The Ministry of Education and Human Resource Development in Barbados is the government agency responsible for the planning and implementation of educational policies, as well as for the development of the country’s human capital and skills. Ministry of Education departments include: Curriculum and Assessment, which is responsible for the management of the national curriculum; Examinations, which is responsible for the administration of local, regional and international examinations; and the Tertiary Unit, which is charged with coordinating activities pertaining to scholarships, awards and grants in the higher education sector.
Public spending on education was 6.7% of GDP in 2009.
According to the Education for All (EFA) Global Monitoring Report, Barbados has achieved gender parity at the primary and secondary school levels. In addition to its commitment to the Millennium Development Goals and EFA global initiatives, Barbados has also pledged itself to the United Nations Literacy Decade (2003–2012) and the United Nations Decade of Education for Sustainable Development (2005–2014). The National Strategic Plan of Barbados 2005–2025 acknowledges that development of human resources is fundamental to a knowledge-based economy. It states that the key to unlocking the productive potential of Barbadians is a continued revolution in education – from nursery through tertiary level – with the aim of maximising and universalising educational opportunities. The plan encourages all Barbadians to engage in lifelong learning and includes establishment of the University College of Barbados as the national university, incorporating a number of existing institutions, and has set the target of one university graduate per household by 2025.
