Abstract

The Caribbean island state of Antigua and Barbuda is about to enter a period of significant change to its education system with the provision of Universal Secondary Education (USE). This move is part of the country’s commitment to fulfilling the Caribbeanised Millennium Development Goals (MDG 2). This presentation will look, among other things, at the educational context in which this change is being enacted. There are many questions that need to be addressed. For example, are we essentially trying to fill old bottles with new wine? Whilst increasing quantity, how do we also attend to the need for improved quality? Who is included in the implied all of USE ? How do we provide for all students an expanded view of access to education? How do we go about providing a more inclusive, relevant and responsive education system? How do we get educational practice to align with policy rhetoric? The idea of USE is fraught with challenges and potential risks, yet it provides an opportunity for moving education forward in more meaningful ways.

Patricia George’s research interests include: mathematics education, specifically making mathematics accessible to all students in a classroom; identity; equality, equity and the general area of the sociology of education; poverty and education; studies that provide cross-national comparisons. Her most recent work involved conducting a social risk assessment of the education system of Antigua and Barbuda as part of groundwork towards universal secondary education. Patricia taught Mathematics and Chemistry in secondary schools in Antigua for 13 years. Patricia currently works as a part-time Research Fellow within the CCE and is involved in the Raising Students’ Achievement Project being conducted in Antigua. The project, among other things, seeks to create communities of practice in which teachers communicate and collaborate on best practices in teaching which enhance students’ learning.

This seminar arises from Patricia’s work on the CCE project in Antigua. For further information see: http://www.educ.cam.ac.uk/centres/cce/initiatives/projects/antigua/index.html