1. EDUCATIONAL CHALLENGES IN THE CARIBBEAN Cynthia Hobbs Latin America and the Caribbean Region The World Bank 14 July 2003

2. Main issues and challenges in Education in the Caribbean Access and equity Efficiency Quality Regional sharing

3. Equitable access to education Most countries have achieved universal primary education School-age population is stable or declining Current focus: (i) increase equitable access to pre-primary, secondary and tertiary (ii) increase male participation in secondary and tertiary (iii) provide better support for academically and emotionally challenged students (iv) improve quality at all levels

4. Cross-Country Comparison: Primary Coverage and Efficiency

5. Cross-Country Comparison: Secondary Coverage and Efficiency

6. Cross-Country Comparison: Survival Rates

7. Efficiency of education Most Caribbean countries are spending a high percentage of GDP on education However, they invest very little and now face severe fiscal constraints Efficiency gains should be made in the education sector

8. Cross-Country Comparison: Cost-Effectiveness

9. Cross-Country Comparison: Cost-Efficiency

10. Quality Outcomes (test scores, CXC) Curriculum (relevance) Teacher training and teacher migration Resources/ materials Planning and management

11. Cross-Country Comparison: Quality

12. Efforts at meeting the challenges Within and between countries Among donors

13. Strategy for education reform All countries have established strategic sector reform plans and have created a shared vision to improve education These strategies establish the foundation for investments Projects financed by the World Bank and other donors are assisting countries to achieve their strategic goals

14. Education Reform Projects Expand equitable access Improve quality Strengthen institutional capacity

15. Moving Towards a New Secondary School »School Development Plan with quality indicators »Teacher training in key subject areas (revised curriculum) »Learning Resource Center with free internet »Integrated Science Laboratory »Support services for disadvantaged students »School Improvement Project »Student-run Extra-curricular Activities »Decentralized budget for school maintenance »EMIS linked to school supervision

16. Regional Cooperation There are initiatives in different countries that are worth sharing To achieve changes in culture, content, and teaching and management approaches, knowledge sharing and cooperation among the countries are paramount

17. Knowledge Management Creation of knowledge and statistical data (EMIS in each country using common performance indicators developed by UNESCO, OERU, WB) Establishment of an advisory service within OERU to systematize sharing of information (WB, DFID, CIDA)