Perspectives on Access, Equity, and Quality in Jamaica’s Community Colleges

Abstract

For much of its 43-year history, the community college sector in Jamaica has been plagued by perceptions of inferior status and mediocre tertiary education offerings. The Jamaican colleges have responded to the criticisms by aggressively pursuing quality assurance initiatives such as program accreditation, expanded course offerings, and ongoing curriculum review. This chapter traces the birth and development of the community college movement in Jamaica and the Caribbean and acknowledges the significant achievement of the Jamaican colleges in increasing access to tertiary education. The chapter also examines threats to the open access policy that may have serious implications for education equity and quality. These include inadequate funding, limited infrastructure to support the curriculum, low enrolment of specialized groups, and unsatisfactory completion and graduation rates. Recommendations for policy and practice are proposed.

Citation

Smith-Henry, D. (2018), "Perspectives on Access, Equity, and Quality in Jamaica’s Community Colleges", Hoffman, J., Blessinger, P. and Makhanya, M. (Ed.) Contexts for Diversity and Gender Identities in Higher Education: International Perspectives on Equity and Inclusion (Innovations in Higher Education Teaching and Learning, Vol. 12), Emerald Publishing Limited, Leeds, pp. 49-63. https://doi.org/10.1108/S2055-364120180000012005