Community colleges: Relevance to the Trinidad and Tobago context
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Date
1987
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NIHERST
Abstract
This document examines the concept of community colleges in light of the government's intention to implement a community college in Trinidad and Tobago. It analyses the North American experience of the community college, whose mission is to provide access to higher education for a large number of persons, and to offer career preparation programmes, as well as non-credit adult and continuing education opportunities. Community colleges in the Caribbean are also examined and the view is expressed that those in St. Lucia are evolving mainly as feeder schools to The University of the West Indies (UWI), almost duplicating the role of sixth forms. The community colleges of Jamaica are highlighted, showing through an examination of their course content, that they fulfil a similar mission to their counterparts of the two-year Junior colleges in the U.S. The colleges there are constantly evolving and form an integral part of the higher education system. The paper observes that in the context of the Trinidad and Tobago education system at the post-secondary level, the concept of the community college may not have the same validity as in the physically larger countries. It suggests that a variation of the community college, consistent with local realities, should be aimed for, avoiding the focus on the associate degree level and above. It is further suggested that careful examination should take place before implementation of the concept, with the correct infrastructure in place. Appendices give information on US community colleges and the programme content of the College of Arts, Science and Technology (CAST) and the four community colleges in Jamaica