Jamaica

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Jamaica is the most populated Caribbean Commonwealth nation, with over2.8 million people (World Bank, 2022).

COL’s work in Jamaica is primarily in the areas of higher education through the Virtual University for Small States of the Commonwealth (VUSSC) network, Lifelong Learning for Farmers, skills for work, and technology-enabled learning. The University of the Commonwealth Caribbean (UCC) offers COL’s Commonwealth Executive Master of Business Administration and Master of Public Administration (CEMBA/CEMPA) programmes and serves on the programmes’ academic and executive governing boards. Learners from Jamaica are also participating in COL’s free, open online
courses and benefitting from other available resources.

Participation rate of youth and adults in formal and non-formal education and training in the previous 12 months, 15-64 years old¹
14.9%		13.2%
Female (2020)		Male (2020)

Completion rate, lower secondary education for the school year ending in 2016¹
97.9%		97.6%
Female		Male

Gross enrolment ratio for tertiary education for the school year ending in 2015¹
34.7%		19.9%
Female		Male

Proportion of teachers with the minimum required qualifications in secondary education¹
100%		100%
Female (2020)		Male (2020)

1. UNESCO Institute for Statistics Data Centre, retrieved in May 2023

Highlights

400 farmers benefitted from training through mobile devices.
Three TVET institutions have developed institutional ODL strategies and action plans.

Partners

Partnerships are fundamental to COL’s work. Strategic partnerships allow COL to broaden its reach and engage at global, regional and national levels, while implementation partners support COL’s work in communities and institutions across Commonwealth Member States. Partners include multilateral organisations, regional bodies, national governments, government agencies, foundations, civil society organisations, public and private (not-for-profit) institutions and the private sector. COL partnerships assist in improving and extending teaching and learning services to people in the developing Commonwealth.

COL’s partners in Jamaica include:

Ministry of Education and Youth
Caribbean Maritime University
Jamaica Teaching Council (JTC)
Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA)
Sam Sharpe Teachers College (SSTC)
University of the West Indies, Mona
University of the Commonwealth Caribbean (UCC)
University Council of Jamaica (UCJ)

Key Contacts

Focal Point

Dr Phylicia Marshall
Assistant Chief Education Officer, Tertiary Unit
Ministry of Education and Youth

Notable Mention

Dr Nancy George, Honorary COL Adviser

Dr Marlene Hamilton, former member of COL Board of Governors

The late Dr Dennis H. Irvine, COL Honorary Fellow

The Honourable Sir Alister McIntyre, former member of COL Board of Governors

The Honourable Burchell Whiteman, OJ, COL Honorary Fellow and former Chair, COL Board of Governors

Literacy rate (2012)¹
92.1%		82.6%
Adult (15+) literacy rate Female		Adult (15+) literacy rate Male

Economic Activity (2010)¹
54%		73%
Adult (15+) economic activity Female		Adult (15+) economic activity Male

Political Decision Making (2013)¹
13%
Proportion of seats held by women in national parliament

Life expectancy (2012)¹
77		72
Female		Male

1. COL gender country profile April 2015

82	100
Individuals using the internet (%)¹	Mobile-cellular subscriptions per 100 inhabitants¹

15	61
Fixed-broadband subscriptions per 100 inhabitants¹	Active mobile-broadband subscriptions per 100 inhabitants¹




1. International Telecommunication Union (ITU), retrieved in May 2023.

Jamaica

Highlights

Partners

Key Contacts

Focal Point

Notable Mention

More Information

News

Reports

Publications and Resources

Country Data Sources