Thousands of Students Enrol in Sixth-Form Pathways Programme

Thousands of students have enrolled in the Sixth-Form Pathways Programme, the Ministry of Education and Youth’s seven-year high school initiative, which was rolled out at the start of the 2022/23 academic year.

“Based on the reviews that we’ve had, it has been a very successful rollout of the programme. [From] the pictures that we’re seeing, and the reports we’re seeing from schools all across the island, thousands of students have taken up the opportunity,” said Minister without Portfolio in the Office of the Prime Minister with Responsibility for Information, Hon. Robert Morgan.

He was speaking during a post Cabinet press briefing at Jamaica House, on Wednesday (September 21).

Mr. Morgan explained that one of the factors behind the success is a partnership involving the Government, the public education system and tertiary level institutions, particularly in relation to providing spaces for the students.

“When the Ministry of Education did their assessment, they found that we had over 20,000 spaces within the education system that could be used for the [programme]. These are not just restricted to high schools, but they are also in tertiary institutions. That is why we engaged tertiary institutions, and a lot of [them] came on board,” the Minister informed.

He said the Government has also provided the resources, such as grants and other assistance, to both tertiary and secondary institutions to accommodate the students.

Through the Programme, secondary level students are exposed to various pathways, such as skills and vocational training, and not just academics.

This means students will be able to engage the education system for an additional two years.

“The pathways are mandatory, in the sense that you must leave school with qualifications. But it doesn’t mean that if I am in fifth form, and I get nine subjects that I’m forced to go to sixth form. I can go to another institution,” Mr. Morgan explained.

“The mandatory [aspect] of it is basically saying we want all our students to leave high school with something that will give them the opportunity to matriculate to a higher level, whether it is to participate in the working environment or to go on to further studies,” he added.