Primary

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Primary education lasts for a total of six (6) years. Children enter grade ONE (1) at the age of five.
The main goals of primary education are to develop children’s literacy, numeracy and communication skills, and to cultivate moral and spiritual growth. The following subjects are taught at primary level: agriculture, arts and crafts, general science, health and family life education, health science, language arts, mathematics, physical education, religious studies, social studies. The language arts programme includes the following subjects: comprehension, grammar, reading, spelling, and vocabulary. There is significant emphasis on enhancing reading ability and intending focus on integration of ICT.

The following assessments take place during primary education:
Minimum Competency Testing at grades 2 & 4 & 5
Caribbean Primary Exit Assessment (CPEA) at Grade 6
*Common Entrance Exam (CEE) (until 2012)

Until 2012, students took the Common Entrance Examination (CEE) to enter secondary school. In 2012, the Caribbean Primary Exit Assessment (CPEA) was introduced as a replacement for the CEE and the first round took place in 2014. The CPEA was established by the Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC) in partnership with the Ministry of Education to assess students’ performances throughout grades 5 and 6. The exam is open to students who are between 11 and 14 years old. The CPEA comprises an internal and external component. The internal component includes the following: book report, project, writing portfolio, can-do-skills, pupil made-test and teacher-made test. Internal assessment are conducted in social studies, language arts, mathematics and science. The external component includes multiple choice questions on the subjects of English, Mathematics, Science and social studies.
Students aged 14 or above who failed the CEE have the option to take the School Leaving Examination (SLE). The SLE provides the students with another opportunity to enter the secondary school system, to enter the technical and vocational training centres or gain a qualification for entering the labour market.

The range of scores and the interpretation for the Minimum Competency Testing are as follows:
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SPECIAL EDUCATION PROGRAMME


Special Education started in Grenada by concerned NGOs amid some public concern to cater for the mentally, visually and auditory challenged. Since its inception the programme has grown and improved to provide educational services parallel to new thinking and approaches for educating Special Needs Students.
There are three centers catering for the mentally challenged one of which also caters for students with multiple challenges. All three schools are adequately positioned on the island for easy access. Only students who are profoundly hearing-impaired receive education at the School for the Deaf, located at Mardi Gras in St. David. All other students, including those who are visually impaired, are mainstreamed. Students with learning disabilities are not identified professionally but students who display characteristics of this group attend regular school but receive instructions at resource rooms called SENT Classrooms. While services provided are not excellent, itinerant services are provided by trained teachers in relevant fields in Special Education. New initiatives to be implemented include early screening and diagnosis as well as teacher training in inclusive strategies as the system moves towards full Inclusive Education.

 

 

The Grenada National Accreditation Board would like to acknowledge and express its gratitude to all those who helped in the provision and compilation of the information provided.  Namely, but not exclusively The Ministry of Education and Human Resources, Measurement and Evaluation unit, The St. George’s University enrollment and planning department, T. A. Marryshow Community College; Office of the Registrar. 

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