We are pleased to share the first Education Report Card for Jamaica, prepared by the Caribbean Policy Research Institute (CaPRI) in association with PREAL. Entitled Prisms of Possibility 2012, the report highlights the achievements and challenges of the national education system in nine key areas and offers a series of policy recommendations.

The document points out that although Jamaica invests a large percentage of national income in education and has high levels of enrollment, it is characterized by serious inequality and low levels of learning among poor students, especially boys. The report also notes that the country has a robust student evaluation system and is developing efforts to improve transparency and accountability.   

Like other PREAL report cards, the publication seeks to promote informed debate among diverse actors and help identify policy options to resolve the problems described. To read a summary of the report, click here.

CaPRI and PREAL officially launched the Report Card at an event in Kingston on January 21. For news coverage of the event, see the links below.

Television:

• “2012 Education report presented,” CVM-Television. January 21, 2013.
• “Failing Grade for JA Education System,” Television Jamaica. January 21, 2013.

Newspaper:

• “Not enough! CaPRI says its time to take education to global level.” By Balford Henry, Jamaica Observer. January 22, 2013.
• “Schools Still Struggle with Management, Accountability.” The Gleaner. January 22, 2013.