Sociological View on Colonialism and Caribbean Education

A) In one sentence state what is meant by equality of educational opportunity. The phrase equality of educational opportunity can be referred to as the diminishing of discrimination to all classes allowing all citizens despite their social or economic background to have a fair opportunity for the acquisition and experience of education at all levels.

B) State two effects of colonialism on Caribbean education. Colonialism has impacted education in many ways, where it has caused education to be readily available to the rich and elite more than the poorer class of society, causing a stratification of the educational system. Stratification relates to the fact where the colonialists believe that that only persons of a certain race colour or background should be educated, which can be equated to elites or capitalist in modern day society implement measures to withhold education from the lower class while at the same ensuring their children attain the highest level of education. The British school system is personified in the Caribbean education system, where the curriculum from which the students are taught is similar to the Caribbeans. Students are taught about the colonization of the British of the Caribbean, rather than Caribbean History about things which are solely related to the Caribbean. Another example is seen where the Alevels examinations are taken in the Caribbean, as it is done in the English countries.

C) Suggests two measures that may reduce the inequality in educational systems in the Caribbean. Two measures that may reduce the inequality in Caribbean educational systems are the movement towards equal standards of facilities offered at all schools and the removal of tuition fees in educational institutions. The development of equal standards of facilities within all schools speaks to the fact that within the education system there are some schools that has better
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classroom facilities, availability of advanced technological equipment, and higher quality teaching and learning equipment, etc. These schools however are most times privately owned educational institutions which are not fully owned by government. These schools would be referred to as rich people school or institution which caters solely for potential students or a certain class, race or economic background. At such institutions a higher quality of education is offered as opposed to schools which poor classrooms, few desks and chairs, lack of technology and an overall environment not conducive to learning. So if the standard of facilities such classrooms, technologies, equipment etc were equal then in would make for an equal educational environment for all students. Where, students regardless of economic background, race, class, colour, family background or religion would be offered equal educational experience. The diminishing of tuitions fees in the education system would reduce inequality based on the fact that this would open the opportunities for all the citizens of the Caribbean to be able to experience education without any hindrances in that aspect. This would aid because many of the factors which cause students from attending school is mainly because of their inability to pay the fees required for the acquisition of education. This is especially prominent at university level where many persons are deprived of tertiary education because they simply cannot afford it. As a result it has led to situation where mainly person of wealthy backgrounds are able to receive schooling at the tertiary level of education. Removing tuition fees would allow for persons, despite their socio-economic to receive schooling at all levels, which would see and a more even distribution of persons within the education system.

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