Anguilla: Report: Part II: Analytic Section

The EFA 2000 Assessment: Country Reports
Anguilla

PART 11 : Analytic Section

PROGRESS TOWARD GOALS AND TARGETS

2.0 ACCESS TO BASIC EDUCATION

2.1 Early Childhood Education

2.1.1 Enrolment at the Pre- primary Level

Education at the pre primary level is a private enterprise assisted by Government. Recently there has been a steady increase in subventions to primary school operators. Table 1 shows a very high participation rate among the 3 to 4 years age group, especially among the boys which reached a peak of 98% in 1998. Chart 1 shows the increase of gross enrolment ratio between 1995 and 1998.

TABLE 1

Pre-primary - Gross Enrolment by Sex 1995- 1998

Year	Official Age Group Population 3 - 4 Years			Overall Private School Enrolment			Gross Enrolment Ratio
Year	Total	Fem	Male	Male/F	Female	Male	Male/F	Female	Male
95	457	223	234	401	NA	NA	87.8	N A	N A
96	474	243	231	430	220	210	90.7	90.5	90.9
97	490	251	239	416	221	195	84.9	88.0	81.6
98	506	259	247	469	227	242	92.7	87.6	98.0

CHART 1

2.1.2 The Teaching Force

2.1.2.1 Pupil-Teacher Ratio

The data in Table 2 indicate a very good teacher/pupil ratio, when 1:10 is an acceptable norm. The overall pupil teacher ratio at the pre-primary level is very low. It declined from 1: 10 in 1994/95 to 1 : 8 in 1996/97. The way how the data were presented did not allow for comparison by school. But taking into consideration that most pre-primary teachers are untrained whilst others are exposed to 'in-sight’ Early Childhood Education training' at the SERVOL Training Centre (Trinidad and Tobago), the groupings are appropriate in the circumstances. There are about 50 % of these teachers SERVOL trained; and there is also a relatively high attrition rate among these teachers resulting in new recruits having to be constantly trained.

TABLE 2

Pupil/Teacher Ratio Pre-Primary

1994/95 to 1996/97

Year	Pupil Enrolment	No. of Teachers	Pupil/Teacher Ratio
1994/1995	260	27	1:10
1995/1996	248	28	1: 9
1996/97	210	28	1:8

2.2 Primary Level

2.2.1 Intake Ratio

Primary Education is compulsory. The official entry age is 5 years. The data in Tables 3 & 4 indicate that whereas access to education is high at the point of entry, some concern is expressed over the declining proportion of five year old girls in school, when data in Table 4 are perused.

The steady decline in female enrolment ratio is suspect and would be investigated. On the other hand the 100% + net ratio for boys suggest the influx of immigrants during the period under review as shown in Table 3.

TABLE 3

Primary Apparent Intake Ratio by Sex 1995 to 1998

Year	Official Grade 1 Population 5 yrs			New Intake to Grade 1 Primary Schools
	Official Grade 1 Population 5 yrs			Public Schools			Private Schools			Apparent Intake Ratio
	M/F	F	M	M/F	F	M	M/F	F	M	M/F	F	M
95	205	117	88	207	113	94	11	6	5	106.3	101.7	112.5
96	213	122	91	223	110	113	16	5	11	112.2	94.3	136.3
97	220	126	94	207	100	107	3	1	2	101.4	100.8	102.1
98	227	130	97	176	88	88	14	8	6	86.3	99.0	72.3

TABLE 4

Net Intake Ratio Primary Public and Private Schools

Year	Official Grade 1 Population 5 yrs			New Intake to Grade 1 Primary Schools - 5 years only						Net Intake Ratio
	M/F	F	M	Public			Private			M/F	F	M
	M/F	F	M	M/F	F	M	M/F	F	M	M/F	F	M
95	205	117	88	194	95	87	11	6	5	94.1	86.3	104.5
96	213	122	91	207	103	104	16	5	11	104.7	88.5	126.4
97	220	126	94	194	95	99	3	1	2	89.5	76.2	107.4
98	227	130	97	176	88	88	14	8	8	78.0	67.7	91.8

TABLE 5

Non National Pupils in Primary Schools

Year	Enrolment of Non - national Pupils
Year	Total	New Intake to Grade 1
1995	73	20
1996	138	13
1997	220	33

2.2.2 Gross & Net Enrolment Ratios

During the period studied, non-nationals (Table 5) are not accounted for in the estimated census population hence net enrolments continue to show 100+ among the boys. The data in Table 6 suggest that there are tiny pockets of girls of primary school age who are not in school.

TABLE 6

Gross Enrolment Ratio Primary

Year	Official Population Age Group 5 - 11 Years			Overall School Enrolment						Gross Enrol. Ratio
				Public			Private
				MF	F	M	MF	F	M
	M/F	F	M	M/F	F	M	F/M	F	M	M/F	F	M
1996	1411	729	682	1423	713	710	12	7	5	101.7	98.8	104.8
1997	1467	758	709	1496	740	756	22	11	11	103.5	99.1	108.2
1998	1516	783	733	1502	736	766	24	12	10	100.7	99.1	95.3

Net enrolment ratios presented in Table 7 indicate that Anguilla has more or less achieved universal primary education, where the ratio ranges from 101 in 1994 to 99% in 1996. Some caution should be heeded however, since the 100% + ratio registered for boys could include non nationals as indicated in Table 5 and depicted in Chart 3. Overall there was better participation among the boys.

Chart 2

TABLE 7

Net Enrolment Ratio Primary

Year	Official Population Age Group 5 - 11 Years			School Enrolm ent 5 -11 Years						Net Enrolment Ratio
				Public			Private
				MF	F	M	MF	F	M
	M/F	F	M	M/F	F	M	F/M	F	M	M/F	F	M
1996	1411	729	682	1387	690	697	12	7	5	99.1	95.6	102.9
1997	1467	758	709	1478	731	747	22	11	11	102..2	97. 9	106. 9
1998	1516	783	733	1476	732	744	24	14	10	98.9	95. 3	96.3

CHART 3

2.2.3 Enrolment By Grade

There seems to be a pattern emerging among grade enrolment (Table 8), where up to grade 4 there are no marked differences between boys and girls. However, from grade 6, for 1994 and 1995 there is a marked increase in participation among girls.

TABLE 8

Primary Enrolment By Grade and Sex

Public and Private Schools

Grade	Pupil Enrolment
	1994-1995			1995-1996			1996 -1997
	Total	Fem	Male	Total	Fem	Male	Total	Fem	Male
1	244	120	124	214	108	106	215	109	106
2	207	113	94	235	116	119	218	107	111
3	236	112	124	203	112	91	241	127	114
4	279	136	143	251	113	138	198	103	95
5	199	95	104	281	134	147	256	115	141
6	135	73	62	219	103	116	276	133	143
7	125	71	54	121	71	50	118	56	62
Total	1425	720	705	1524	757	767	1522	750	772

The declining number of pupils from the lowest to the highest grade suggests that either students are repeating a class or dropping out from the programme .It seems to be the former. For example in 1995/96, the number of under/overaged pupils at the primary level was 350 approximately, i.e 23% of the school enrolment.

2.2.4 The Teaching Force

2.2.4.1 Pupil Teacher Ratio

The pupil teacher/ ratios for all primary schools are given in Table 9. School principals are included, some of whom have to take classes, especially when teachers are absent, which is reported to be frequent. The ratio is very generous. In 1996/97, it ranged from 1:13 at Island Harbour to 1: 25 at Valley Primary School. An acceptable norm for primary education is 1:30. Rationalisation of staffing would be done to increase gradually an overall ratio of at least 1:25.

TABLE 9

Pupil/Teacher Ratio - Primary Public Schools

1994/95 to 1996/97

Year	Pupil Enrolment	No. Of Teachers	Pupil/Teacher Ratio
1994/95	1423	75	1:19
1995/96	1496	77	1:19
1996/97	1502	77	1:20

2.2.4.2 Teacher Qualification

As shown in Table 10, there is about one third of primary teachers who are untrained. Among this group is a small number designated ‘teacher’, who participated in the In-service Teachers’ Training Programme and were referred.

TABLE 10

Primary School Teachers by Qualification & Sex

1995 to 1997

	Principal		Trained		‘Teacher’		Untrained		Tr Assistant		Total
	M	F	M	F	M	F	M	F	M	F	M	F
1996	-	6	4	40	-	5	5	15	-	-	9	66
1997	-	6	4	42	2	6	2	11	-	4	6	71
1998	-	6	5	39	2	6	2	13		4	7	70

With the introduction of an Initial In -service Teacher Training Programme the target is to have within 10 years 100% Trained Primary Teachers.

2.2.5 Physical Accessibility

There are six primary schools on Anguilla where the school population ranges from 74 to 447 as shown in Table 11.

TABLE 11

School Enrollment 1996/1997

School	Pupils	Teachers	Pupil/Teacher Ratio
Valley	447	18	25.1
Road	395	18	22:1
Stoney Ground	352	17	21:1
Morris Vanterpool	166	7	24:1
West End	98	6	16:1
Island Harbour	74	5	15:1

Source Department of Education 1996/97

Generally there is adequate space for the numbers and in some schools there are rooms which are not being used at present. Ceilings and floors are variable with the best. at Morris Vanterpool where the floors are attractively tiled and the ceilings are made with polyurethane tiles with inset strip lighting but the majority of the school rooms have poor floors and unattractive ceilings and in some cases no ceiling at all. Furniture is adequate and in good condition. Efforts are being made to enhance the physical conditions of school with collaboration from partners in Education. For example, the West End School has been generously supported by Cable & Wireless.

2.2.6 Transition From Primary to Secondary

The Education Act declares that all children who are 11 years of primary education should be admitted to the secondary programme. Consequently whether the pupil has completed the programme or not, he/she is automatically transferred to secondary schooling. Mentioned earlier, is the number of overaged children that remained in the lower grades of primary schools, for one reason or another.

Within this scenario, pupils are entering secondary programme who do not complete the primary programme. This action has serious consequences for curriculum delivery, performance and behavioural patterns in the Form 1 in the secondary school.

The transition rates that show 100% +, reflect non nationals. Within recent years there is an influx of Santo Dominicans into Anguilla, in addition to the regular flow of immigrants through work permits etc.

TABLE 12

Transition Rate from Primary to Secondary

Year	Prim. Pupils Eligible for Secondary Education			Intake to Secondary School			Transition Rate
Year	M/F	Fem	M	M/F	Fem.	M	M/F	Fem	M
1995	198	107	91	202	107	95	102	100	104
1996	239	121	118	234	121	113	98	100	96