the Examinations Officer, an officer responsible for the Teacher Mentorship Program and Early Childhood Education Officer whilst at Zone 2 there is an Education Psychologist. These ‘specialist’ officers serve all the schools in the country and not just those in their respective zone. When finances allow, the functions of these officers should be replicated in the two zones. The latest advances in IT mean that conference calls can be made via Skype between the two zones and also with schools means that there is no real reason for relocating an education field officer to either South or North Caicos. A key determinant of the success of an institution is recognised as being the quality of the leadership and it is the Principal who provides this leadership. At this level, staff appointments are made by the Ministry, in consultation with the Human Resources Directorate (HRD), and this process takes into account the appraisal system. A professional development program for teachers is discussed in SI 3 but there is also a need for leadership and management training for school principals and other senior staff. Specially designed programs should be identified for these staff, bearing in mind the need for preparing younger staff for more senior roles, over and above the course that they are undertaking as a part of the Civil Service Training Program (Strategy LM1.2). There are Governance issues in both primary and secondary schools in that the schools do not operate under the auspices of a Governing Body. It is important that such bodies are established as per the Education Policy document of 2004. The Department has a role to play in providing guidance to the schools in this matter. The Education Advisory Board should make a determination as to the Chairperson of each school. The Chairperson, with school authorities, should then nominate the other body members, consistent with the make up as per the Policy (find reference) and these would then be endorsed by the Minister (Strategy LM1.3). Target 4 That all schools have legally constituted Boards of Governors by 2017 Schools have very little responsibility for their finances. The primary schools finances are managed almost entirely by the DoE and the only funds that they have at their immediate disposal are those that they can raise themselves. The high schools are cost centres but they have been starved of funds in recent years and this will lead, eventually, to schools being in need of rehabilitation rather than simply maintenance. It is great testament to school leaders that the schools have operated as successfully as they have in recent times. The establishment of Governing Bodies may put the schools in a better position to be able to harness the resources, financial and otherwise, of the local communities. All schools have to prepare plans, that are usually for a two year period, that are required to be submitted to the Director of Education prior to the start of the school year. There is no standard format and a number of schools do not see them as being of great significance. A standard format should be devised, (Strategy LM1.4.2) in consultation with Principals, and a training workshop conducted (Strategy LM 1.4.1). As a result these plans will be seen as valuable tools for both school 20 | P a g e

planning and also to help the Ministry and the Department in their planning and budgeting. They should be called School Improvement Plans, a name that accurately reflects the wide range of components such as plant and maintenance, teacher professional development, school materials, Child Friendly School concepts and extra curricula activities that should be included in these plans. (Strategy LM 1.4.3). A number of schools have been adopted by hotel chains or others in the private sector. This is encouraging and indicative of the support and goodwill shown by those in the private sector although in many cases this support is ad hoc in nature. The adopting of schools initiative could become more of a real partnership if School Improvements Plans were completed, and then endorsed by the appropriate authorities. It would then be possible for the adopting company to ‘buy in to’ that plan and commit over a longer period. At the Ministry and Department levels there are some significant gaps in capacity that severely compromise the ability of the administration to respond to the changing education needs of the TCI. This should be addressed through a review of capacity (Strategy LM2.1.1) with a view to restructuring both the Ministry and the Department in line with the needs of this Plan. There will be a need to redesignate (Strategy LM2.1.2) some of the positions and to present a business plan for the creation of further positions (Strategy LM2.1.3). It may be that if the number of positions within the school system is slightly reduced that these positions could be redesignated and used to solve some of the capacity problems in the Administration. In particular, there are four areas that can be identified for almost immediate attention. First, there is no planner, although this situation will be alleviated later in 2013. It is expected that this position will also have responsibility for the collection and analysis of school enrolment and staffing statistics – see below. Second, there is a need for the position of the Inclusive Education Officer to be put back into the budget and for an officer to be appointed. The position has been vacant for a number of years and is now no longer a part of the establishment. See the cross cutting issues section on page 63. Third, there is a need for a curriculum development specialist to lead a Curriculum Development Unit – see SI 5. This unit should also include the officers who are responsible for assessment. Assistance should be available from external sources in order to support this unit. The teachers should play a major role in curriculum development but it is recognised that there is also a need for a significant degree of expertise to guide the process. This unit should be based within the Department or the Ministry. Finally, the proposed establishment of a Technical Institute (see SI 1 and SI 7) will bring with it the need for a TVET specialist officer to work within the Department. This officer would be required to take on a wide variety of responsibilities ranging from curriculum and accreditation issues through to instructor development. It needs to be determined whether this officer, although a part of the Department, would be best located at the proposed Technical Institute. There is no readily available electronic access to the most recent education statistics and other information that can then be used to inform decision making. Indeed, the gathering of any data can be an extremely arduous task. An Education Management Information System (EMIS) should be acquired, (Strategy LM2.2.1) following in the footsteps of other countries in the sub-region where the Education Development Management Unit of the Organisation of East Caribbean States has spearheaded the launching of an open source EMIS developed by DevInfo in partnership with UNESCO. The first step for the MoE is to look at all available EMIS options and settle on one that will be both cost effective and provide the ease of use that is critical if it is to be successful The EMIS, in the initial stages, should provide information on student and staffing numbers, teacher qualifications, present school infrastructure and future needs. Planning staff from the ministry and school staff should meet to devise a census instrument that will deliver all that is needed (Strategy LM2.2.2). It should be capable of expansion to include personnel records and also to be used at the school level for more detailed student records. Finally, if the best use is to be made of an EMIS then 21 | P a g e

there needs to training for both administrative staff (Strategy LM2.2.4) and senior school staff (Strategy LM2.2.3). In a similar vein, efforts must be made to ensure that vital records are kept safe, both electronic and paper records. All records of examination results and other archival records should be either digitalised or kept safe in a secure environment (Strategy LM2.2.6). It is important that Government policies and initiatives are disseminated to the people who will be affected by any changes in policy. In particular, parents need to be kept abreast of any changes that may take place. There are a number of instances in this plan where there is an important need for public awareness and for perceptions to change. Some are to do with information sharing (Strategy LM2.3.2) but others are more important and call for changes in attitudes. A good example of this is the need to change the public perception of technical and vocational education and to remove the stigma that seems to be attached. This could be best achieved through a wide ranging community awareness campaign using all types of media (Strategy LM2.3.3). There should be an effective communications policy and plan formulated (Strategy LM 2.3.1) that makes use of all media and that covers all aspects of communications, ranging from office practices through to sophisticated campaigns. It is expected that this will require outside technical assistance to achieve this. A critical function of the administration is to make every effort to ensure that the system is cost effective for both parents and for Government. At present, the salaries and personnel allowances for school staff make up about 60% of the education budget and the scholarship fund takes up a further 20%. This means that there is very little funding that remains available to be spent on any of the quality initiatives that are being proposed in this plan. In order for this pan to be achievable the TCIG will have to either increase the funds that are made available for education or make a better and more efficient use of the resources currently at its disposal. There will need to be some difficult decisions made and this is discussed more fully later in this Plan. It should also be remembered that the Ministry is not only responsible for education but also has to cater for the needs of the Department of Culture, Library Services and Sports. At the primary level there is overstaffing in a number of the schools in the country as can be illustrated by some very low pupil teacher ratios – see table 37 in Annex 2. Whilst the national figure of just under 16 for primary pupil teacher ratios is acceptable there may be room for some minor rationalisation at a few of the medium sized schools. However, the widespread concern regarding the standard of reading amongst primary school children coupled with large numbers of immigrant children entering the system and a need to cater for the more academically gifted children means that specialist teachers will remain critical for schools during the plan period. The expectation of eliciting major savings should therefore be tempered and a target should be set to achieve a minor rise in the pupil teacher ratio by 2017. Target 5 That the Primary School pupil teacher ratio be 17 by 2017 This will mean that there will be no rise in overall staffing levels in the primary schools for the period of the plan although there may need to be some reallocation of teachers between schools. The situation in the high schools is similar with maybe even more room for rationalisation. There is a range of ratios with two of the schools reporting a pupil teacher ratio as low as 5. There are good reasons for this as these schools have low enrolments, due to their location and the obligation of Government to provide a secondary education for all, but continue to offer a wide range of subjects. This requires a large number of specialist teachers. It has been reported that some base level teachers have a very low teaching loads because they are unable, or unwilling, to teach outside of their specialist field. Nevertheless, a target should be set.

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Target 6 That the High School pupil teacher ratio be 12 by 2017 Initially, a review must be undertaken to determine just how many lessons of each subject need to be taught at each level at each high school to cover all subject areas. If this information is then married with guidelines as to how many lessons each week teachers of varying levels should be required to teach then a determination can be made as to the number of teachers required. This can then be compared with the current stock of teachers and their areas of specialisation to be able to ascertain where the gaps are. This should then inform both the recruitment and the training process. Except in exceptional circumstances, all teachers recruited into the system should be able to offer at least two subjects to Form 5. The possibility of peripatetic teachers will also be considered for the high schools. There are a number operating in the primary sector and it is conceivable that teachers who specialise in a particular subject and are based at Clement Howell and H.J. Robinson High Schools could be deployed for certain days at Raymond Gardner and Marjorie Basden respectively. During the period of this plan, strategies will be put in place to, first, make the recruitment process more sensitive to the actual needs of the school in terms of teachers being required to teach a specified mix of subjects and, second, to upgrade the teachers already in situ so that they are able to teach in an increasing number of subject areas. Finally, it is expected that the integration of technology into the classroom will help students at the smaller schools if they are in a situation where there is not a fully qualified teacher available. They will be provided with all the material support that they require and it will be possible for them, through video conferencing, to take part in lessons and have face to face contact with teachers from other schools. Whilst it is accepted that these are not perfect solutions, a balance has to be made between the costs required to educate a very few students in a particular subject against the needs of the system as a whole. It is expected that if these measures are successful that a more ambitious pupil teacher ratio target can be set for the next plan period. Teachers will be allocated to schools, on a school by school basis, and numbers will be based upon the expected enrolment, the number of grades or forms covered by the school, and the need for specialist and non-teaching staff. It is estimated, on a conservative basis, that at least 3% of the teacher emoluments budget could be reallocated to areas of demonstrated need and also, in the first instance, to those schools that may need extra help due to a cut in the number of staff. As an example of the latter, the primary schools with very small enrolments may be required to introduce multi grade teaching. It might be expected that the teachers in these schools will receive professional development support and also that they would be provided with extra materials. In the high schools, it may well be the case that it will be harder for them to cover the whole range of subjects and to have a fully qualified teacher in each and every area. These schools will be equipped with the latest in technology to allow the small number of children who may be affected to be able to discuss their subject with teachers from the larger schools and also join in class discussions through conference calling and Skype. There is a need to consider aspects of teacher welfare, and this includes salary levels as well as other terms and conditions. A system of incentives has to be instituted so that TCIslanders can be, first, enticed to teaching and, second, that they can be retained. Whilst most of the staff at the primary schools are TCI residents, if not of TCI nationality, this is not the case in the high schools. The level of teacher salaries and allowances, for example, has been cited as a reason for the lack of TCI involvement in secondary school and Community College teaching as well as for the retention of primary school teachers. The pay scales should be reviewed and a new set of terms and conditions, comparable with those of other public servants, should be determined (Strategy LM3.2.2) so that remuneration reflects the 23 | P a g e

following, inter alia; qualifications, appraisal reports, the number of years’ experience, and seniority and special responsibilities held within a school – Head of Department, Librarian, Senior Teacher. The pay for a Principal should reflect the size of the school and the number of staff supervised. It has been suggested that the base level pay for teachers is satisfactory but there need to be improvements in the allowances provided for extra responsibilities. This would provide added incentives for teachers to excel. A further reason for pay rises being justified may be that some teachers may have heavier workloads as a result of the rationalisation exercise discussed earlier. The Board (who does it?) needs to considers all of these issues when it is next convened (Strategy LM3.2.1) The staffing structures of the schools needs reconsidering at the same time as the pay scales are reviewed. At present the primary schools, even the large ones, have a principal, a vice principal and then the remainder of the staff are designated as teachers. This very flat structure means that there is little incentive for the base level teachers because there are so few promotional positions. There is a need for Senior Teacher positions to be created to bridge the gap between the classroom teacher and the Vice Principal. It is envisaged that the Senior Teacher would be responsible for supervising the work of three or four classroom teachers (Strategy LM3.2.3). See Annex 8 for an example of a possible school structure. The situation is not as serious at the high schools where there are Heads of Department positions available that provide some incentive for teachers to excel in order to climb the ladder. The importance of ongoing professional development and the need to keep oneself professionally up to date is readily accepted for teachers and is the subject of SI 3. It is equally important for administrators. Officers from the Ministry and the Department participate in the Civil Service Training program but programs should be identified, there are many available online, that are directly related to education administration, management and planning. The training program that is developed should bear in mind the important need for succession planning and school teachers should be involved in these training programs when considered appropriate (Strategy LM1.1). The Education Advisory Board (EAB) and the Higher Education Board (HEB) are the bodies that provide policy and other advice to the Minister for Education and good governance has to be demonstrated at all times. The membership of these Boards is endorsed on an annual basis by the Minster (Strategy LM1.5.1). They are required to meet on at least four occasions each year (Strategy LM1.5.2) and these meetings are to be accurately minuted (Strategy LM1.5.2). There will inevitable need to be further meetings convened for special purposes but as much as possible these should be conducted via Skype or similar. As noted, it is expected that there will be severe financial pressures on Government expenditure during this plan period. In order that outcomes be achieved the Ministry is going to have to display sound financial prudence and make sure that their budgets are linked to their plans. When budgets are formulated they should be based upon this Plan and the activities planned for that particular year. Any expenditure made should contribute toward the achievement of outcomes. The regular appraisal and supervision of schools and teachers is needed in order to monitor standards. A new appraisal system, designed by the HRD, for all civil servants, including those in the teaching service, has been introduced in 2013. Teacher appraisals are conducted by the Principals and other senior staff within the schools and principals themselves being appraised by Education Officers from the Department (Strategy LM3.1.1). This new appraisal system should be allowed to be used for a number of years before reviewing to ensure that it is appropriate for teachers and then be reviewed if necessary (Strategy LM3.1.2). The appraisal system should be capable of being used for a variety of different purposes. First, it should be the vehicle that helps to inform the MoE for certifying first year teachers. Second, the appraisals should be used by the HRD when deliberating on appointments, particularly those to senior positions. Finally, they should be used as a means of determining training needs for teachers and in the selection of officers for training opportunities. 24 | P a g e

Some school principals report having had appraisal visits from education officers and then receiving written reports on these visits. This type of school appraisal system does not seem to be the norm across the country and across all schools. A common format should be designed by education officers for use in all schools and this should include sections on basic statistics, school plant and equipment, student attendance and teaching quality (Strategy LM3.1.3). Such reports should be seen as being of great value to both schools and the education authorities as well as teachers. The schools should use the reports to identify areas of weakness that should be addressed in their School Improvement plans and should look to improve their performance in these areas. The Department of Education should use the reports to inform their own planning processes. The teachers should use these reports as a means of self assessment and self- improvement. (Strategy LM3.1.4). Target 7 That a school appraisal system be in place by 2015. Outcomes, strategies and activities LM1 Qualified leaders are in place across the education system and are supported by Boards (where applicable) and governing bodies  Provide leadership and management training opportunities for school leaders. o Identify appropriate training courses for school leaders and future school leaders. o Provide sponsorship opportunities to allow school leaders to further their own professional development. o Utilise online and e learning opportunities  Provide a program of staff development training for all Ministry / Department staff o Participate in the TCI Civil Service Training Program. o Identify specific education related courses for management and planning staff.  Establish Governing Bodies in all schools o Provide for such bodies in the Ordinance o Develop a standard Board of Governors constitution o Develop a Board of Governors / Management Handbook o Minister to confirm Chairs of Boards o Schools makes recommendations for membership o Minister endorses memberships  Develop school plans o Hold a workshop for all Principals to determine components that should be included in a school plan o Prepare a standard format for the school plan o All schools prepare plans based on agreed format  Sound and transparent governance of the education system o Annual endorsement by Minister of composition of EAB and HEB o Quarterly meetings of EAB and HEB o Minutes of meetings endorsed by Minister LM2 An administrative structure that is sensitive to the needs of the system  Restructure the Ministry / Department to reflect the needs of the system o Conduct a review of the capacity of the Department o Redesignate positions where appropriate o Make business case for further positions  Establish data requirements and reporting procedures with relevant accountability frameworks. o Acquisition of an Education Management Information System.

25 | P a g e

o

Facilitate workshop for development of suitable school census forms for different school levels o Training of education staff on the use of the system o Training of Principals and Deputy Principals in all schools o Conduct annual school census, submit data electronically and report annually o Archive all examination and other sensitive materials  Formulate a communications policy o Develop a Communications Policy o Regular passing on of information to parents o Public relations campaigns to alter public attitudes LM3 The effective management of teachers  Appraisal of teachers and schools on an annual basis o Principals and school managers appraise teachers on annual basis o Revise appraisal formats for teachers o Establish a format to be used for the appraisal of schools o Education officers appraise primary schools. o Education officers appraise high schools.  Deploy teachers in an efficient and cost effective fashion o Conduct review to determine number of high school teachers required. o Use review to inform recruitment process  Undertake a review of teacher terms and conditions o Convene board o Produce new set of terms and conditions o Restructure primary and high school staff positions Cost and planning implications There will be cost implications in terms of the courses that need to be identified and then run. The Education Officers need to be adequately resourced in order to be able to visit schools on a regular basis. There is also considerable scope for cost efficiencies with the teacher reallocation exercise. Table 5: Summary of costs for Strategic Imperative 2 initiatives

2013 Recurrent Development Total

2014 25.0

2015 44.9

2016 77.4

2017

Total

45.4

53.5

246.3

45.4

53.5

276.3

30.0 25.0

44.9

107.4

30.0

Summary of responsibilities Parents and the community will be responsible for  actively engaging with the Parent and Teacher Association and participating in all activities  ensuring that all boys and girls enrol and attend school The management of the school will be responsible for  formulation of Governing bodies  the appraising of all teaching staff.  completing School Improvement Plans  submitting census data on a timely basis The Ministry of Education / Government / Department of Education (????) will be responsible for  Appointing and paying all teachers  Allocating the number of teachers to each school  Establishing of Governing Bodies  Developing Governing Body Handbook.  Appointment of teaching staff. 26 | P a g e

 Administering a Professional Development program for school leaders.  Conducting an annual schools census  Appraising school Principals  Appraising schools Other partners in education, including donors and the private sector, will be responsible for:  Adopting schools  Supporting the Government and schools with the funding of some workshops Monitoring / indicators  % of schools with an approved Governing body  % of schools receiving appraisal reports  % of Department / Ministry staff taking part in professional development courses  % of school leaders undertaking a professional development program.  Pupil teacher ratios at primary and secondary.

27 | P a g e

Ref

Implementation period and costs

Activity

Leadership and management

2013

2014

2015

2016

Perf Indicator

Rec/ dev

2017 Tota l

Qualified leaders are in place across the education system and are supported by Boards (where LM1 applicable) and governing bodies LM1.1

Provide leadership and management training 1 opportunities for school leaders Identify appropriate training courses for school leaders and future school leaders.

LM1.1.1

LM1.1.2 LM1.1.3

LM1.2

2

5.0

5.0

5.0

LM1.2.2 2

15.0 Rec

Provide a program of staff development training for all Ministry / Department staff

-

-

Establish Governing Bodies in all schools

-

LM1.3.1

Provide for such bodies in the Ordinance

-

LM1.3.2

Develop a standard Board of Governors constitution

-

LM1.3.3

Develop a Board of Governors / Management Handbook

5.0 Rec

5.0

LM1.3.4

Minister to confirm Chairs of Boards

-

LM1.3.5

Schools makes recommendations for membership

-

LM1.3.6 LM1.4

LM1.4.1 LM1.4.2 LM1.4.3

Minister endorses membreships

Prepare a standard format for the school plan All schools prepare plans based on agreed format

LM1.5.2

Quarterly meetings of EAB and HEB

LM1.5.3

Minutes of meetings endorsed by Minister

% age of schools with legally const boards

-

Hold a workshop for all Principals to determine components that should be included in a school plan

LM1.5.1

LM2

-

Develop school plans

Sound and transparent governance of the education system Annual endorsement by Minister of composition of EAB and HEB

LM1.5

No. of awards given

-

Participate in the TCI Civil Service Training Program (proper name). Identify specific education related courses for management and planning staff

LM1.2.1

LM1.3

-

Provide sponsorship opportunities to allow school leaders to further their own professional development. Utilise online and e learning opportunities

3.9

3.9 Rec

3.9

3.9 Rec -

% age of schools producing approved plans

25.0

25.0

25.0

25.0

25.0

125.0 Rec -

An administrative structure that is sensitive to the needs of the system

-

Restructure the Administration to reflect the needs of the system LM2.1 LM2.1.1 LM2.1.2 LM2.1.3

LM2.2

LM2.2.1 LM2.2.2 LM2.2.3

Conduct a review of the capacity of the Department Redesignate positions where appropriate Make business case for further positions

2.6

Acquisition of an Education Management Information System. Training of education staff on the use of the system Training of Principals and Deputy

5.2 Rec -

Establish data requirements and reporting procedures with relevant accountability frameworks Facilitate workshop for development of suitable school census forms for different school levels

2.6

-

5.5

5.5 Rec -

28 | P a g e

LM2.2.1 LM2.2.2 LM2.2.3 LM2.2.4 LM2.2.5 LM2.2.6 LM2.3 LM2.3.1 LM2.3.2 LM2.3.3

Facilitate workshop for development of suitable school census forms for different school levels

5.5 Rec

5.5

Acquisition of an Education Management Information System. Training of education staff on the use of the system Training of Principals and Deputy Principals in all schools Conduct annual school census, submit data electronically and report annually Archive all examination and other sensitive materials

15.5 Rec

15.5 3.3

3.3

3.3

-

Formulate a communications policy

-

Develop Communications for Education Policy and Plan Regular passing on of information to parents Public relations campaigns to alter public attitudes

30.0 Dev

30.0

-

TheLM3 effective management of teachers

LM3.1

9.9 Rec

No of officers trained %age of schools submitting census forms on time

-

Appraisal of teachers and schools on an annual basis

-

LM3.1.1

Principals and school managers appraise teachers on annual basis

LM3.1.2

Revise appraisal formats for teachers

LM3.1.3

Establish a format to be used for the appraisal of schools

5.5

LM3.1.4

Education officers appraise primary schools

4.4

4.4

4.4

13.1 Rec

#no of appraisals submitted

LM3.1.5

Education officers appraise high schools

7.8

7.8

7.8

23.3 Rec

#no of appraisals submitted

LM3.2.2

Deploy teachers in an efficient and cost effective fashion Conduct review to determine number of high school teachers required. Use review to inform recruitment process

LM3.3

Undertake a review of teacher terms and conditions

LM3.2 LM3.2.1

5.5

5.5 Rec 5.5 Rec

-

LM3.3.1

Convene board

LM3.3.2

Produce new set of terms and conditions

3.0

3.0 Rec

LM3.3.3

Restructure primary and high school staff positions

3.0

3.0 Rec

4.0 Rec

4.0

29 | P a g e

Strategic Imperative 3: Improve Teachers’ Professional Development The availability of sufficient, well qualified teachers is critical in achieving outcomes of this Plan, and priority has to be placed on improving teacher quality (Outcome TPD1). It is imperative that all teachers be well trained and resourced and be accepted by society in general as a professional body of education practitioners. Teachers, for their part, must be prepared to make every effort to better themselves professionally, to keep abreast of the latest curriculum innovations and to act in a professional and responsible manner. In return, teachers should expect to be rewarded and remunerated fairly based upon their qualifications, their responsibilities and their performance. At present there is no association of teachers. They are a part of the Civil Service Union for the purpose of pay negotiations and the like although there has been discussion about the formation of union specifically for the teachers. Teachers have to be seen as being a professional body in the same way as are doctors, engineers and others in our society. A professional association should be formed by the teachers themselves and this will serve to improve the self esteem of teachers as well as their commitment and, equally as important, their morale. The terms and conditions for teachers, along with the development of a Code of Ethics, should reflect this new degree of professionalism – LM 3.3. There should be greater financial incentives for teachers who take the initiative and take responsibility for their own professional development. It is the responsibility of the Ministry to ensure that there are sufficient appropriately trained teachers to staff all schools. The Ministry should budget for them (Strategy TPD2.1.2) accordingly and then ensure that they are paid in a timely fashion (Strategy TPD2.1.3). There are two aspects to the preparation of a teacher. The first is the pre service training that they receive prior to working in the classroom and the second, arguably the more important, is the ongoing professional development that the teacher undergoes throughout their period of service. In order to accurately establish pre service needs there will have to be a substantive teacher supply demand study conducted. (Strategy TPD2.1.1). This study will determine the number of teachers that are going to be needed in the classroom in future years. The study will include an audit of the staff already in place and an assessment made, for the high schools, as to the number of sessions that teachers should be expected to teach. These figures will, in turn, inform as to the numbers of teachers that will need to be either trained or recruited each year. The numbers needed will clearly be affected by decisions regarding pupil teacher ratios, formulae designed to equitably and cost effectively allocate teachers and curriculum initiatives. In particular, decisions relating to the teaching of TVET subjects in the main stream public schools will have an effect on the demand for pre service teacher education. In addition, if decisions are made to lessen the reliance on overseas contract teachers then there will be an effect on pre service teacher education. All of these issues will need to be taken into account by the Community College and the Ministry when determining the number of places to be made available at the college each year (Strategy TPD2.2.1). Further, this study will inform the Ministry as to how many scholarships are required to be made available each year for teachers attending the Community College (Strategy TPD2.2.2). The Ministry, with the Department, should identify areas of the teaching force where there are gaps and recruit accordingly to fill these gaps. (Strategy TPD 2.2.4) The composition of the pre service course needs to be reviewed on a regular basis to ensure that the course remains consistent with any new initiatives that are taking place with regard to curriculum (Strategy TPD 1.1.1). It is also important that teachers are prepared for the rapidly changing classroom environment and that they are fully equipped to deal with, for example, the integration of IT into the classroom (Strategy TPD 1.1.2). One of the most important parts of the pre service training program is the teaching practice that must be well supervised and provide a useful learning experience for the students. Professional development for teachers has been identified as a key priority with all those consulted. One aspect of this is the upgrading of qualifications of teachers. The Ministry wishes all teachers to 30 | P a g e

have a degree as well as a teaching qualification. The table below provides details of primary school teachers with respect of nationality and qualifications. As the table shows there are still a significant number of primary school teachers who do not have a degree and those who wish to gain their degree will have to either pay for their fees or compete for a scholarship along with other applicants. There is a strong case to say that they should be provided with at least partial scholarships in order to comply (Strategy TPD2.2.3). The table also shows that there is a growing percentage of primary teachers who are TCIslanders and this is not so much of an issue in the primary schools as it is in the secondary sector – see below. Table 6: Primary school teacher information by school

Ianthe Pratt Enid Capron Oseta Jolly Ona Glinton Elisa Simons Mary Robinson Adelaide Oemler Doris Robinson Iris Stubbs Hubert James

Staff 26 27 28 25 20 1 10 2 11 6 156

TCI 17 22 18 17 15 1 6 2 0 3 101

%age TCI 65.4% 81.5% 64.3% 68.0% 75.0% 100.0% 0.0% 100.0% 0.0% 50.0% 64.7%

No degree 11 15 17 20 12 1 2 3 4 5 90

%age no degree 42.3% 55.6% 60.7% 80.0% 60.0% 100.0% 20.0% 150.0% 36.4% 83.3% 57.7%

Refresher courses have been run in previous years as a way to ensure that teachers remain updated with reference to new developments taking place in their field. These will be considered for reintroduction as a part of a Teacher Professional Development Plan. The professional development program as it is at the moment consists of one day workshops that are primarily designed to help newly qualified teachers and this is further augmented by a mentoring program. In addition to this there are also irregular workshops run for specific needs. The DoE should consider the introduction of teachers’ days that could be used for professional development purposes. Currently, the only days that are available are those in the week before school starts whilst teachers prepare for the school year. It is important that a professional development plan (Strategy TPD1.2), that will include mandatory refresher courses, be developed in light of the many changes that teachers are going to have to come to terms with in the coming years. These include the review and possible changes to the curriculum, the increasing use of technology and integration into the classroom and the possibility of more skills development subjects being introduced into the curriculum. These changes will come with evolving student assessment and testing procedures / standards. Teacher professional development has got to be an integral part of any process of change. The flagship of professional development activities should be a forum (Strategy TPD1.2.4) for all teaches to be held on a biennial basis. This forum should primarily be for professional development purposes but will also provide an avenue for discussion on policy and other administrative matters. Target 8 That a Teacher Professional Development Plan be endorsed by the Minister by 2015 There are many areas that should be included in a professional development program and it would certainly not be expected for all teachers to cover all areas. Some will be suitable for primary teachers, some for secondary and others for both. A list of possible areas to be covered is shown in Annex 1. The program will be implemented from 2015 (Strategy TPD1.2.5).Teachers will be encouraged to enrol on courses, either online or at the Community Colleges, and Government should take consideration of this and look to provide some financial support. Partial grants in the 31 | P a g e

form of scholarships should be awarded for teachers on successful completion of previously approved courses of study (Strategy TPD1.2.6). Many teachers will not wish to do formal courses but they should be encouraged to take advantage of the significant amount of free training materials that are available over the internet. These should be identified by DoE officers and be placed on the servers that will be supplied to all schools as a part of TL2.3.4. The majority of the teachers in the secondary schools are either contract teachers from overseas or are those who have been contract teachers and have now attained TCI citizenship Table 7: High School teachers by nationality, 2013 / 14

No of staff Raymond Gardner Clement Howell H.J. Robinson Marjorie Basden

27 67 46 22 162

No of TCIslanders 4 22 11 6 43

%age TCI 14.81% 32.84% 23.91% 27.27% 26.54%

There are a number of different levels of contract which reflect the status of the teacher and the number of years that the teacher has been in the country. Although the situation has improved in recent years greater efforts should be made to increase the number of TC Islanders teaching in the high schools. TCI is very attractive for overseas teachers at the moment but this may not always be the case and the country should make efforts to ensure that in future they are not entirely dependent upon contract teachers (Strategy TPD3.1). It may be that improved terms and conditions might attract back to the profession teachers who moved on earlier in their careers. Equally, it may be worthwhile exploring the possibility of attracting TC Islanders who are currently working in other areas and who may be looking for a career change (Strategy TPD3.1.5). Target 9 That 40% of high school teachers be TCIslanders by 2017 There are a number of ways in which a greater number of TCIslanders can be attracted to the classroom beyond attempting to recruit directly from the pool of new graduates. It is recognised that few TCIslanders with degrees presently wish to enter teaching and increased efforts will be made to attract them and any that do should be provided with a scholarship for them to complete their Post Graduate Certificate of Education (PGCE) (Strategy TPD3.1.2) At present this is not offered in country although efforts will be made to introduce such a course at the TCICC. A course from a recognised institution will be identified to allow those that wish to gain their teaching qualification whilst either serving in the classroom or that can be completed at the TCICC. (Strategy TPD3.1.3). Rather more ambitiously, if a mixed delivery course could be identified as being acceptable then the H.J. Robinson High School could be used as a base for graduates to teach at whilst also completing their formal teaching qualifications although great care would have to be taken to ensure that the students at H.J.Robinson were not disadvantaged in any way. The students would be supported by close supervision from the school and the TCICC. They will be closely supervised in their teaching by a senior member of staff at the school. Selected primary school teachers will be provided with the opportunity to study for a subject degree that would allow them to teach in a secondary school. Teachers would be encouraged to specialise in the areas that are currently difficult to staff and scholarships would be provided for this (Strategy TPD3.1.1). Teachers at the secondary level are all highly qualified but are more likely in the future to be asked to teach out of their specialist area, albeit in a related field and at the lower levels. These teachers will be provided with support to ensure that they are confident in their teaching. Decisions regarding teacher deployment may (see S1 2) result in slight reductions in staffing numbers at some high schools. There will need to be very careful and specific recruitment undertaken in order to ensure that all subject areas are adequately covered. 32 | P a g e

Outcomes, strategies and activities TPD 1 Improved teacher quality 



TPD 2 



TPD 3 

Develop and implement a pre service teacher training program. o Review the curriculum used at the Community College to ensure consistency with the curriculum taught in schools. o Prepare the students to work in a rapidly changing technological environment. o Provide students with meaningful and well supervised teaching practice Develop and implement a national teacher development program o Identify suitable courses for teachers. o Prepare courses to prepare teachers for a changing curriculum in a changing environment. o Facilitate a two day teachers forum on a biennial basis o Prepare courses to equip teachers for new styles of teaching and learning. o Implement TPDP on an annual basis o Award grants for teachers to complete approved online courses reword. Sufficient number of teachers in schools Ensure that sufficient funds are budgeted to cover all teacher salaries and entitlements o Conduct teacher supply and demand study in order to determine the number of new teachers, and their subject areas where appropriate, required on an annual basis. o Prepare budget submission for teachers on an annual basis o Pay teachers in a timely manner. Prepare the required number of appropriately trained teachers. o Liaise with Community College to ensure sufficient places available for teaching students. o Provide a sufficient number of scholarships to satisfy this demand. o Provide scholarships for primary school teachers to upgrade their qualifications. o Undertake recruitment where necessary Increased number of TCIs teaching in secondary schools Provide opportunities for TCIs to train as Secondary school teachers o Provide scholarships for primary school teachers to upgrade their qualifications. o Offer scholarships for TCIs with degrees to train as High School teachers at the Community College o Identify a course from a recognised provider that will allow graduates to gain a teaching qualification in TCI o Provide scholarships for TCIs who have been working in industry / civil service who may wish for a career change to become teachers in secondary schools.

Cost and planning implications There will be cost implications for Government in the area of teacher training and attendant scholarships. There should be future cost savings if the strategies to reduce the dependence on overseas contract labour are successful. Many of the costs for teacher upgrading, which is an important part of a TPDP, will either have to be borne by the teacher themselves or will already be included within the budget for scholarships. Table 8: Summary of costs for Strategic Imperative 3

2013 Recurrent Development Total

2014

2015

2016

2017

Total

248.0

361.5

463.4

400.9

465.1

1938.8

248.0

361.5

463.4

400.9

465.1

1938.8

33 | P a g e

Summary of responsibilities The management of the school will be responsible for  Identifying areas of staffing needs.  Conducting in school teacher in service program The Ministry of Education will be responsible for  Developing a Teacher Professional Development Plan (TPDP)  Funding the TPDP on annual basis  Conducting a Teacher Supply Demand Study  Developing a policy for grants for teacher prof development  Consideration, adaptation and endorsement of policy documents.  Selecting teachers to attend professional development courses  Recruiting tertiary and secondary students into teaching programs

Monitoring / indicators    

%age of teachers attending a professional development course each year. %age of high school teachers being TCIslanders %age of trained teachers at primary and secondary Pupil teacher ratios at primary and secondary

34 | P a g e

Ref

Activity

Teachers and Professional Development TPD1 TPD1.1 TPD1.1.1

TPD1.1.2

TPD1.1.3

TPD1.2 TPD1.2.1 TPD1.2.2

TPD1.2.3 TPD1.2.4

Perf Indicator

2013

Improved teacher quality Develop and implement a pre service teacher training program Review the curriculum used at the Community College to ensure consistency with the curriculum taught in schools. Prepare the students to work in a rapidly changing technological environment. Provide students with meaningful and well supervised teaching practice Develop and implement a national teacher development program

2014

2015

2016

2.5

Rec/de v

2017 Tota l

2.5

5.0 Rec

-

%age of gtrs undertaking PD course

Identify suitable courses for teachers. Prepare courses to prepare teachers for a changing curriculum in a changing environment. Facilitate a two day teachers forum on a biennial basis Prepare courses to equip teachers for new styles of teaching and learning.

62.3

62.3

124.7 Rec

-

TPD1.2.5 TPD1.2.6 TPD2 TPD2.1

Implement TPDP on an annual basis Award grants for teachers to complete approved online courses

31.0

30.9

30.3

92.2 Rec

6.0

6.0

6.0

18.0 Rec

Sufficient number of teachers in schools Ensure that sufficient funds are budgeted to cover all teacher salaries and entitlements

TPD2.1.1

TPD2.1.2

Conduct teacher supply and demand study in order to determine the number of new teachers, and their subject areas where appropriate, required on an annual basis. Prepare budget submission for teachers on an annual basis

25.0

25.0 Rec -

TPD2.1.3 Pay teachers in a timely manner TPD2.2

TPD2.2.1

Liaise with Community College to ensure sufficient places available for teaching students.

TPD2.2.2

Provide a sufficient number of scholarships to satisfy this demand.

TPD2.2.3

TPD2.2.4 TPD3 TPD3.1 TPD3.1.1

TPD3.1.2

TPD3.1.3

TPD3.1.4

-

Prepare the required number of appropriately trained teachers

-

248.0

Provide scholarships for primary school teachers to upgrade their qualifications.

2.0

2.0

2.0

248.0

248.0

248.0

84.0

84.0

84.0

2.0

248.0 1240.0 Rec

84.0

Undertake recruitment where necessary Increase the number of TCIs teaching in secondary schools Provide opportunities for TCIs to train as Secondary school teachers Provide scholarships for primary school teachers to upgrade their qualifications. Offer scholarships for TCIs with degrees to train as High School teachers at the Community College Identify a course from a recognised provider that will allow graduates to gain a teaching qualification in TCI. Provide scholarships for TCIs who have been working in industry / civil service who may wish for a career change to become teachers in

8.0 Rec

336.0 Rec - Rec

%age of TCIslanders teaching in HS

-

30.0

30.0

30.0

90.0 Rec

35 | P a g e -

TPD3.1.3

Identify a course from a recognised provider that will allow graduates to gain a teaching qualification in TCI.

-

TPD3.1.4

Provide scholarships for TCIs who have been working in industry / civil service who may wish for a career change to become teachers in secondary schools.

-

36 | P a g e

Strategic Imperative 4: Improve the quality of Teaching and Learning This Imperative underpins the need to implement learner-centred approaches to teaching, learning and assessment. The strategies and methodologies that comprise the processes of teaching and learning have continued to evolve whether the learner is in a school environment, the workplace or is working alone. It is now recognised that traditional approaches to teaching and learning, in which the learners are silent consumers of knowledge controlled by the teacher, supplemented by information in textbooks and then reproduced in tests and examinations are not as effective as learning that places the learner at the centre of the process. The needs of all learners will be addressed, inclusive of those with special educational needs, the vulnerable and marginalised, in order to tackle inequality, improve achievement and meet the economic and social needs of the TCI. The learner has to take an active role in her or his own learning, participating as a co-contributor to the generation and application of knowledge in an interactive set up. Teachers will adapt their teaching techniques so that their classrooms become child centred, friendly, participatory and inclusive (Strategy TL1.1). It is recognised that many teachers in the TCI are already doing this and the many small classes in the country make for a conducive environment. There are a number of initiatives in the region by different stakeholders on making education system effective and respectful of the rights of children to quality, equitable and child centred education. UNICEF is supporting countries in adopting the effective/child friendly education initiative, which is essentially aiming at making schools effective for children. Workshops have been held in various Islands to equip teachers, teacher educators and other education professionals to collaboratively develop a framework that will support principles of inclusivity and be used in all sectors of the education system. TCI should consider adopting the effective/child friendly education framework. It is by doing this that all children will be able to make the best use of their own abilities and contribute towards the development goals of the TCIG. The concept of child centred, inclusive and participatory learning should be introduced to trainee teachers at an early stage and it is vital that such approaches be incorporated into the pre service teacher education program (Strategy TL1.1.2). Target 10 That TCI adopts the child friendly education initiative and all teachers to take a child centred approach to teaching by 2016 These changes have impacted greatly on the teachers in the classroom and it is important that all embrace the concept. To make this happen, all teachers should be given every opportunity to contribute to the process and this will be achieved through a series of consultative workshops (Strategy TL1.1.1). A further argument for a change in teaching and learning is the need for the development of critical thinking, problem solving skills and the development of personal attitudes to better prepare young people for employment and life in what is a rapidly changing world and one in which TCI has to take its place. To be successful, teachers will need to be constantly progressing and adapting their practices and learning from each other to bring about the changes in teaching and learning that are needed. In order for more child centred learning to take place schools will need to be much better equipped with teaching resources than they are at present. The integration of computers, discussed below, will help the situation but there is still a lack of teacher resource materials and, in some cases, instructional materials. Syllabus guides and other key school resource materials should be resupplied to schools (Strategy TL2.1.3). This will be done following an audit to determine exactly what school materials are in schools and what is missing (Strategy TL2.1.2). Science is an area of key importance and, following a meeting to determine exact needs, a kit will be defined that is appropriate to the needs of the high schools. These kits will then be procured and distributed to all schools. There will then be an annual supply of consumables (Strategy TL2.1.4). A much overlooked area when it comes 37 | P a g e

to financing in education is sports, which can be a very strong force in unifying communities. Sports provide a further avenue for some children to excel. Sports kits will be procured and distributed to all schools along with an annual resupply of consumables (Strategy TL2.1.5). From the consultations, it would seem that the practice of parents purchasing student work books in the primary schools and text books in the high schools is working well. However, there is the fear that in these harsh economic times that increasing numbers of children are not going to be able to afford these materials. Most schools have found a way to support these children and the Department of Social Welfare also plays a role in helping a number of children in need. However, a more concerted program needs to be designed, possibly one that allows for the rental of text books, by the Department of Education in collaboration with both schools and other Government Departments (Strategy TL2.1.1). Significant progress has been made in the area of technology in education across the country. The harnessing of this technology within the teaching and learning environment is recognised as a critical issue especially given the ubiquity of the Internet and the rate of development of mobile phone technology. The increased access to technology in classrooms has been highly commendable but focus has been on the provision of computer operating skills with only limited computer aided instruction. The productive use of technologies can bring about change in the nature of teaching and learning which will ultimately lead to improvements in learner outcomes. As technology becomes more integrated into the curriculum teachers are going to require training in order to make the best use of what is at their disposal (Strategy TL2.3.3). Specific ways in which computers in schools can be of use to teachers include their utilisation to stretch academically gifted children in all schools and to high schools which may not have a specifically qualified teacher in one or more of the less popular subjects. There are computers, computer labs and also IT teachers in the primary and the high schools. These teachers are responsible for both teaching and supporting staff in how best to use technology. The majority of schools have yet to make the greatest use of computers that they have in terms of integrating their use into teaching. Most schools use stand-alone computers and have acquired their hardware through a variety of means - some have been purchased, some have been donated. The country is benefiting from an agreement with Microsoft with regard to the use of MS software. A National IT in Schools policy is required that will lay down guidelines for the use of computers in education and will provide specifications relating to both hardware and software (Strategy TL2.3.1). Schools should look to developing their computer labs that are networked with a server that the Department of Education can load with TCI specific content and other educational materials that can be used in a variety of subjects. Technology in schools goes beyond just the use of computers and some schools are moving toward the use of other teaching tools such as electronic whiteboards and multimedia projectors. The IT in Schools Policy should also provide recommendations for the use of these (Strategy TL2.3.2). There will need to be a significant investment made into school computer labs and the Department will procure computers and multimedia projectors for schools over a period of years that will all be of the specifications as determined by the policy document (Strategy TL2.3.4). Target 11 That an IT in Schools policy be endorsed by the Minister by 2015 Whilst teachers are encouraged to embrace the latest in technology and to make attempts to integrate IT into their classroom there is still the need to rehabilitate our school libraries. Many schools do not now have a school library although many primary schools do have classroom libraries. There is much to be done. A policy will be developed to determine what exactly a school library should look like in this rapidly changing world (Strategy TL2.2.1). There has to be the correct mix of IT and traditional books along 38 | P a g e

with sufficient space to allow for student study areas. There is wide variation in the condition of existing school libraries and some schools no longer have such a facility because, in some cases, they have been forced to use them to provide for extra classroom space. There will have to be a school library refurbishment program (Strategy TL2.2.2). In order that the library stock can be controlled, school librarians have got to be trained (Strategy TL2.2.3), a process which can be aided by officers from Library Services. School library buildings, where they exist, will need to be refurbished and books procured. The latter is an area that could be supported by the private sector, as has been the case in a few of our schools already, and with advice from the Library Services (Strategy TL2.2.4). School libraries should be available for use by the community as a whole whenever this is possible. Outcomes, strategies and activities TL 1 

TL2 





Learners are engaged in all parts of the teaching and learning process Teachers to take a child centred approach to teaching o Workshops to be run to support teachers o Child centred approaches to be incorporated in pre service teaching program. Availability of learning resources in schools To ensure that all schools and children have sufficient teaching materials o Develop a system of support for those parents who are not able to afford text books and work books o Audit of all resources in schools to be conducted o Provide all syllabus and teacher resource books to schools o Develop, procure and distribute a science kit for all high schools To re-establish school libraries in all primary schools o Formulation of a School Libraries Policy o Refurbishment of library facilities o Training of school librarians o Procurement of library books To integrate technology into classroom teaching o Formulation of IT in School Policy o Provision of guidelines for IT procurement and usage in schools o Support for teachers o Procure computers for schools

Cost and planning implications The re-establishment of school libraries and the integration of technology into our classrooms will both be costly exercises. School science labs will also be refurbished. There will be costs incurred with support required for teachers to move towards a child centred approach to teaching. Table 9: Summary of costs for Strategic Imperative 4

2013 Recurrent Development Total

2014 4.7 0.0 4.7

2015 63.2 0.0 63.2

2016 175.8 100.0 275.8

2017 97.0 94.0 191.0

Total 85.7 101.7 187.5

426.3 295.7 722.1

Summary of responsibilities The management of the school will be responsible for  The continued maintenance of a library building.  The continued maintenance of a computer room  Providing for the safe storage of school materials. The Ministry of Education will be responsible for  Developing an IT Policy and Plan for schools 39 | P a g e

 Procuring and distributing IT equipment to schools  Procuring and distributing science and sports equipment for all schools  Arranging for the procurement of library books The private sector will be responsible for  Supporting the schools in the procurement and distribution of library books Monitoring indicators  % age of schools with a school library  % age of teachers integrating IT into their teaching

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Ref

Implementation period and costs

Activity

Teaching and Learning

2013

2014

2015

2016

Perf Indicator

2017 Tota l Rec

TL1 Learners are engaged with all learning %age of tgeachers repored to be using a child centgred approach

TL1.1 Teachers to take a child centred approach to teaching TL1.1.1 TL1.1.2

TL2 TL2.1 TL2.1.1

TL2.1.2 TL2.1.3

Workshops to be run to support teachers Child centred approaches to be incorporated in pre service teaching program

17.0

Availability of learning resources in schools To ensure that all schools and children have sufficient teaching materials Develop a system of support for those parents who are not able to afford text books and work books Audit of all resources in schools to be conducted Provide all syllabus and teacher resource books to schools

17.0 Rec

12.0

12.0

24.0 Rec

5.0

89.7 Rec

TL2.1.4 Develop, procure and distribute a science kit for all high schools

4.7

40.0

40.0

50.0

50.0

5.0

TL2.1.5 Develop, procure and distribute a sports kit for all high schools TL2.2

4.7

5.0 114.7

To reestablish school libraries in all primary schools

TL2.2.1

Formulation of a School Libraries Policy

TL2.2.2

Refurbishment of library facilities

%age of schools with functining libraries

TL2.2.3 Training of school librarians

8.5

8.5

17.0 Rec

TL2.2.4 Procurement of library books TL2.3

TL2.3.1 TL2.3.2

50.5

51.7

52.8 155.0 Rec %age of teachers inegrating IT into their teaching

To integrate technology into classroom teaching Formulation of IT in School Policy Provision of guidelines for IT procurement and usage in schools

6.3

Support for teachers

0.0

0.3

100.0

94.0

6.3

TL2.3.3 2.4

2.7

TL2.3.4 Procure computers for schools

101.7 295.7 Dev

No. of schools with apprpriate comp lab

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Strategic Imperative 5: Improve Curriculum and Strategies for Assessment Deliberation on the new curriculum approach will lead to ‘A curriculum that is relevant to the children of TCI’ (Outcome CA1). The Executive Summary of the 2006 to 2010 Plan says that the ‘curriculum is in need of updating to improve its relevance to TCIslanders facing the demands of the 21st century’ and that it should ‘speak to the needs of diverse communities in TCI’ whilst displaying ‘sensitivity to the culture of the TCI’. The Primary Schools follow a common national curriculum that leads to all children sitting for a common exam – the Grade Six Achievement Test (GSAT). There are language issues in some of the schools and teachers require support in the teaching of English as a second language – see SI3. The Jolly Phonics program has been introduced and is currently used in the schools of Zone 1. The children very quickly move from what is a largely generalist teaching program in the primary schools to one which is subject based and taught by specialist teachers in the high schools. Some children find it difficult to adapt socially when moving from the primary school to, in some cases, the much larger, high school situation. This is one of the reasons for the introduction of a middle school as one of the strategies for dealing with overcrowding in the Providenciales schools. The high schools offer a wide array of courses through to the CXC exams that students sit at the end of either Form 4 or Form 5. Approximately equal numbers of exams are sat at the end of Form 4 as there are at the end of Form 5. This is despite Government only paying for those sat at the end of Form 5 – the cost is $50 per subject. Two of the schools are very small and, as noted earlier, have to cater for a very wide ability range of students. There are some cost recovery possibilities for Government who could either charge examination fees for those who sit for their exams in Form 5. A variation of this may be to charge the fees for the non belongers who do not have these costs included as a contractual obligation. The amounts to be recovered as a result of such an action would be very small. There is little opportunity for students to gain technical qualifications or any work related skills, aside from IT, in the later years in secondary school. This is one of the areas that was identified for addressing during the national consultations conducted in 2013. There is a need for expansion at the Clement Howell High School and the best option is considered to be the development of a separate technical institute. This would provide the opportunities for students in Forms 4 and 5 to follow a technical course leading to a CVQ. It is anticipated that students following this stream would also sit for the CXC in a smaller number of basic subjects that are required for them to take their place in the work force. See SI 1 for more detail. The curriculum also needs to prepare children for the service oriented tourism sector which is what drives the economy of the country. Entrepreneurial training should be introduced to schools in order to make the most of any spin off opportunities that the tourism industry may have to offer. There is a need for a review of the primary curriculum and this should be done with the widespread participation of teachers (Strategy CA1.1.2). There is much in the current curriculum that is good and that simply needs to be updated and realigned to allow for the integration of IT (se SI4) and vocational skills (see SI7) and to ensure that a child centred approach is followed. The reviewed national curriculum should be developed against the agreed learning outcomes. (Strategy CA1.1). There needs to be a renewed emphasis on literacy and numeracy especially in light of the concerns regarding children entering high schools without basic literacy skills. A remedial reading program (Strategy CA1.3.3) should be introduced and monitored to keep standards high. The reform curriculum should be completed by 2015 and be ready for trial in the classroom in 2016. Target 12 Primary curriculum reform completed by 2015 42 | P a g e

A Curriculum Unit, comprising four officers, needs to be established and placed within the Department of Education. (Strategy CA1.1.1). The Unit will be responsible for the ongoing reviewing of the curriculum, the monitoring of standards, the development of local resource materials, the development of teacher guides (Strategy CA1.1.3) and the endorsement of texts to be used within the schools (Strategy CA1.1.4. This unit should include a specialist assessments officer. Target 13 Curriculum officer appointed by 2014 This revised curriculum needs to be sensitive to the culture of the TCI and promote ideals of patriotism, pride in, and loyalty to, the country. This has special significance given the increasing number of immigrant children in our classrooms where an appreciation of cultural diversity needs to be inculcated at an early age. A simple program would be to produce a series of booklets profiling prominent TCIslanders. A civics education program should be included in the secondary grades. There have been some TCI specific books written for schools and these should be reviewed and republished. The newly established Curriculum Unit should work with the Culture Department to ensure that teacher guides and other materials used are culturally sensitive and are correct. The curriculum should be supported by reading materials that have been written by TCIslanders. Opportunities should be provided for TCIslanders to get their work published and, at the very least their work should be placed on all school servers. Teachers should be provided with some incentives to contribute towards the stock of locally developed reading materials. The high school curriculum is highly academic and does not provide enough for those students who are less inclined academically but who have talents in other areas like physical education and sports, and the arts. Such children are often unable to display these talents in the school situation. The introduction of skills development subjects into the curriculum at all levels is not straightforward and is discussed in more detail in SI 7 below. Individual subject boards, comprising teachers and, where appropriate, representatives from the Community College and the private sector, should be formed to meet and to look at the secondary curriculum (Strategy CA1.2.1). The curriculum at the lower levels of the secondary schools should also be reviewed and should include a strong core of literacy and numeracy (Strategy CA2.2). Ongoing assessment is an important aspect of all teaching and an important component in the teacher professional development program will be to improve classroom assessment techniques (Strategy CA1.3.5). This will be done through a cascade training program. The existing Grade 2 and Grade 4 tests will be continued and will be analysed with this analysis informing schools as to weaknesses. This analysis will be added to what is already happening with the GSAT (Strategy CA1.3.1) and other external examinations (Strategy CA1.3.5). It is expected that these analyses will be used in the development of School Improvement Plans and also in the development of the Teacher Professional Development Plan (Strategy CA1.3.2). Any new curriculum development should take into consideration that the teaching and learning process in the future will be greatly enhanced through the use of modern technologies in the classroom as discussed in TL2 above (Strategy CA2). Workshops should be facilitated for teachers to gather and develop materials that harness the new technologies and that can be used in the classroom to support the delivery of the curriculum (Strategy CA2.1.1). A lot of what is needed in terms of multi media resources is available in the public domain and needs to be pulled together. In addition, there is much that can be done by teachers here to provide extra learning materials and exercises that can then be used by teachers in their classrooms. All of these materials should then be produced in as cost effective a manner as is possible and distributed, where appropriate, or placed on the school servers. (Strategy CA2.1.2).

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Outcomes, strategies and activities CA1 A curriculum that is relevant to the children of TCI  Review the primary school curriculum and produce curriculum and support materials for all subjects at the primary level on a regular basis. o Establish a curriculum unit and appoint suitable officers o Facilitate annual workshops for teachers to contribute to curriculum development. o Trial reform curriculum in pilot schools o Develop, adapt and produce materials and resources for children and teachers o Identify textbooks and equipment for use with reviewed curriculum.  Review the secondary school curriculum and assessment support materials for all subjects. o Establish subject area boards to meet and advise on curriculum o Review all current secondary curriculum and assessment materials. o Develop curriculum and assessment materials.  Measure and monitor the standard of education at the primary level o Administration and regular analysis of the GSAT o Administration and analysis of the G2 and G4 literacy tests. o Introduce and monitor a national reading program. o Analyse all external examinations o Provide training for teachers to improver classroom assessment CA2 Technology fully integrated into the teaching and learning process  Design and develop multimedia support materials for students and teachers o Facilitate workshops to develop such materials o Produce and distribute materials Cost and planning implications There will be the ongoing costs of a Curriculum Unit and the regular teacher workshops. Other teacher training related costs will be included in the Teacher Professional Development program. One off costs will be the replacement of syllabi and teacher guides for all schools. Table 10: Summary of costs for Strategic Imperative 5

2013 Recurrent Development Total

2014

2015

2016

2017

Total

0.0

22.5

25.4

42.3

15.4

105.5

0.0

22.5

25.4

42.3

15.4

105.5

Summary of responsibilities The management of the school will be responsible for  ensuring that schools provide an appropriate environment for effective teaching and learning to take place.  planning for the introduction of technology into the classroom The Ministry of Education and Department of Education will be responsible for  Establishing a Curriculum Unit within the Department of Education  Facilitating major workshop to determine learning outcomes  Adapting curriculum in light of approved learning outcomes  Producing and distributing of teacher guides  Support for development of key standards monitoring.  Determining school textbook and material needs  Providing opportunities for TCIslanders to write books and get them published The private sector will be responsible for  Supporting the Department in the development of materials for use in the classroom.

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Monitoring / indicators  

%age of children achieving pass / acceptable results at the GSAT %age of students achieving 5 passes at CXC.

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Ref

Implementation period and costs

Activity

Curriculum and Assessment

2013

2014

2015

2016

Perf Indicator

2017 Tota l

CA1 A curriculum that is relevant to the children of TCI CA1.1

CA1.1.1 CA1.1.2

CA1.1.3

CA1.1.4 CA1.2 CA1.2.1 CA1.2.2

CA1.2.3 CA1.3

CA1.3.1 CA1.3.2 CA1.3.3 CA1.3.4 CA1.3.5

CA2 CA2.1

Review the primary school curriculum and produce curriculum and support materials for all subjects at the primary level on a regular basis Establish a curriculum unit and appoint suitable officers Facilitate annual workshops for teachers to contribute to curriculum development. Trial reform curriculum in pilot schools Develop, adapt and produce materials and resources for children and teachers Identify textbooks and equipment for use with reviewed curriculum Review the secondary school curriculum and assessment support materials for all Establish subject area boards to meet and advise on curriculum Review all current secondary curriculum and assessment materials. Develop curriculum and assessment materials

%age of schols using reviewed curriculum

12.4

12.4

12.4

10.0

10.0

12.4

49.4 Rec

20.0 Rec

%age of schols using reviewed curriculum

Measure and monitor the standard of education at the primary level Administration and regular analysis of the GSAT Administration and analysis of the G2 and G4 literacy tests. Introduce and monitor a national reading program. Analysis all external examinations Provide training for teachers to improve classroom assessment

10.1

11.0

21.1 Rec

Technology fully integrated into the teaching and learning process %age of schools using mateials

Design and develop multimedia support materials for students and teachers

CA2.1.1

Facilitate workshops to develop such materials

CA2.1.2

Produce and distribute materials

3.0

3.0 6.0

3.0

9.0 Rec 6.0 Rec

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Strategic Imperative 6: Increase access to quality Early Childhood Development Services Early Childhood Development (ECD) is seen as being of high priority and typically refers to the 0 to 5 year age group, though other definitions extend the age bracket to eight years. The TCI Ordinance requires that compulsory education commences at 4 years of age. This imperative refers to the ages younger than this. While the typical age served by ministry of education is the 3 – 5 years, the experience before this has enormous impact on children’s learning, and in many cases, there are young mothers who may require support outside of the educational system to be able to successful attend and complete school. Often, interventions in this area would require collaboration with other ministries like health, social or community development, Prime Minister’s Office or justice and AG’s chambers. There is a commitment across the country for early childhood education for children of age 2 and 3 years. This is to prepare them for entering the formal school at age 4 years, the age at which compulsory schooling starts. It is important that the Guidelines are reviewed and refined to allow all children to have an opportunity to enrol at ages 2 and 3 years (Outcome ECD1). The early childhood education that will be provided will be consistent with guidelines established for early childhood development services in the Caribbean as outlined in the CARICOM guidelines. Target 14 That guidelines for establishment of pre schools be endorsed by Minister by 2014 The first two years of formal education are what is termed infant education and this is completed prior to the six years of primary. This would be termed as being early childhood education in some parts of the Caribbean and, although not unique in this regard, the TCI should be proud of the fact that this is being provided as a part of the formal education system. The education and care for 2 and 3 years olds is not then a part of the public school education system. Private schools have been established in most places throughout the country and there are schools on all islands except Salt Cay. This means that nearly all children now have ready access to an early childhood education, even though in some cases this may be prohibitively expensive. The Department of Health also have a role to play in that they are responsible for registering and supervising child care centres. There is scope for some overlap between the two types of institutions. There is not equality of access throughout the country in that the majority of children entering the Infant 1 classes in Grand Turk have attended an early childhood education centre whereas this is not the case in Providenciales and other parts of the country. The reason for this is that the centres in the former are administered by the churches and NGOs, whilst those in Providenciales are private schools whose charges are too great for many parents to afford. Progress against the 2006 to 2010 plan – table Government has a role to play in registering early childhood schools utilising guidelines that have been established (Strategy EC1.1.1). This registration process is currently carried out by the officer responsible for private education providers who is based on Grand Turk in Zone 1. At present, in order to be registered, schools must demonstrate:   

that they have suitable premises, which in some cases may also be used for other purposes, for example a church hall. that they have adequately qualified staff. that they are ready to follow an acceptable curriculum. All (?) schools at present follow UNICEF prescribed curriculum guidelines.

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The ‘Standards for Early Childhood Institutions At a Glance’ are shown in Annex 4. An officer from the Department of Education, usually the same one who is responsible for registration should also carry out regular school appraisals (Strategy EC2.2.2) to allow schools to retain their registration. The curriculum being offered in the early childhood schools should be reviewed on a regular basis and this should be done in consultation with teachers in the centres and also primary school teachers (Strategy EC1.2.1). The Culture Department will help with the provision of suitable materials for use in the early childhood centres (Strategy EC1.2.2). There has been a course offered at the Community College training in Early Childhood Care and Education in collaboration with the University of the West Indies School of Continuing Education but this has been discontinued for a number of years now due to a lack of demand. The Department should ensure that the course remains on offer (Strategy EC2.1.1) and that there are opportunities for further teacher professional development (Strategy EC2.1.3). The requirements of the Early Childhood sector should be included as a part of the teacher supply demand study – see SI 3. In order for them to operate, the early childhood centres have to charge fees. As a safeguard for parents, the Department will provide guidelines each year as to what the range of school fees should be (Strategy EC1.1.2). These guidelines should then be followed by individual institutions and fees should be endorsed by the Education Advisory Board. The Department will make a contribution to the early childhood centres through the provision of support in professional areas such as curriculum and teaching (Strategy EC2.2.1). In particular, all teachers in the early childhood sector should be provided with assistance in learning how children can learn through play (Strategy EC2.2.3). Outcomes, strategies and activities EC 1 Guidelines reviewed and refined to allow all children an opportunity to enrol at ages 2 and 3 years  The Department of Education to register and supervise a sufficient number of schools to allow all children the opportunity to enrol. o Review and, if necessary, refine the system of registration for the early childhood centres. o Recommend school fees to ensure that parents are able to educate their children in a fair and cost effective manner.  Review the curriculum guidelines to ensure that they are appropriate for use in the TCI. o Facilitate workshops with Early Childhood and primary school teachers o Produce and revise, in consultation with the Culture Department, any books that have been produced for use in early childhood education o Carry out assessment of progress of each child at the end of Infant 2. EC 2 Government to provide support for early Childhood Education services  Provide both pre service and professional teacher development opportunities for early childhood teachers. o Liaise with the Community College to ensure spaces are available for early childhood teachers to be able to access training. o Provide scholarships for those wishing to become infant teachers o Early Childhood teachers to be included in the national teacher professional development program.  Provide professional and technical assistance to the early Childhood Centres o Specialist Early Childhood education officers will be available to provide support the centres on areas such as curriculum teaching. o School and teachers to be appraised on a regular basis. o Provide support for teachers on how children can learn through play.

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Cost and planning implications The cost of the infant grades are a part of the formal schooling system and the costs are already covered and the costs of the early childhood centre in Providenciales has been discussed in S1. The pre schools are in the private sector and costs to Government will revolve around the administrative costs of registering and appraisal and support for schools. Table 11: Summary of costs for Strategic Imperative 6 initiatives

2013 Recurrent Development Total

2014

2015

2016

2017

Total

0.0

12.0

26.4

17.9

18.4

74.7

0.0

12.0

26.4

17.9

18.4

74.7

Summary of responsibilities Parents and the community will be responsible for  Supporting the PTA  Enrolling their child in an early childhood school  Ensuring that their child attends school every day and that they are suitably fed and attired The management of the school will be responsible for  Establishing PTAs.  Setting affordable fees for parents The Ministry of Education / Government / Department of Education (????) will be responsible for  Providing specialist support to the early childhood centres.  Developing and implementing a series of guidelines for the registration of early childhood centres.  Funding of Community Colleges to train teachers  Delivering advocacy campaigns  Supporting the program for Teacher Professional Development The private sector will be responsible for  Administering and supporting Early Childhood Schools  Providing buildings where appropriate

Monitoring indicators % age of children entering Infant 1 who have attended a pre school % age of teachers who are trained

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Ref

Early Childhood Development ECD1

Implementation period

Activity 2013

2014

2015

2016

Perf Indicator

2017 Tot

Guidelines reviewed and refined to allow all children an opportunity to enrol at ages 2 and 3 years Register and supervise a sufficient number of schools to allow all children the opportunity to enrol

% age of children entering Infant 1 who have attended a pre school

ECD1.1

ECD1.1.1

ECD1.1.2

Review and refine the system of registration for the early childhood centres. Recommend school fees to ensure that parents are able to educate their children in a fair and cost effective manner

-

-

Review the curriculum guidelines to ensure that they are appropriate for use in the TCI ECD1.2

Facilitate workshops with Early Childhood and primary school teachers

ECD1.2.1

ECD1.2.2 ECD1.2.3 ECD2

6.99 Produce and revise, in consultation with the Culture Department, any books that have been produced for use in early childhood education Carry out assessment of progress of each child at the end of Infant 2.

7.5

6.99

7.5

8 5.92

29.0

8.0 5.92

5.92

Government to provide support for early Childhood Education services

17.8 0

Provide both pre service and professional teacher development opportunities for early childhood teachers

% age of teachers who are trained

ECD2.1

ECD2.1.1 ECD2.1.2

ECD2.1.3

Liaise with the Community College to ensure spaces are available for early childhood teachers to be able to access training. Provide scholarships for those wishing to become infant teachers Early Childhood teachers to be included in the national teacher professional development program.

-

-

Provide professional and technical assistance to the early Childhood Centres ECD2.2

-

ECD2.2.2

Specialist Early Childhood education officers will be available to provide support the centres on areas such as curriculum teaching. School and teachers will be appraised on a regular basis

ECD2.2.3

Provide support for teachers on how children can learn through play

ECD2.2.1

5.0

5.0

5.0

5.0

20.0 -

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Strategic Imperative 7: Provide opportunities for all learners in Technical and Vocational Education and Training There is a commitment across the country for education to provide a more appropriate preparation for life. There is some provision at High School and College level of the education system in the TCI for learners to have the opportunity to gain some vocational or technical skills. At the primary schools there is little skills training of any description taking place. Three reasons have been given for this. First that there are no facilities available, second that there are no materials or equipment and finally that the teachers do not have the skills to be able to teach the subjects. A number of schools report that they do provide opportunities out of school in the clubs that have been established. There is more done at the secondary level and schools offer a number of subjects that lead to CXC qualifications at the CSEC level. These include the following, with the numbers entering for the exam in 2013 shown in brackets; Technical Drawing (55), Building Technology – Woodwork (43), Building Technology – Construction (15), Electrical and Electronic Technology (10), and Home Management (86). There are other subjects, such as Music and Visual Arts that are categorised as technical by the CXC but these have been discounted for the purpose of this analysis. The courses that are offered are more theoretical than is desirable, often due to the lack of suitable infrastructure and equipment. It is because of this that they may be of only limited practical use for students looking to use them for finding work or providing articulation into other courses. There are not currently the facilities available at the high schools for teaching any more than the basic skills. The expansion of a work experience program as operated by some schools will help in this regard. The 2006 to 2010 Plan points out that a number of the high schools have offered a programme of pre-vocational and vocational courses but these have usually been offered to students who are deemed to be ‘incapable’ of, or are not interested in, the more academic programme. That Plan also says that ‘it is admitted that the stigma that has been associated with Technical/Vocational Education has served to nullify this as an area of study’. There is then much to be done and it is critical that the country acts as soon as is possible. In order to encourage students to take CVQs the Government should, in the initial stages at least, pay for all testing costs. In addition to the paucity of opportunities within the formal education system there is also no provision in the country for students to achieve a CVQ although interest has been expressed in the certifying of electricians. There is no trade testing centre that would allow TC Islanders who have skills in particular areas to get a CVQ at even a basic level. This puts the TC Islanders at a great disadvantage when it comes to competing for jobs with the ‘ticketed’ workers that come from overseas. It is important that ‘Primary school curricula, teaching and learning incorporate exploratory learning experiences that develop basic technical competencies and an appreciation for the world of work’ (Outcome TVET1) This is considered a priority although it is recognised that there will be significant cost implications that will need to be determined. The new curriculum that is developed (Strategy TVET1.1.1) will include a component of skills development and this will have serious implications for pre service teacher training and teacher professional development (Strategy TVET1.1.2), as well as plant and equipment. This latter point should be borne in mind when scoping the refurbishment of the existing workshops. It is expected that the primary schools in particular will utilise local expertise to help them with the skills development courses that they provide. The lack of equipment is likely to be a critical factor holding back schools from achieving the outcomes expected. The DoE should determine the needs of schools and devise a TVET kit for primary schools (Strategy TVET 1.1.3) that would include the tools and equipment needed to implement the curriculum. These kits should then be procured and distributed to all schools (Strategy TVET 1.1.4).

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Target 15 That all primary schools have skills development programs in their schools by 2016 There is rather more currently being taught in the high school system than there is in the primary sector but there is still work to be done. The facilities are in immediate need for refurbishment (Strategy TVET1.2.2) and it is critical that Government complete this work as soon as possible following a full scoping of the work required. Likewise, the curriculum being used should be reviewed (Strategy TVET1.2.1) and this should initially be considered by the teachers themselves and latterly with assistance from the CXC. The very real possibility of entering students for the lower level CVQ should be considered (Strategy TVET1.2.3) when both scoping the refurbishment and revisiting the curriculum. There is considerable potential for synergies between the TCICC and the H.J. Robinson High School for trade testing to occur. If this were to happen then there would need to be opportunities made available for the Industrial Arts teachers at H.J. Robinson and the other high schools to gain the skills to be able to train to CVQ standards (Strategy TVET1.2.4). As noted in the section on the establishment of school places, it is recommended that a Technical Institute be established, maybe under the auspices of the TCICC, and this is the institution that will offer TVET courses in Forms 4 and 5 leading to awards to be made based on the CVQ Framework. This Institute will also offer courses for anybody who is interested in the trade areas that will need to be determined as a part of the Workforce Needs Analysis (Strategy TVET 2.1.2). There should be a TVET Policy and then a Plan formulated that will provide Government with a complete set of costed options for all aspects of TVET in the TCI (Strategy TVET 2.1.3). This plan should also include a fully costed feasibility study for the establishment of the Technical Institute (Strategy TVET2.1.1). This study needs to be exhaustive and should consider aspects of curriculum, numbers and availability of staff, plant and equipment that will then allow Government to make an informed decision as to the type of Technical Institute that the country needs. The Technical Training Institute will have a further role in that it will become the trade testing centre for the whole of the country (Strategy TVET2.2.2) offering a service up to CVQ Level 4 (maybe 3?) in some trades. It will also offer short modular courses that can be taken out of hours by any members of the community who wish to gain formal vocational qualifications (Strategy TVET2.2.3). These short courses will also be offered by the TCICC. The courses offered will be in the trade areas which are deemed to be the most in demand (Strategy TVET2.2.1). Target 16 Short modular courses being conducted by 2015 The Community College does not at present offer any trade subjects aside from auto mechanics that started in 2013 although in the past the College has offered their own Certificate in Electrical Engineering and in Building Technology. There are now plans to provide courses in the electrical trades which will be offered in modular format. These will lead to certification awarded by the TCICC which will then be standardised with the CVQ allowing them to be recognised around the Caribbean. If successful, it is intended that similar programs be run for plumbers and air conditioning engineers. This will mean that for the first time tradesmen will be able to gain accredited trade certification in the TCI and be able to compete in the employment market. However, in order for this to happen a number of the existing buildings at the College will need to be renovated and it is hoped that private sector support will be available for this. There is also interest at the Providenciales campus for CVQs to be offered in the Hospitality and Tourism trade area and these will proceed from early 2014. The Community College offers associate degrees and a full degree course in conjunction with the Council of Community Colleges of Jamaica (CCCJ). This is discussed in SI 8 52 | P a g e

Outcomes, strategies and activities TVET 1 School curricula, teaching and learning incorporate skills development that develop basic competencies and an appreciation for the world of work  Integrate skills development into the primary school curriculum o Teachers to be involved with curriculum development o Teacher professional development o Determine equipment needs and develop a TVET kit to support the curriculum o Procure and distribute TVET kits  Strengthen and expand skills development components of the secondary school curriculum o Review the courses presently on offer o Refurbish the specialist rooms o Conduct study as to whether high school students can be entered for the CVQ o Prepare High School teachers to train to CVQ standards TVET 2 Competency based curricula linked to the CVQ framework established  Establishment of a Technical Training Institute. o Conduct a feasibility study to ascertain the costs of construction and equipping such an Institution. o Conduct a workforce needs analysis to determine the needs of the country in terms of the trade areas. o Formulate a fully costed Plan for TVET in the TCI to cover all training needs  Provide access to TVET courses. o Use workforce needs analysis to identify areas of need o The TCICC to respond to labour market when planning for expansions to TVET provision o TCICC to introduce TVET courses o Use the Technical Training Institute as a trade testing centre offering qualifications up to CVQ Level 4 (?) o Conduct short modular courses for all Cost and planning implications There will be significant costs involved with this activity but they can be controlled by decisions made in the earlier stages. The major costs for a Technical Institute are included in Strategic Imperative 1. Cost areas will be similar for both primary and secondary although costs are potentially greater in the secondary sector. This is because the courses on offer are likely to be of greater sophistication requiring more machinery. Against this is the fact that the secondary schools are more likely to have the facilities already in place and available for teaching the subjects. The first cost area is infrastructure. Decisions need to be made as to whether primary school TVET programs are going to require a specialist room or whether an existing classroom can be adapted if already furnished suitably and of adequate size. The figures here assume that there will be no specialist facility in existing schools during this plan period and that the facilities in the high schools will be refurbished rather than replaced. Second is the procurement and distribution of equipment and materials to support the new curriculum. Again, decisions made earlier relating to the curriculum can have a bearing on just how great these costs will be. There will also be costs associated with the training of teachers but this should be dealt with separately.

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Table 12: Summary of costs for Strategic Imperative 7 initiatives

2013 Recurrent Development Total

2014 0.0 0.0 0.0

2015 30.2 30.0 60.2

2016 67.8 100.0 167.8

2017 30.0 0.0 30.0

Total 30.0 0.0 30.0

158.0 130.0 288.0

Summary of responsibilities The management of the school will be responsible for  Including local enterprise on governing bodies  Identifying local expertise to support teachers.  To provide a school environment where skills development training can take place The Government will be responsible for  Developing appropriate curriculum  Funding for professional development of teachers  Funding of Community Colleges to train teachers  Funding for equipment and materials needed  Provision of suitable infrastructure  Delivering advocacy programs The private sector will be responsible for  Supporting schools with introduction of vocational skills  Supporting the TCICC with the refurbishment and equipping of workshops Monitoring / Indicators  

% of primary schools integrating skills development courses into curriculum % of students in Form 5 graduating with a CVQ

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Ref

Technical Vocational Education and Training TVET1

Implementation period

Activity

2013

Perf Indicator

2014 2015 2016 2017 Tota l Rec/dev

Primary school curricula, teaching and learning incorporate exploratory learning experiences that develop basic technical competencies and an appreciation for the world of work Integrate skills development into the primary school curriculum

TVET1.1

-

TVET1.1.1

Teachers to be involved with curriculum development

TVET1.1.2

Teacher professional development

TVET1.1.3 TVET1.1.4

TVET1.2 TVET1.2.1 TVET1.2.2

TVET1.2.3 TVET1.2.4 TVET2

10.23 11.8

Determine equipment needs and develop a TVET kit to support the curriculum Procure and distribute TVET kits

30

Strengthen and expand skills development components of the secondary school curriculum

Conduct study as to whether high school students can be entered for the CVQ

Prepa re Hi gh School tea chers to tra i n to CVQ s ta nda rds

11.8 Rec

No of teachers trained

90.0 rec

100

15

15.0 Rec

11

11.0 Rec

Competency based curricula linked to the CVQ framework established Establishment of a Technical Training Institute

TVET2.1

-

TVET2.1.2

Conduct a feasibility study to ascertain the costs of construction and equipping such an Institution. Conduct a workforce needs analysis to determine the needs are of the country in terms of the trade areas.

TVET2.1.3

Formulate a fully costed Plan for TVET in the TCI to cover all training needs

TVET2.1.1

30

No of teachers involved

0 - Rec 100.0 Dev

Review the courses presently on offer Scope and refurbish the specialist rooms

30

10.2 Rec

30.0

No of rooms refurbished

No of trs tra i ned No of students enrolled at TTI

30.0 Dev

20.0

20.0 Rec

Provide access to TVET courses TVET2.2

-

TVET2.2.1

Use workforce needs analysis to Identify areas of need

-

TVET2.2.2 TVET2.2.3

Use the Technical Training Institute as a trade testing centre offering qualifications up CVQ Level 4 (?) Conduct short modular courses for all

-

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Strategic Imperative 8: Increase provisions for Tertiary and Continuing Education There is a commitment and a need in TCI for greater access to tertiary education. In the past there has been an expectation for many TC Islanders that they will be able to qualify for a scholarship, following a successful outcome at Form 5. The recent fall in the amount of funding available for scholarships, see below, means that this is not likely to be the case in future years. Table 13: Scholarships and TCICC appropriation by year ($‘000s)

2006/07 2007/08 2008/09 2009/10 2010/11 2011/12 2012/13 2013/14

Scholarship 13,000 13,000 13,000 11,903 8,219 3,700 2,650 2,650

TCICC 2,210 2,331 2,533 1,668 1,703 1,700 1,530 1,667

The TCI Community College (TCICC) is the sole Government provider of tertiary education courses in the country. The main campus is on Grand Turk with a further campus on Providenciales. There is a full time enrolment of about 320, with 120 at the main campus and some 200 on Providenciales. Some of these full time students study in the evenings. Many of the school teachers who are studying to improve their qualifications are in this position. There are 27 full time, as well as some part time, staff. This gives a relatively healthy student teacher ratio although there are some small groups of only three or four students. In 2013, the TCICC has taken about 100 of the TCI high school graduates and about 75% of these are female. These students are enrolled in Associate Degree programs The Community College does not provide any TVET courses although it would be quite happy to do so and would be able to access the teaching staff. One option for the Technical Training Institute discussed as a part of Strategic Imperatives 1 and 7 would fall under the auspices of the TCICC. The college itself has made an approach to the private sector with a view to eliciting their support for the introduction of trade subjects. This proposal will be given due consideration in the next year or so. Fortis support would be used for renovating one of the existing structures for use as an Industrial Arts Centre. There has also been interest expressed by a hotel group to establish a University of Tourism and Hotel Management. It is intended that this would lead to a degree program in hotel management. The TCICC has not been immune from the financial woes of TCI and the subventions received from Government have fallen from a high of about $2.5m in 2008 to approximately $1.7 in 2013/14 – see above. It is estimated that about 80% of this will go on staff salaries and entitlements. A further $1.2m is raised through fees which includes scholarship fees. The college is still owed about $0.5m in outstanding fees. There has been little or no maintenance done for a number of years. The area of scholarships has been badly hit in recent years with appropriations dropping from more than $13m in 2006/07 to only about $2.8m now. There were 223 awards made for the 2013/14 academic year with 140 being for study within the TCI, mostly at the Community College, and the remainder at a variety of overseas institutions. The cut in the value of awards means that great care is required for selections to ensure that national needs are adequately addressed. There are seven priorities noted in the National Scholarship Policy for the TCI. These are business, education, health, engineering, hospitality, science and Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET). The table below shows numbers awarded scholarships by category. Information Technology is categorised as business, although it could equally as well have been TVET. Those in the General category are students completing their A levels 56 | P a g e

and doing Associate degrees. The table below clearly shows that science, engineering and the TVET subject areas are not well subscribed. Table 14: Scholarship awards by category, 2013

A Level

Ass deg

Bachelor

Business

35

27

Education

20

24

Engineering General

Master's

13

1

Total 2

47

2

7

19

32 28

Hospitality

(blank)

62

5

Health 14

6

1

2

Science 6

Other

1 1

13 13

94

100

35 16

1

TVET Total

Diploma

2

7 1

2

16

7

7

223

This continuing commitment for tertiary education is due to changing expectations and the increasing demands of employers in the tourism and other sectors for more highly skilled graduates. There is also an intense desire within TCI for more TCIslanders to participate at the higher levels of management. However, in view of the high costs associated with providing access to higher education it is important to identify ‘Sustainable funding mechanisms for tertiary and continuing education to meet the economic, social and labour market needs of the TCI and for learners to access affordable routes to tertiary education’’. (Outcome TCE1) The priority areas for scholarships should be reviewed on a regular basis (Strategy TCE1.1.1) and this should be based upon the workforce needs analysis. The Higher Education Board should then determine quotas for each of these priority areas (Strategy TCE1.1.2) which will help ensure that the limited scholarship funds are spent in the most effective manner. Tertiary education is expensive and in order for there to be significant increases in access the country will have to look at alternatives to the traditional long residential courses, usually overseas and with a scholarship, that have been the norm in the past. Options have to be considered for differing modes of delivery and also alternative funding models for students to be able to pay for their education. (Strategy TCE1). Online delivery through distance education will become increasingly prevalent although it should be recognised that this is not an easy option for many young people and, without effective supervision, the completion rate might be expected to be rather lower than has been the case in the past. In addition to this are the social aspects and the positives of attending a large university are highly beneficial for young TCIslanders as well as the simple fact of experiencing another country. Nevertheless, distance education in one form or another has to be embraced by TCIslanders if the numbers are to be achieved. Technical advances, then, mean that there are many more avenues available for people to gain tertiary qualifications. What TCI has to do is to provide the appropriate environment and alternative funding mechanisms that allows their people to take the fullest advantage of these advances. Consideration should also be given to sending more students to the University of the West Indies where the quality of education is excellent and the tuition fees are less. The Higher Education Committee should commission a major study (Strategy TCE1.2.1) that considers all possible funding models prior to making recommendations to the Minister and, subsequently, the Cabinet for their endorsement. There will be no one single answer that is appropriate for all people. The recommendations made will likely result in the introduction of funding strategies that will include a mix of approaches such as scholarships and student loans. (Strategy TCE1.2) There will be differing strategies for different islands reflecting differing local opportunities, the need for living away from home, and also for different courses of study. The 57 | P a g e

introduction of a student loan system would be one of the more difficult to implement and may involve some amendments to existing legislation although a traditional loan scheme may prove difficult to operate in a country with no income tax. Finally, there is a huge range amongst TCIslanders in terms of their ability to pay for the education of their children. In recognition of this the possibility of means testing should also be considered as a part of that same study. The ability of a parent to pay should never determine whether a scholarship is awarded or not, that should always be based on the achievement and potential of the students and the needs of the nation, but it could determine the level of that scholarship. Target 17 That a study on funding models be completed by 2015 It is clear that it is cheaper to provide courses in TCI and the workforce needs analysis (Strategy TCE1.2.2) will be used to inform the TCICC when they determine the range of courses that are to be offered. This study will also be taken into account when developing plans for the Technical Institute. It is also possible that different courses could attract different levels of support depending on the demand for particular skills levels. Employers organisations will be represented on all appropriate Governing Bodies, including the secondary schools, to provide their expertise and to respond to issues raised in the workforce needs analysis. It is also hoped that representatives of the employers will facilitate agreements between employers and institutions to allow for industry experience for students and to ensure that courses offered remain relevant. The TCICC already offers courses in conjunction with the CCCJ and the University of West Indies. It is important that these strong linkages between courses offered in different institutions and different countries across the region are strengthened and extended. This is in order that the range of courses on offer can be extended and be taught at the TCICC and that ‘Accredited tertiary and continuing education institutions in and outside the TCI produce high quality relevant programs’. (Outcome TCE2) The Organisation of East Caribbean States (OECS) will establish, as a key component of its own Education Sector Strategy, both a regulatory body and a Quality Assurance Agency to ensure that institutions are legally incorporated and offer courses that are accredited and of an appropriate quality. It is recommended that TCI adopt these to ensure people that the courses on offer are of an acceptable standard. Beyond this, the TCICC themselves will be expected to implement their own internally administered quality assurance mechanisms (Strategy TCE2.1.4). The TCICC will be expected to increase the number of courses that it has on offer, particularly the number of trade areas offering a CVQ. The first CVQ courses will be in the Hospitality and Tourism trade area and will be offered at the Providenciales campus (Strategy TCE2.1.1). The College will then use the workforce needs analysis to determine other areas of need and develop courses accordingly (Strategy TCE2.1.2). The private sector should be expected to play an increasing role and is doing so in a number of areas (Strategy TCE2.1.3).    

A number of hotels support the Little Chefs program which is a joint initiative with the Youth Department. The hotel industry is giving opportunities for students to gain valuable work experience as well as the offer of internships. At present this is a bit of an ad hoc type situation and needs to be made more formalised. The TCI Community College Foundation is also being supported by the hotel industry. A few hotels sponsor students to further their qualifications.

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Outcomes, strategies and activities TCE 1 Sustainable funding mechanisms for tertiary and continuing education to meet the economic, social and labour market needs of the TCI  To make the most efficient use of the scholarship awards o Identify specific areas of need o Determine quotas for each of the priority areas  Conduct urgent strategic review of options for funding of tertiary and continuing education courses o Consider introducing a student loans system o Ministry use work force needs analysis to guide scholarship awards TCE 2 Accredited tertiary and continuing education institutions in and outside the TCI provide high quality relevant programmes.  Expand the range of courses offered o Introduce CVQ courses in Hospitality and Tourism at the Providenciales campus of the TCICC o TCICC to identify specific areas of need o Liaise with private sector for development of further specialist institutions o Higher Education Board to provide authority for outside institutions to offer their courses in TCI Costs and planning implications Table 15: Summary of costs for Strategic Imperative 8 initiatives

2013

2014

Recurrent Development Total

2015

2016

30.0 30.0

2017

Total 30.0 30.0

Summary of responsibilities Parents are responsible for  Supporting their children to finance their course of study The management of the institutions will be responsible for  Introducing self-assessed quality assurance programs  Identifying and providing courses that are beneficial both for the students and the country The Government will be responsible for  Administering student scholarship program.  Identifying priority areas for student loans  Assessing and implementing funding methodologies  Providing appropriate infrastructure  Providing continued funding for the Community College The private sector will be responsible for  Supporting institutions by providing appropriate work experience opportunities

Monitoring / indicators %age of 5th form students continuing into further education %age of students benefiting from student scholarships

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Ref

Activity

Tertiary and Continuing Education TCE1

TCE1.1 TCE1.1.1 TCE1.1.2

TCE1.2 TCE1.2.1 TCE1.2.2

TCE1.2.3 TCE2 TCE2.1

TCE2.1.1 TCE2.1.2

TCE2.1.3

TCE2.1.4

Implementation period

Perf Indicator

2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 Total

Sustainable funding mechanisms for tertiary and continuing education to meet the economic, social and labour market needs of the TCI To make the most efficient use of the scholarship awards Identify specific areas of need Determine quotas for each of the priority are

Determine options for funding of tertiary and continuing education courses Study conducted to look at options for fudning tertiay education Ministry use work force needs analysis to guide scholarship awards The TCICC to respond to labour market when planning for expansions to TVET provision

30.0

30.0

Accredited tertiary and continuing education institutions in and outside the TCI provide high quality No.relevant of trade programmes areas Expand the range of courses offered Introduce CVQ courses in Hospitality and Tourism at the Providenciales campus of the TCICC TCICC to identify specific areas of need Liaise with private sector for development of further specialist institutions Higher Education Board to provide authority for outside institutions to offer their courses in TCI

with courses

No. of institutions approved

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Cross Cutting Issues There are a number of cross cutting issues that have been mentioned earlier and that deserve separate mention in this Plan. This section serves to outline briefly how these issues should be addressed. One or two have been alluded to in earlier sections and these are referenced accordingly.

Special Education. There are a number of children within TCI schools who have special educational needs. The exact number is unknown but is thought to be in the region of 5% of the school population. The term special educational needs covers specific learning difficulties such as dyslexia and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, pervasive disorders such as autism and physical disability, hearing impairment, visual impairment, etc. The major player in the support for those with special needs is the Special Needs Unit (SNU) of the DoH. This unit has recently been transferred from the DSD and is looking to further strengthen its capacity through the recruitment of Speech and Occupational Therapists. There are some fairly straightforward measures that can be implemented immediately and these include ensuring that wheelchair access is provided in all new education facilities and that the needs of the disabled are taken into account when designing new buildings. Currently, the situation is that schools have special education teachers, who have a variety of training in the particular field, and who have the role to support both the children and the teachers in their school. Many of the teachers themselves still require greater exposure and sensitisation to teaching methods for helping the children that they have with special needs. This is an area that will be covered by a program of ongoing teacher professional development (see Strategic Imperative 3). There is support from the Department of Health (DOH) which conducts sight tests and hearing tests on an annual basis to identify children with hearing and sight problems. There are a number of NonGovernment Organisations (NGOs) working in the field and these include the Special Needs Association of Providenciales (SNAP) and the Hope Foundation for Autism Awareness. The Special Needs Unit provides financial support for the first of these. The majority of children and young people with special educational needs should be able to reach their full potential in school. The TCI education system practices principles of inclusivity. These children should also be supported to make a successful transition into adulthood, whether into employment, further or higher education and training. However, there remain a very small number who will not be able to be provided for in the regular school system. The SNAP are able to help a small number at their base in Providenciales and they are supported by two teachers provided by the SNU. The maximum pupil teacher ratio is about four and there is scope for more children to take advantage of the facilities. The DoH is currently preparing a plan for those with special needs and it is hoped that further Government help will be forthcoming for the SNAP. There are also hopes that a similar unit can be established on Grand Turk on the site of the old hospital. This will help a number of parents who presently have to relocate overseas in order that they can access the care that they need for their children. There is currently no Special Education Needs officer within the DoE. The position has been vacant for approximately two years and is now not funded. The position needs to be restored to the DoE staff structure, a job description approved, and then filled with an appropriately qualified person as soon as possible in order to provide the support that our children with special education needs deserve (Strategy CC1.1.1). The role of this officer will be to support the special education teachers (Strategy CC1.1.3) in the schools and to provide training packages to support the teachers in their work with children with special needs (Strategy CC1.1.4). It will be the responsibility of the DOE to make sure that an adequate budget is appropriated each year to allow this officer to be able to operate. The Special Education Needs Officer will be responsible for developing a Policy and Plan for Children with Special Needs (Strategy CC1.1.5) and will liaise closely with the SNU of the DoH in this regard. 61 | P a g e

There needs to be a more formal set of guidelines established between the Departments – Education and Health – than is currently the case. The Special Needs Officer will act as the focal point for contact with the DoH and be responsible for establishing these linkages (Strategy CC1.2.1). They will meet on a regular basis to monitor the progress of children with special education needs and an annual report will be produced (Strategy CC1.2.3).

Boys Education The annual reports from CXC on standards highlight variations in performance by gender. These reports at present are only for secondary education but the DoE should increasingly be making information available for primary education (CA1.1.3 and CA1.1.4). These findings should then be analysed and fed back into the professional development programs and work should start in schools to try and reduce disparities (Strategy CC2.1.1). Any initiatives that are taken should be documented and, where successful, replicated elsewhere. The table below shows the numbers of male and female students sitting for the CXC examinations. The table shows that although about the same percentage of boys and girls gain five or more passes, there are many more girls than boys sitting for the exams. Table 16: Examinations data by gender, 2010 to 2013

Number sitting

Year 2010

5 or more passes with English and Maths

M

F

Total

M

%M

F

%F

Total

Total%

107

165

272

29

27.1%

49

29.7%

78

28.7%

143

207

350

32

22.4%

44

21.3%

76

21.7%

61

24.4%

2011 2012 Total

250

372

622

93

25.0%

154

24.8%

Source: DoE Strengthening boys’ education has to go beyond academic performance and address issues of why boys drop out at the higher levels of education and also those of boys self-esteem. There is scope for private sector involvement to consider ways in which to improve the performance of boys. Role models should be identified who have been successful in varying different walks of life and who could then be asked to mentor young men or groups of young men. The 100 Black Men of the Turks and Caicos Islands describes mentoring as ‘the cornerstone of what the organization brings to the community’ (Strategy CC2.2.1). This organisation looks to provide mentoring for those wishing to excel and the mentors are largely from the business community. Individual schools should look to identifying people from within their immediate community, maybe local building contractors, who have succeeded in life without actually having taken the traditional, academic route to that success. Boys need to be challenged and need to have something in school to stimulate them. In the primary schools there should be activities in the new primary curriculum that are designed primarily to attract the attention of boys (Strategy CC2.2.2). It is particularly important that greater emphasis be put on physical education and sports in schools and beyond to incorporate the broader concept of Sports for Development (S4D). There will be many benefits of this and amongst these will be better health, improved completion rates and improved self-esteem for some boys. (Strategy CC2.2.2) The Department of Sports will be able to provide support for the schools in this initiative. As has been noted elsewhere in this Plan – see Strategic Imperative 1 – a significant number of children, many of whom will be boys, leave school without any useful certification that can be used for employment purposes. This is one of the motives behind the proposed establishment of a Technical Institute. The practical, skills based components of the curriculum offered in the high schools should be reviewed to make them more appropriate and for them to be perceived by the students as being of relevance and value to them (Strategy CC2.2.3).

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Disaster Risk Reduction The TCI are very fragile both economically and in terms of their vulnerability to natural and manmade disaster. It is important that the country as well as the schools is prepared for such events and that all schools have school disaster and safety plans. Children need to be prepared from an early age as to how to respond to natural disasters and it is of importance that all disaster plans are kept updated and that teachers and students alike are aware of procedures to be followed in the event of such catastrophes. These plans should be included as a part of their School Improvement Plan (Strategy CC3.1.2) and drills should be carried out on a regular basis. They should be based upon a national disaster in education policy that needs to be developed by the MoE (Strategy CC3.1.1). It is fortunate, and well planned, that the schools in general are in sheltered environments and are used as shelters during times of hurricanes. The majority of schools only incurred limited damage as a result of Hurricane Ike although the current major building program at H.J. Robinson was required due to the damage caused. The country has got a Department Disaster Management. All schools have copies of a Critical Incident Management Handbook and all Principals have attended a workshop on the use of the handbook.

Counselling and Second Chance Learning This has to be closely linked to the issue of strengthening boys education. It has to be recognised that students today are growing up in a rapidly changing world and one that is very different from that experienced by their parents and also, in many cases, their teachers. At present there are counselling services available in both the secondary schools and the majority of primary schools. Teachers in both primary and secondary schools need support in their role as counsellors, which is largely an informal one. All teachers need to be able to identify a child in danger even if they are not trained counsellors. Training for teachers is still needed to help them identify children in need and then know how to refer them to the professionals. There are needy children in all schools – those that come to school hungry, those that have no lunch money and those who do not have parents or guardians who are able to afford their textbooks or workbooks. The Department of Social Development is able to provide some support and this is outlined in the first of the Strategic Imperatives. Different schools provide support for these children in different ways. Every effort is made to support those unable to afford the books with some teachers themselves helping the child. There are lunch programs organised informally in nearly all of the schools. The funding for these comes from a variety of sources - churches, Red Cross, the Soroptomists, the Salvation Army and others provide financial help with The Men’s Brotherhood of the New Testament Church providing about $400 a month to the H.J. Robinson High School being a particularly good example. Some schools use the profits that they make from their canteens to pay for lunches for those in need. All of these efforts are greatly commended. Linked to all of the above, there are also the increasing numbers of reports of ill-discipline at the high schools and in particular the Clement Howell High School. Whether this is due to the lack of appropriate alternatives available for boys at the high schools is unclear. What is clear, however, is that there is an almost complete lack of second chance opportunities available for students who drop out of school, there are very few of these, and for those who for whatever reason do not make the best use of the opportunities that they did get. There are two institutions currently supporting second chance learners. They are New Beginners on Providenciales and the TCI Business College on Grand Turk. These two schools are supported by the Department of Gender Affairs, which is a part of the Department of Social Development but both are struggling financially. There is an urgent need for a policy decision to be made as to who should be responsible for these schools and to consider the best way in which they can be supported. Outcomes, strategies and activities CC 1

To provide children with special education needs with support that they require 63 | P a g e





CC 2 



CC3 

CC4 



Recreate the Special Needs Officer position in the Department of Education o Appoint a special needs education officer o Provide sufficient funds for all schools to be visited on a termly basis o Convene meetings with all special needs teachers o Develop a training package for all primary school teachers o Develop a Special Education Plan Establish formal linkages between the Ministry of Education and the Department of Health o Define relationships through a set of strict guidelines o Convene meetings on a quarterly basis o Prepare annual report on children in need (better expression?) To raise the standing of boys in the community To improve the performance of boys in all examinations o Analyse all examination data by gender o Disseminate results to all schools with recommendations for remedial work o Include boys education issues in all professional development programs o Initiate and document strategies for improving boys education standards o Include physical education and sports in the curriculum at all levels. To raise boys self esteem o Identify role models and undertake mentoring sessions o Introduce boys specific activities into the primary curriculum o Increase the options for boys to take up practical subjects in the high schools All children drilled in disaster preparedness To ensure disaster management plans are in place o Develop a national disaster in education policy o Include disaster management and preparedness in School Improvement Plans All children in need receive adequate quality services and care Facilitate linkages between the Department of Social Development and Gender Affairs and schools o Regular joint visits to schools by Ministry and Social Development staff o Protocols to be developed for the referral of children from the schools to the DSD. Support the efforts of NGOs in providing opportunities for second chance learners. o Liaise with the DSD to resolve the status of the institutions that are providing these opportunities o

Cost and planning implications There will also be costs associated with the training of teachers but this is largely dealt with separately. Some of the costs that are included here may be duplication of efforts already being made by other Departments. These will need to be checked. Table 17: Summary of costs for cross cutting initiatives

2013 Recurrent Development Total

2014

2015

2016

2017

Total

0.0

57.8

109.3

84.3

84.3

335.7

0.0

57.8

109.3

84.3

84.3

335.7

64 | P a g e

Ref

Activity

Cross cutting issues CC1 CC1.1 CC1.1.1 CC1.1.2 CC1.1.3 CC1.1.4 CC1.1.5

CC1.2 CC1.2.1 CC1.2.2 CC1.2.3 CC2

CC2.1 CC2.1.1

CC2.1.2 CC2.1.3 CC2.1.4

Implementation period

Perf Indicator

2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 Tot

To provide children with special education needs with support that they require Recreate the Special Needs officer position in the Department of Education Appoint a special needs education officer Provide sufficient funds for all schools 7.8 7.8 7.8 to be visited on a termly basis Convene meetings with all special needs teachers 12.2 12.2 12.2 Develop a training package for all primary school teachers Develop a Special Education Plan 25.0

23.3 36.5

25.0

Establish formal linkages between the Ministry of Education and the Departments of Health and Social Development Define relationships in an MOU Convene meetings on a quarterly basis Prepare annual report on children in need (better expression?)

6.6

6.6

6.6

19.9

To raise the standing of boys in the community To improve the performance of boys in all examinations

%age of boys with 5 CXCs

Analyse all examination data by gender Disseminate results to all schools with recommendations for remedial work Include boys education issues in all professional development programs Initiate and document strategies for improving boys education standards Include physical education and sports in the curriculum at all levels

CC2.1.5 No of bays being mentored

To raise boys self esteem CC2.2 Identify role models and undertake mentoring sessions CC2.2.1 CC2.2.2

Introduce boys specific activities into the primary curriculum Increase the options for boys to take up practical subjects in the high schools

CC2.2.3 CC3 All children drilled in disaster preparedness CC3.1

To ensure disaster management plans are in place

No of s chool pl a ns wi th DM i ncl uded

Include disaster management and preparedness in School Improvement CC3.1.1 Plans CC4 All children in need have support available Facilitate linkages between the Department of Social Development and Gender Affairs and schools CC4.1

CC4.1.1

Regular joint visits to schools by Ministry and Social Development staff Protocols to be developed for the

65 | P a g e 7.8

7.8

7.8

7.8

31.0

CC4.1 CC4.1.1

CC4.1.2

Facilitate linkages between the Department of Social Development and Gender Affairs and schools Regular joint visits to schools by Ministry and Social Development staff Protocols to be developed for the referral of children from the schools to the DSD

7.8

7.8

7.8

7.8

31.0

Support the efforts of NGOs in providing opportunities for second chance learners

CC4.2

CC4.2.1

Liaise with the DSD to resolve the status of the institutions that are providing these opportunities

CC4.2.2

Provide minor grants to second chance learning institutions

No of youth 50.0 50.0 50.0 50.0 200.0 enrol l ed

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Projected Enrolments and Staffing The lack of enrolment and population data has made it difficult to accurately project enrolment and staffing needs for the period of the plan. In order for estimates to be made there has been a need to make a number of assumptions. These are stated in the text below. (It is hoped that the final version of this Plan will include the latest enrolment and staffing data for all public and private schools) The table below presents the total enrolment numbers for the public schools for the last ten years. The average annual rise over this period for both primary and high schools is approximately 3.5% although it should be noted that this hides some very high rises in some years and negative growth in others. Table 18: Historic total public school enrolment figures

2003/04 2004/05 2005/06 2006/07 2007/08 2008/09 2009/10 2010/11 2011/12 2012/13

High School 1185 1282 1345 1436 1485 1585 0 1677 1663 1603

Annual % rise 8.2% 4.9% 6.8% 3.4% 6.7%

-0.8% -3.6%

Primary School 1934 1931 1946 1998 1982 2097 2375 2544

Annual % rise -0.1 0.8 2.7 -0.8 5.8

7.1

In order that the system displays similar enrolment rises over the plan period the rise in Infant enrolments has been set at 6%. This would appear to be a very high rise but reflects the significant number of immigrants gaining access to the system. Primary schooling The table below presents projected primary school enrolments by Grade. As well as showing a 6% annual rise in entrants it also reflects the net transfers into the schools as well as drop outs. The transfers in, out and drop outs have been computed from primary school returns for the year 2013 / 14. It is this that explains the rise in cohort enrolments from year to year. Table 19: Projected primary school enrolments by Grade, 2013 to 2017

Infant 1 Infant 2 Grade 1 Grade 2 Grade 3 Grade 4 Grade 5 Grade 6 Total

2013 269 262 319 372 314 260 335 345 2476

2014 285 280 273 332 387 327 271 349 2503

2015 302 297 291 284 346 403 340 282 2545

2016 320 315 309 303 295 360 419 354 2676

2017 340 333 327 321 316 307 374 437 2756

The number of teachers required each year is determined by the enrolments and also by Target 5 (see section LM 2) which asks for a pupil teacher ratio of 17:1 to be achieved by 2017. The table below presents the number of teachers required which rises only slightly over the period. This is not an enormous issue as the number of teachers graduating from the TCICC will drop in these years as students are now required to gain a degree and a teaching qualification before they can take up a teaching position.

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Table 20: Primary school teacher requirements by year

PTR Teachers

2013 15.8 157

2014 16.1 156

2015 16.4 155

2016 16.7 160

2017 17.0 162

The number of classes in each grade is as below. The fractional classes reflect the multi grade teaching in some of our schools. If one teacher teaches, for example a multi Grade 3 and Grade 4 then this class counts as 0.5 of a Grade 3 and 0.5 of a Grade 4 class. Table 21: Number of primary school classes by grade

Infant 1 Infant 2 Grade 1 Grade 2 Grade 3 Grade 4 Grade 5 Grade 6 Total

2013 13.75 12.75 14.75 16.25 13.75 11.75 15.75 16.25 115

2014 13.75 13.75 12.75 14.75 16.25 13.75 11.75 15.75 112.5

2015 14.75 13.75 13.75 12.75 14.75 17.25 13.75 11.75 112.5

2016 14.75 14.75 13.75 14.75 13.75 15.75 17.25 14.75 119.5

2017 15.75 14.75 14.75 14.75 14.75 14.75 15.75 18.25 123.5

This number of classes give the average class sizes as presented below. Table 22: Average primary school class sizes by Grade and year

Infant 1 Infant 2 Grade 1 Grade 2 Grade 3 Grade 4 Grade 5 Grade 6 Total

2013 19.6 20.5 21.6 22.9 22.8 22.1 21.3 21.2 21.5

2014 20.7 20.4 21.4 22.5 23.8 23.8 23.0 22.1 22.2

2015 20.5 21.6 21.2 22.3 23.4 23.4 24.7 24.0 22.6

2016 21.7 21.3 22.5 20.6 21.5 22.8 24.3 24.0 22.4

2017 21.6 22.6 22.2 21.8 21.4 20.8 23.8 23.9 22.3

As is noted earlier in this Plan on page 19 it is important that primary schools have a number of specialists on staff so that children with reading or other needs can be provided with the assistance that they require. The table below shows the number of ‘specialist’ teachers that will be available. This has been calculated by subtracting the number of classes from the total number of teachers. Table 23: Number of specialist teachers by year

Spec trs

2013 42

2014 43

2015 43

2016 41

2017 39

High schools The table below presents projected high school enrolments by Form and year. The figures in the table are real for 2012 and 2013. The projected figures use the transfers in and out data from the2013 data that suggests a net transfer in rate of 1.6%. Form 1 figures from 2014 onwards are taken from the primary school enrolments. There was a low Form 1 enrolment reported in 2013. Table 24: Projected high school enrolments by Form, 2012 to 2017

Form 1 Form 2 Form 3 Form 4 Form 5

2012 324 337 312 322 308 1603

2013 283 340 307 317 288 1535

2014 351 288 345 312 322 1617

2015 354 356 292 351 317 1670

2016 286 360 362 297 357 1661

2017 360 291 366 368 302 1685

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Staffing numbers have been estimated based upon the Target set in section LM2 that asks for a pupil teacher ratio of 12 to be reached by 2017. Table 25: Number of high school teachers, 2012 to 2017

Teachers PTR

2012 165 9.7

2013 166 9.2

2014 159 10.2

2015 155 10.8

2016 149 11.2

2017 140 12.0

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Financial issues This chapter contains two main sections. The first will look at some of the major items of expenditure, with a number of different scenarios, and will then present the total costs of the plan as it stands at present. The second section will consider how affordable the Plan is and look at the potential funding gap.

The costs of the Plan There are two elements to the costs of the plan. There is the recurrent component of the budget and also the capital component.

Recurrent costs The bulk of recurrent costs will be personnel costs. Teacher salaries issues are discussed in significant detail in annex 10. Civil servant salaries will remain as they are with the addition of five new positions as called for as in this Plan. The table below shows the personnel costs with the assumption being that targets relating to pupil teacher ratios will be achieved. As stressed elsewhere these targets will not be easy to achieve but are one of the keys to the Plan being affordable. Under such assumptions there will only be marginal increases in personnel costs over the period of the Plan. Table 26: Total personnel costs, 2013 to 2017

Teachers PS costs HS costs

Civil servants Education New positions Educ admin - Z1 Youth Educ admin - Z2 Sports Depy of cult Library Total personel

2013 5699.1 6523.8 12,222.9

2014 5651.3 6253.7 11,905.0

2015 5637.1 6091.6 11,728.7

2016 5818.3 5837.5 11,655.8

2017 5884.6 5519.2 11,403.8

2013 444.9

2014 444.9 40.0 391.2 187.6 250.1 359.6 140.3 228.0 2041.7 13,946.67

2015 444.9 120.0 391.2 187.6 250.1 359.6 140.3 228.0 2121.7 13,850.42

2016 444.9 160.0 391.2 187.6 250.1 359.6 140.3 228.0 2161.7 13,817.51

2017 444.9 200.0 391.2 187.6 250.1 359.6 140.3 228.0 2201.7 13,605.47

391.2 187.6 250.1 359.6 140.3 228.0 2001.7 14,224.60

There are many new initiatives recommended in this Plan. The table below shows the recurrent component of these initiatives that are taken directly from the appropriate sections of the Plan. Many of these activities involve meetings and workshops and the costs of these are based on current airfares and ferry costs and Government approved accommodation and per diem rates. There is no provision for car hire aside from that already made in the regular recurrent budget. It is assumed that all meetings and workshops will be held in Government properties so that there is no room hire included. Equipment costs are largely indicative, aside from the computer costs that have been rather more accurately costed. The Plan will have to be amended when such costs have been more accurately determined and included in respective annual budgets. Table 27: Recurrent costs of new initiatives, 2013 to 2017

Strategic Imperative 1 Strategic Imperative 2 Strategic Imperative 3 Strategic Imperative 4

2013 3.0 25.0 248.0 4.7

2014 317.0 44.9 361.5 63.2

2015 316.1 77.4 463.4 175.8

2016 325.3 45.4 400.9 97.0

2017 341.1 53.5 465.1 85.7

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Strategic Imperative 5 Strategic Imperative 6 Strategic Imperative 7 Strategic Imperative 8 Cross cutting issues

0.0 0.0 0.0

22.5 12.0 30.2

25.4 26.4 67.8

42.3 17.9 30.0

15.4 18.4 30.0

0.0

57.8

109.3

84.3

84.3

280.7

909.1

1261.6

1043.1

1093.5

The costs of general administration and ongoing overheads, such as rental and utilities, are included in the annual Ministry of Education recurrent budget. These have been kept as they are from the 2013 / 2014 budget. One or two specific items have been excluded because they have been recosted as a part of the new initiatives. An example of this is the cost of administering the EAB and HEB. All travel items have remained as they are. Table 28: Ministry of Education recurrent budget and total Other Operating Costs, 2013 to 2017

Education Educ admin – Z1 Youth Educ admin – Z2 Sports Dept of Culture Library Subvention to TCICC Scholarships High Schools Primary schools New initiatives Total OOC

2013 420 461.7 60.9

2014 420 461.7 60.9

2015 420 461.7 60.9

2016 420 461.7 60.9

2017 420 461.7 60.9

334.0 63.7 64.6 1667.0 2650.0 413.6 512.7 6648.2 280.7 6928.9

334.0 63.7 64.6 1667.0 2650.0 413.6 512.7 6648.2 909.1 7557.3

334.0 63.7 64.6 1667.0 2650.0 413.6 512.7 6648.2 1261.6 7909.8

334.0 63.7 64.6 1667.0 2650.0 413.6 512.7 6648.2 1043.1 7691.3

334.0 63.7 64.6 1667.0 2650.0 413.6 512.7 6648.2 1093.5 7741.7

2016 13,817.5 7,691.3 21,508.8

2017 13,605.5 7,741.7 21,347.1

The total recurrent budget is presented below: Table 29: Total Ministry of Education recurrent requirements, 2013 to 2017

Personnel costs Other Operating Costs Total

2013 14,224.6 6,928.9 21,153.5

2014 13,946.7 7,557.3 21,503.9

2015 13,850.4 7,909.8 21,760.2

For the purpose of comparison, the table below shows recurrent costs if teacher salaries were to rise as enrolment rises yet pupil teacher ratios remain the same. These figures are taken directly from those calculated in Annex 10. Table 30: Ministry of Education recurrent requirements with no change of pupil teacher ratio

Personnel costs Other Operating Costs Total

2013 13952.1 6928.9 20,881.0

2014 14346.1 7557.3 21,903.4

2015 14735.6 7909.8 22,645.3

2016 15040.4 7691.3 22,731.7

2017 15362.2 7741.7 23,103.9

It is assumed that the total budget for the Turks and Caicos Islands Government will remain as it is for the period of the Plan. These figures are shown below. Table 31: TCIG recurrent budget, 2013 to 2017

Personnel costs Other Operating Costs Total

2013 63,867.9 101,970.0 165,837.9

2014 63,867.9 101,970.0 165,837.9

2015 63,867.9 101,970.0 165,837.9

2016 63,867.9 101,970.0 165,837.9

2017 63,867.9 101,970.0 165,837.9

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The education share of this budget is presented below. There is a slight rise in the overall share from 12.7% to 13.1%. The majority of this rise is in Other Operating Costs. This percentage is very low by international standards, especially as it also includes some provision for tertiary education. Table 32: Education share of TCIG recurrent budget, 2013 to 2017

Personnel costs Other Operating Costs Total

2013 22.2% 6.8% 12.7%

2014 22.3% 7.4% 13.1%

2015 21.9% 7.8% 13.2%

2016 22.0% 7.6% 13.1%

2017 21.8% 7.6% 13.1%

If there is no rise in pupil teacher ratios then the share of the national budget rises only marginally to 12.9%. This is shown in the table below. Table 33: Education share of recurrent budget with no change of pupil teacher ratio

Personnel costs Other Operating Costs Total

2013 22.3% 6.8% 12.8%

2014 21.8% 7.4% 13.0%

2015 21.7% 7.8% 13.1%

2016 21.6% 7.6% 13.0%

2017 21.3% 7.6% 12.9%

Capital costs There are significant funds required for capital investment during this plan period. This is virtually all for the capital investment program required as a part of Strategic Imperative 1. Table 34: Capital investment requirements, 2013 to 2017

Strategic Imperative 1 Strategic Imperative 2 Strategic Imperative 3 Strategic Imperative 4 Strategic Imperative 5 Strategic Imperative 6 Strategic Imperative 7 Strategic Imperative 8 Cross cutting issues Total

2013 761.5

2014 4272.8

2015 4272.8 30.0

2016 5055.6

2017 5055.6

100.0

94.0

101.7

0.0

30.0

100.0

0.0

0.0

761.5

4302.8

4502.8

5149.6

5157.3

The education share of the total capital budget remains fairly constant if it is assumed that there is no rise in the overall TCIG capital budget. It must be remembered, of course, that these are only the capital requirements that have arisen as a result of this Plan. There are still many requests for capital funding for education projects in the pipeline awaiting funding7. If the cost of the education ‘Uncommitted’ projects are included, having deducted those that are included in this Plan then the share of the capital rise to approximately 30%. Table 35: Education share of TCIG capital budget

TCIG Capital budget Educ Capital budget Education %age

2013 16,761.80 761.5 4.5%

2014 16,761.80 4302.8 25.7%

2015 16,761.80 4502.8 26.9%

2016 16,761.80 5149.6 30.7%

2017 16,761.80 5157.3 30.8%

Financing the Plan The table below shows education budget appropriations by year and illustrates how the available funding has dropped over the years. The final two columns provide projected funding levels as per the 2013 / 14 budget documents. As can be seen there are only slight rises forecast and these will not make up for the drops experienced in earlier years.

7

Some of these capital projects that have yet to be funded are also a part of this Plan

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Table 36: Funding by budget category in $’000s, 2006 to 2015

MoE Zone 1 Tert and FE Comm Coll Zone 1 admin HJRHS CHHS RGHS MBHS Youth Zone 2 Zone 2 admin Sports Culture Library Total

2006/07 1,311 2,476

Actual 2007/08 1,234 2,579

2008/09 1,154 2,687

Unaudit actual 2009/10 2010/11 1,326 1,442 3,596 3,864

Budget 2011/12 747 2,801

Budget 2012/13 555 2,239

Budget 2013/14 900 2,348

Proj 2014/15 914 2,362

Proj 2015/16 928 2,377

13,000

13,000

13,000

11,903

8,219

3,700

2,650

2,650

2,729

2,811

2,210

2,331

2,533

1,668

1,703

1,700

1,530

1,667

1,717

1,769

571 1,721 2,314 1,256 886 317 3,774

594 1,793 2,401 1,303 926 332 3,927

618 1,870 2,516 1,352 965 347 4,089

360 2,084 3,159 1,183 923 316 4,826

363 1,933 3,148 1,081 845 374 5,021

482 1,926 3,190 1,200 910 269 5,036

380 1,874 2,811 990 851 242 3,937

391 1,942 2,962 1,073 955 248 4,387

391 1,946 2,968 1,075 957 250 4,402

391 1,949 2,974 1,076 959 252 4,417

240 818 401 308 31,603

248 859 421 324 32,272

257 902 442 340 33,072

284 947 261 304 33,140

310 828 268 300 29,699

346 650 200 257 23,414

324 585 180 232 19,380

250 694 204 293 20,965

250 704 206 294 21,165

250 714 208 296 21,371

The TCIG will continue to be the most significant contributor to the costs of education in the TCI. If the Government determines that the education is to receive no increase in appropriation for Other Operating Costs there will be a gap emerge in funding that is show below. Table 37: Projected funding gap for Other Operating Costs

2013 OOC needs OOC appropriation Gap

6928.9 6928.9 0.0

2014 7557.3 6928.9 628.4

2015 7909.8 6928.9 980.9

2016 7691.3 6928.9 762.4

2017 7741.7 6928.9 812.8

There are a number of ways in which this gap can be closed.     

The Government can increase the appropriation. Earlier analysis suggested that the education share of the Other Operating Costs would have to rise from 6.8% to 7.6%. External support from external sources. These sources may include CARICOM, the Caribbean Development Bank and UNICEF, who may be requested for support in certain technical areas that have been noted in the appropriate part of the Plan. Private sector involvement has been noted throughout the Plan and their involvement may be in areas of capital expenditure as well as the recurrent. The Ministry should attempt to get commitment from the private sector as to exactly what they are willing to fund. NGOs provide support in specific areas – special education being one - and their plans and projected expenditures should be incorporated into an expenditure framework. An increased parental contribution

If very indicative figures are included for contributions from entities other than Government the gap can be recalculated:

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Table 38: Possible solutions for closing the gap

OOC needs Govt appropriation External sources Private sector NGO Parents Gap

2013 6928.9 6928.9

2014 7557.3 6928.9

2015 7909.8 6928.9

2016 7691.3 6928.9

2017 7741.7 6928.9

0.0

699.7

986.3

802.0

840.2

There will inevitably be a gap – the education system can not expect to be provided with all that it wants. In such a situation where there is a gap that can not be bridged the Ministry will have to make some hard decisions and prioritise certain activities. The log frames show a level of priority for each activity. The lowest priority activities, of which there are very few at present, should be the first to go.

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Monitoring and Evaluation The Performance Assessment Framework below is made up of the indicators that are identified at the end of each of the Strategic Imperative sections. These are the indicators that should be used to inform annual reporting. Table 39: Performance Assessment Framework

Indicators by Strategic Imperative 1. Establish school places ES 1 Enrolment rates I Infant 1 Ii Grade 1 iii Grade 6 Iv Form 1 v Form 5 ES 2 Average class sizes I Infant 1 Ii Grade 1 iii Form 1 2. Leadership and Management % of schools with an approved Governing body %age of Department / Ministry staff taking part in professional development courses %age of school leaders undertaking a professional development program. Pupil teacher ratios Primary Secondary 3 Teacher Professional Development TPD1 %age of teachers attending a professional development course TPD2 %age of High School teachers being TCIslanders 4 Teaching and Learning

Baseline 2013

2014

2015

Targets 2016

2017

100 100 100 100 100

Census returns Census returns Census returns Census returns Census returns

19.4 22.1

Census returns Census returns Census returns

0 100

Training records

50

Training records

50

Training records

0

15.7 9.7

16.1 10.1

16.4 10.7

16.7 11.2

17.0 11.4

Census returns Census returns

70

School records

40

Census returns

30

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Indicators by Strategic Imperative 5 Curriculum and Assessment CA1 %age of children achieving pass / acceptable results at the GSAT CA2 %age of students achieving 5 passes at CXC 6 Early Childhood Development ECD1 % of children of ages 2 and 3 enrolled in approved early childhood institutions ECD2 %age of trained teachers 7 Technical and Vocational Education and Training TVET1 % of primary schools integrating skills development courses into curriculum TVET2 % of students in Form 5 graduating with a CVQ 8 Tertiary and Continuing Education TCE1 %age of 5th form students continuing into further education TCE 2 %age of students benefiting from student scholarships

Baseline 2013

2014

2015

Targets 2016

2017

Examination records Examination records

Census returns Census returns 0 100

School appraisal reports

10%

Examination records

50%

Examination records

0

Scholarship records

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There are also a number of specific targets set that have to be completed by a set time during the Plan period. These are presented below along with their means of verification Table 40: Targets by Strategic Imperative reference number

No. Target 1 Target 2 Target 3 Target 4 Target 5 Target 6 Target 7 Target 8 Target 9

Ref ES1 ES1 ES1 LM1 LM2 LM2 LM3 TPD1 TPD3

Target 10 Target 11 Target 12 Target 13 Target 14 Target 15 Target 16 Target 17

TL1 TL2 CA1 CA1 EC1 TVET1 TVET2 TCE1

Page 13 13 15 18 20 21 23 29 30 35 36 40 41 45 50 50 56

Target For an Early Childhood Centre to be established by 2017 National school infrastructure plan completed by 2014 To build a new primary school by 2016 That all schools have legally constituted Boards of Governors by 2017 That the Primary School pupil teacher ratio be 17 by 2017 That the High School pupil teacher ratio be 12 by 2017 That a school appraisal system be in place by 2015 That a Teacher Professional Development Plan be endorsed by the Minister by 2105 That 40% of high school teachers be TCIslanders by 2017 That TCI adopts the child friendly education initiative and all teachers to take a child centred approach to teaching by 2016 That an IT in Schools policy be endorsed by the Minister by 2015 Primary curriculum reform completed by 2015 Curriculum officer appointed by 2014 That guidelines for establishment of pre schools be endorsed by Minister by 2014 That all primary schools have skills development programs in their schools by 2016 Short modular courses being conducted by 2015 That a study on funding models be completed by 2015

Means of verification Building hand over documents Ministerial documentation Building hand over documents Documentation School census figures School census figures Appraisal records Ministerial records School census figures School appraisal records Ministerial records Staffing records Ministerial records School appraisal records TCICC enrolment records TCICC enrolment records

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Annex 1: Areas to be covered by a Professional Development Program There are many different facets of teacher professional development. 1. The upgrading of qualifications for teachers. This would include the need for all teachers to now have a degree. Many of the primary school teachers only have a certificate. 2. Training in particular parts of the curriculum that may be identified as a result of an analysis of the GSAT or the literacy and numeracy tests administered in Grades 2 and 4. 3. Training for specific teachers as identified as a part of the appraisal process. 4. Training that is needed for all teachers as a result of new initiatives, a good example of which would be the introduction of a reform curriculum, which would require a significant investment in professional development. 5. Training needed in specialist areas needed by all schools – teacher librarianship would be a good example of this. A comprehensive teacher education plan should include aspects of all of these and should have as an outcome the improvement in the quality of education provided. The type of Professional Development Program envisaged in this Plan would include mostly activities included in numbers 2, 4 and 5. The following are possible areas that have been suggested for inclusion in such a program. They are in no particular order and have been raise at some point during either formal or informal discussion.              

Student assessment that could include a review of the Grade Six Achievement Test (GSAT). Special education – awareness and sensitisation. Education for gifted children Remedial reading Teaching English as a Second Language School librarianship Multi grade teaching strategies Curriculum development Curriculum sensitisation Use of Technology Behaviour Management Classroom Management Guidance and Counselling skills – do we need to look at school rules and how we deal with ‘problem’ children? Should it be in the Leadership and management section? Child centred approaches to teaching

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Annex 2: Teacher Deployment The cost of salaries for teachers is the single biggest item of the TCI Government budget, It is critical that the most effective use possible is made of the funding that is available. At present, there is an enormous range of pupil teacher ratios in our schools. This is particularly the case in our high schools where the situation is such that some schools are grossly over staffed. There is some over staffing in the primary sector but it is not as pronounced. Table 41: Pupil teacher ratios for primary schools, 2013 / 2014 school year

Ianthe Pratt Enid Capron Oseta Jolly Ona Glinton Eliza Simons Mary Robinson Adelaide Oemler Doris Robinson Iris Stubbs Hubert James

Island Provo Provo Provo Grand Turk Grand Turk Salt Cay North Caicos Middle Caicos South Caicos North Caicos

Enrolment 563 579 517 273 238 3 99 15 133 56 2476

Staffing

PTR

26 27 28 25 20 1 10 2 11 6 156

21.7 21.4 18.5 10.9 11.9 3.0 9.9 7.5 12.1 9.3 15.9

Table 42: Pupil teacher ratios for high schools, 2012 / 2013 school year

Raymond Gardiner H.J. Robinson Clement Howell Marjorie Basden

Island North Caicos Grand Turk Providenciales South Caicos

Enrolment 131 408 974 90 1603

Staffing 21 45 70 18 154

PTR 6.2 9.1 13.9 5.0 10.4

Whilst it is recognised that the geography of the country means that these ratios will never be the same in each schools, the current differences are far greater than they should be. It could be considered that these differences mean that some areas are looked upon more favourably than others when it comes to the allocation of scarce resources. It is proposed that the Department allocates each school with the number of teachers. This determination will be based on an objective analysis of each school taking into account projected enrolment, the number of classes, location and subject offerings. It is acknowledged that there are going to have to be some hard decisions made if this is to be achieved and the criteria to be used have to be accepted by all concerned. Further data will be collected in two areas to aid in this. The first will be a brief study to determine the role of teachers in the primary schools who do not have a class. The next table presents by school the number of classes, the number of teachers and, derived from that, the number of what are called specialist teachers. These teachers will include the Principal and teachers with a particular role such as remedial reading, guidance counselling, special education and physical education. The table shows that some large schools have twice the percentage of non class, specialist teachers than others. However, these figures may be skewed because there are some peripatetic teachers on Grand Turk and North Caicos. These teachers are in the fields of music and physical education and will have been included on the staff of only one school whilst they may actually teach in two.

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Table 43: Primary school ‘specialist’ staffing by school

Ianthe Pratt Enid Capron Oseta Jolly Ona Glinton Eliza Simons Mary Robinson Adelaide Oemler Doris Robinson Iris Stubbs Hubert James

Classes 21 22 20 15 13 1 8 2 8 5 115

Staff 26 27 28 25 20 1 11 2 11 6 157

Spec trs 5 5 8 10 7 0 3 0 3 1 42

% spec 19% 19% 29% 40% 35% 0% 27% 0% 27% 17% 27%

This information will be used by the Ministry to make an informed decision as to exactly what the needs of schools are in terms of specialist teachers. This decision should be made based uon principles of equity, the quality of education to be provide and cost effectiveness. Teachers should then be allocated accordingly. The second of the brief studies should be to gather information in two areas in the high schools. The first will on the number of lessons taught in each subject area in the high schools and the second on the present workload for each teacher. This data should then be used to calculate the number of teachers that are required in each of the subject areas based upon an agreed workload for teachers. An informed decision can then be made as to how teachers should be allocated and this decision should be based upon principles of equity, the need for subject specialisation and cost effectiveness.

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Annex 3: Academic studies beyond Form 5 There are a number of issues at play here. The two main ones are what course of study should be taken and the second is where this study should take place. There are many variations. The type of qualifications that a student needs depends to a large extent on the aspirations of that student. The A level courses are seen as being beneficial for entry into medical school either in the UK or at UWI. The SATS, that are available at the BWI Collegiate, are beneficial for entry into US Colleges and Universities. The situation at present is that following completion of Form 5 scholarships are awarded for students to undertake further studies. The tables below show the numbers awarded scholarships to follow either an A level or an Associate Degree program. As can be seen the vast majority opt for an Associate Degree program that is offered by the TCICC and is also awarded by them. The A – level program is offered by the BWI Collegiate that is on Providenciales. The TCIG only offers a partial scholarship for those attending BWI to for their A level studies. This means that not all who may wish to take the A level program are in a position to do so. Table 44: Scholarships awarded to 2013 Form 5 graduates by type of course and gender

Male Female Total

Ass deg 17 31 48

A levels 5 4 9

Total 22 35 57

Table 45: Scholarships awarded to 2012 Form 5 graduates by type of course and gender

Male Female Total

Ass deg 17 29 46

A levels 1 2 3

Total 18 31 49

A number of options have been considered as to the best way for the children of TCI to achieve accreditable post Form 5 qualifications in a manner that is cost effective for both Government and parents. First, would be to add a Form 6 and Form 7 to one or two of the existing high schools. The major problem with this would be that there are only a relatively small number of students that would be eligible. This would mean, in turn, that only a limited range of subjects could be offered and class sizes would be very small. This would further exacerbate the high cost structure of the high schools that is discussed elsewhere. On the other hand, offering post Form 5 studies at the high schools may result in more students opting to do them. If these courses were to be offered at Clement Howell High School, then there are issues as to how to deal with those students from other schools. It could be argues that the introduction of a middle school would make Clement Howell an ideal place and the present site would be a high school offering Form 4 to 7. It is feasible that a very limited range of courses could be offered at H.J. Robinson High School but the recruitment of staff would have to be very carefully handled to make sure that it is economic. Students moving to other islands would, it is assumed, receive stipends similar to those being paid to those attending the TCICC. Second, would be for the Community College to offer post Form 5 courses other than the Associate Degree programs that they are already doing, and for students to be offered scholarships to attend. Popular courses could be run at both the Providenciales and the Grand Turk campus. They would be able to offer A levels or the Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examinations (CAPE) awarded by CXC given an appropriate time to prepare. Many of the classes could be similar to those that they already provide for the Associate Degree programs. The present system of students from other islands having to find their own accommodation on Grand Turk needs to be revise and dormitory accommodation should be established at the College. The preferred option would be for the TCICC to offer post Form 5 programs at both of its campuses. 81 | P a g e

Annex 4: Standards for Early Childhood Institutions At a Glance Standard 1: Staff The staff at early childhood institutions have the training, knowledge, skills and attitude to help children achieve their full potential. Standards 2: Programmes Early childhood institutions have comprehensive programmes designed to meet the language, physical, cognitive, socio emotional and school readiness needs of children. Standard 3: Behaviour Management Early childhood staff has the training, knowledge, skills and attitude to promotepositive behaviours in children. Standard 4: Physical environment Early childhood institutions have physical environments that meet building, health and safety requirements and allow adequate space for children. Standard 5: Equipment and furnishing Early childhood institutions have indoor and outdoor equipment and furnishings that are safe, child friendly and promote optimal development of children. Standard 6: Health Early childhood institutions have physical facilities, policies, programmes and procedures that promote healthy lifestyles and protect children and staff from illness. Standard 7: Nutrition Early childhood institutions provide children in their care with nutritious meals and model god nutrition practices for children and families. Standard 8: Safety Early childhood institutions provide safe indoor and outdoor environments for children, staff, stakeholders and visitors to the institution Standard 9: Child rights, child protection and equality Early childhood institutions uphold the rights of children, protect them from harm and ensure that all children have equal access to services. Standard 10: Parent and stakeholder participation The management and staff of early childhood institutions have good relationships with parents, caregivers, family members and the community Standard 11: Administration Early childhood institutions have a management structure that ensures good administration. There are policies, procedures and programs that ensure child, family and staff well being. Standard 12: Finance Early childhood institutions have sound financial practices and adhere to standard accounting principles. Source: Early Childhood Development Minimum Services Standards Handbook for the Turks and Caicos Islands, October, 2012

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Annex 5: Shift teaching issues and options One alternative to a shift teaching at Clement Howell would be to give incentives to parents to transfer their children to one of the smaller high schools on either North or South Caicos. There would of course be financial implications to such a move and there would need to be a sufficient number in order for it to be an effective option. Shift teaching is used in many parts of the world as a strategy for optimising the use of scarce resources. In some instances it may be a lack of teaching resources whereas in others it may be a case of a lack of plant or infrastructure. In the case of Clement Howell Secondary School it is the lack of space that warrants the use of a shift system. There is no need in this case to increase the overall level of staffing because the same number of students will be taught. The current pupil teacher ratio is about 14 which is an acceptable figure. Examples of days Both of the options start classes at 0800 and have 40 minute lessons. Option 1 has three overlapping periods in the middle of the day and the final class finishes at 1735. The second possibility has just two overlapping lessons and finishes at 1820.

Option 1 Time 0800 0840 0910 0950 1030 1050 1130 1210 1250 1330 1400 1440 1520 1600 1615 1655 1735

Option 2 P1 P2 P3 P4 P5 P6 P7 P8 P9 P10 P11 P12 P13

Shift 1 Lesson 1 Lesson 2 Lesson 3 Lesson 4 Break Lesson 5 Lesson 6 Lesson 7 Lesson 8

Shift 2

Lesson 1 Lesson 2 Lesson 3 Lunch Lesson 4 Lesson 5 Lesson 6 Break Lesson 7 Lesson 8

Time 0800 0840 0910 0950 1030 1050 1130 1210 1250 1330 1410 1440 1520 1600 1620 1700 1740 1820

P1 P2 P3 P4 P5 P6 P7 P8 P9 P10 P11 P12 P13 P14

Shift 1 Lesson 1 Lesson 2 Lesson 3 Lesson 4 Break Lesson 5 Lesson 6 Lesson 7 Lesson 8

Shift 2

Lesson 1 Lesson 2 Lesson 3 Lunch Lesson 4 Lesson 5 Lesson 6 Break Lesson 7 Lesson 8

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Annex 6: Technical Institute issues and options This institute would be a campus of the TCICC and there are a number of ways in which the institute could be established. These are summarised with various pros and cons in the table below: Option 1 Build a new institute on Provo

2 Build on existing site on Grand Turk

3 Develop and expand an existing institution

Advantages It could be purpose built It would be close to the major population area and so be more accessible for day release course or similar Greater access to expertise for trade testing It could start enrolling students in some trade areas very swiftly. Staff already available Land available Conducive environment Cheaper than building from scratch Students could be enrolled quickly

Disadvantages Very expensive It would take a number of years before there could be an intake

A large number of students would have to be accommodated on Grand Turk. Dormitory accommodation may be required. All the people from Provo would have to travel to Grand Turk for trade testing. Identification of an institution

It is unlikely that a suitable establishment could be found for option 3 to be enacted. The site currently being used by the TCICC in Providenciales is not suitable because it is not a Government asset. The preferred option would probably be an amalgam of options 1 and 2. The ease and speed of getting the programs operating is very attractive and some trade areas could be based on Grand Turk. In the longer term, it is probably advantageous to have the institute based close to what is the centre of population and work force.

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Annex 7: Building program for Providenciales The Plan anticipates a major program of infrastructure development for Providenciales. This is required in order to combat the overcrowding currently being experienced at the Clement Howell High School and the three primary schools on the island. The precise scope of the program will depend on a policy decision relating to the establishment of a Technical Institute, or similar that is to be established. Buildings are designed to suit needs but efforts are now being made to standardise them and to make them consistent with the new building codes. The table below shows the unit costs for different types of school buildings as estimated in April, 2013: Table 46: Unit building cost by building type

Building type Classroom Industrial Arts Science laboratory Art room Home Science Library Individual office Computer room Admin / staff room Sanitary block - large HSs Sanitary blocks Sick bay Auditorium

Cost (US$) 142,800 190,750 199,000 159,000 178,000 318,000 31,200 153,000 450,000 1,104,000 552,000 39,200 963,000

The following presents the calculations for the cost of building the new institutions that are required. The table provides the number of each type of building needed and the costs for those buildings. The costs for the middle school are for the new buildings required when moving onto the Oseta Jolly site. There is no provision made for the upgrading of existing buildings. The figures used for the Technical Institute are those for High School buildings. It is highly likely that the cost of equipping the workshops for use in a Technical Institute. The costs of sanitation facilities have not been easy to estimate because they will vary dependent upon the population of the school. Table 47: Indicative building costs for new education institutions

Classroom Industrial Arts Science laboratory Art room Home Science Library Individual office Computer room Admin / staff room Sanitary block - large HSs Sanitary blocks Sick bay Auditorium Total (US$)

New Primary School No. Cost 24 3,427,200 1 190,750 1 159,000 1 178,000 1 318,000 4 124,800 2 306,000 1 450,000 1 552,000

5,705,750

Early childhood centre No. Cost 20 2,856,000 3 93,600 1 450,000 1 552,000 3,951,600

Middle school No. Cost 1

1 1 1 1 1

190,750 178,000 318,000 153,000 450,000 552,000 1,841,750

Tech institute No. Cost 15 2,142,000 12 2,289,000 2 398,000 5 890,000 1 318,000 6 187,200 3 459,000 1 450,000 1 1,104,000 0 1 39,200 1 963,000 9,239,400

The costs of each of these will also be affected by the choice of location for each of the schools. This will determine the amount of preparatory work that needs to be carried out like road access and

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utilities installation, In addition to these costs, it has been estimated that the cost of establishing a containerised Early Education Centre would be $761,500. The example of a program below assumes that there will be an Institute constructed in Providenciales and that the TVET programs will be run across three campuses – the two existing sites and the new Institute (would we close down the existing Provo campus and teach the Hosp / Tourism courses at the new Institute?) The process of tendering and the awarding of a contract need not take very long at all. A best case scenario would mean that from a business case being accepted to a contractor being selected only taking three months. Table 48: Indicative building costs for Providenciales infrastructural development

ECE temporary ECE permanent New Primary School Middle school Technical Institute Dormitory for TCICC Total

2013 761.5

2014

2015

2,853 920

2,853 920

2016

2017

2018

3952

761.5

3772.8

3772.8

3080

3080

3080

3080

7032

3080

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Annex 8: Possible school staffing structures School staffing structures are at present very flat which gives little incentive for teachers to better themselves in order that they can gain promotional positions. The situation is that there are Principal and Vice Principal positions in all schools and all other positions are for teachers. Variations in salary are down to qualifications and experience. A teacher with a degree and a teaching qualification attracts a higher salary than does one with just a teaching qualification. Vice principals are appointed internally (all appoints are now done through HR). This means that in practice there is only one formal promotional position available in each primary school, the position of Principal. An alternative structure would be to include a small number of promotional positions to bridge the gap between a classroom teacher and the Principal positions. These positions would be advertised and teachers appointed in the usual manner. The principle used here would be that one teacher in a senior position be responsible for supervising three subordinates. The figure below shows a possible structure for a small to medium sized school with nine teachers. There would be six teachers, two what have been designated Senior Teachers and the Principal. Figure 4: Possible staffing structure for a small primary school

The structure of a larger primary would, necessarily, be a little more complex. The figure below shows a possible structure for a school with 27 staff. This is of similar size to the three large primary schools on Providenciales. The same principle applies with teachers in senior positions supervising three subordinates. In this example there are six Senior Teachers and two Vice Principals. Anecdotally, some schools are already organising themselves informally in this manner. Figure 5: Possible staffing structure for a large primary school

Principal

Vice Principal

ST

Tr1

ST

Vice Principal

ST

ST

ST

ST

Tr2 Tr3 Tr4 Tr5 Tr6 Tr7 Tr8 Tr9 Tr10 Tr11 Tr12 Tr13 Tr14 Tr15 Tr16 Tr17 Tr18

If it were decided to introduce such a structure in the primary schools one unintended consequence may be to persuade the large number of primary school teachers who currently do not have a degree to upgrade their qualification. This could be done by requiring that all of those in Senior Teacher positions are degree holders. 87 | P a g e

The situation in the high schools is slightly different. There are already Heads of Department although these are appointed internally (by the Principal?) and carry small salary benefits which are in the region of 5%. Financial implications These need not be significant. If, say, one third of the staff are on promotional positions and there is a 15% differential between the salary of a teacher and a senior teacher then there would be a 5% increase in salaries. This would be slightly offset by the small increments that the present Heads of Department get in the high schools.

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Annex 9: Main Actions Required in the Implementing Education Plan The Education Development Plan of 2006 to 2010 outlined 17 main actions that needed for implementing the Plan. It is instructive that many of these are included, again, in this Plan. These 17 actions are listed below followed by a comment, in bold, outlining what has been achieved with each. 1. Induce culture change in Ministry of Education and Department of Education, along with Principals of Schools of public and private schools –Training is being provided through the HRD for leaders and managers. It is being addressed in this Plan through leadership and training for all education leaders 2. Institutionalise inter-ministerial working groups on social services, health, immigration, rehabilitation, and statistics and other areas of relevance to the work of the Ministry of Education – This is being suggested as a strategy in CC1 and CC3. There is a move being put forward for a Government wide information system to be introduced. 3. Refocus Teacher recruitment with a view to teacher retention, SI 1 Retention of TCI teachers remains a problem. It is hoped that providing greater incentives through the restructuring of the schools will help this. 4. Foster an action research orientation and a culture of documentation among teachers with a view to encouraging a virtual community of educators sharing information and findings on the learning environment of TCI – SI 2 5. Restructure scholarship programme to reward excellence on one hand and to address priority needs with academic performance being the major criterion of awards – This is even more important now given the education in the funds available for scholarship. This is addressed in TCE2. 6. Develop facilities to treat equitably with requirements of special children and students – Addressed in CC1 7. Introduce English as a second language in Kindergarten and wherever it is necessary – This has not been done but the importance of TESL is recognised and addressed through the TPDP 8. Widen curriculum of secondary schools and ensure most students select subjects from three or four distinctive fields and sit seven or more subjects at CXC or equivalent, and target improved performance at secondary – This Plan proposes a much greater emphasis be placed on sills development and that students be given the opportunity in Forms 4 and 5 to take a technical rather than academic pathway. 9. Upgrade science laboratories and tech/voc units in secondary schools – Addressed in TL2 and TVET 1 10. Provide basic ICT infrastructure, expand libraries in schools, update collections regularly, and allow for opening to the community of sections of the library – There are now IT facilities in virtually all schools although there is still a need for some coordination. The deterioration of library facilities is recognised and is being addressed again in TL3. 11. Provide sport equipment and track and field facilities within easy reach of schools to allow for a structured Physical Education Programme, and development of inculcation of a culture of wellness – This is recognised and efforts have been made in recent years to provide sports equipment to all schools. It is included in this Plan in TL4 12. Foster mutually beneficial partnerships with private sector providers of education, and develop modalities for purchasing places and other services from private sector with a view to ensuring the full reach of the education system to all TCIslanders, whatever their circumstances – SI 1 13. Determine the level of financing to be allocated to the education system over the medium term – This Plan has provided indicative costings

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14. Develop a unified service across the Ministry of Education, the Department of Education, and the Teaching Service, possibly with legislative support, but informed by a prior exercise of process mapping of operations of the Department and the Ministry of Education –This has not been done and is not perceived as being an issue. There is a need for a teachers Association to represent teachers as a professional body. 15. Develop site based training with induction and mentoring at the level of the school, deploying the services of senior teachers in the process of preparing beginning teachers, and allocate training rooms for the process. This is being done for primary school teachers. One suggestion for the training of secondary teachers is to use H.J. Robinson High School as a centre for secondary teacher training through the TCICC. 16. Encourage domestic private sector to contribute to the educational system, including by adopting schools for a mutually rewarding engagement to facilitate resource support to schools and exposure of students to world of work and relevance of education and training to building TCI as a nation. – A number of schools have been adopted by private entities and there has been interest expressed by the private sector in taking their involvement further particularly in the area of tertiary education. 17. Develop programmes for the resocialisation of parents through early childhood education, and in creating mind-set change in the society, having regard to the needs of social integration, and to the nexus of school and home in the development of pupils – SI 5

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Annex 10: Teacher salary scenarios Teacher salaries and other personnel costs related to running the schools are the single biggest item on the education budget. Discussion earlier in the Plan concluded in targets being set to improve the pupil teacher ratios to 17 and 12 in primary and secondary respectively over the period of the plan. Tables 17 and 22 in the chapter on enrolment and staffing projections show the number of teachers expected given that these two targets are met. The two sets of charts and tables below – one set for primary and the other for secondary – show total personnel costs under three scenarios that are outlined briefly here.  



Scenario 1 is to keep existing pupil teacher ratios as they are. This means that the number of teachers, and thus personnel costs will rise as enrolment rises, Scenario 2 is to keep keeping the appropriation for personnel costs exactly as it is for the 2013 /14 school year. This will have the effect of lifting pupil teacher ratios, but in an uncontrolled manner. This is because the number of teachers will remain the same while the enrolments rise. Scenario 3 is to set the number of teachers each year in order to reach the pupil teacher ratio targets that have been set earlier in this Plan. The PTR will rise, but in a more controlled manner than in Scenario 2.

Table 49: Primary school personnel costs under three different scenarios ($’000s)

2013 5741 5741 5735

Scenario 1 Scenario 2 Scenario 3

2014 5845 5741 5730

2015 5929 5741 5699

2016 6217 5741 5864

2017 6390 5741 5914

Figure 6: Primary school personnel costs under three different scenarios ($’000s)

7000 6500 6000 5500 Scen 1 5000

Scen 2

4500

Scen 3

4000 3500 3000 2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

There is a need for increased appropriation for primary even if cost effectiveness measures are put in place although the rises are not as significant as if the pupil teacher ratios were to remain as now. Table 50: High School personnel costs under three different scenarios ($’000s)

Scenario 1 Scenario 2 Scenario 3

2012 6485 6486 6485

2013 6796 6524 6524

2014 7034 6524 6358

2015 7391 6524 6432

2016 7305 6524 6202

2017 7515 6524 6084

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Figure 7: High School personnel costs under three different scenarios ($’000s)

8000 7000 6000 5000

Scen 1

4000

Scen 2

3000

Scen 3

2000 1000 0 2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

The chart and table for high school personnel costs shows the significant savings that may be realised by applying only a relatively minor cost effectiveness measure.

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