SECTION VI: TERTIARY EDUCATION IN ST. VINCENT AND THE GRENADINES
In July of 2022, an Education (Miscellaneous Amendment) Act was passed in
the House of Assembly. This act amended the following education related legislations:
i. Caribbean Examination Council Act Chapter 200;
ii. Education Act Chapter 202;
iii. Further and Higher Education (Accreditation) Act Chapter 203;
iv. Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Community College Act 204; and the
v. Sector Skills Development Agency Act Chapter 218A
The passage of the Education (Miscellaneous Amendment) Act 2022 provided the legislative framework for the responsibility of Post-Secondary Education and Higher Education to be removed from under the Minister of Education and placed under that of the Prime Minister. The Prime Minister is now the Minister with responsibilities for Post-Secondary Education, including the SVG Community College (Four Divisions), Tertiary Education and Accreditation.
In the Estimates of Revenue and Expenditures for the fiscal year 2023 a new Department of Post-Secondary and Higher Education was established with an allocation of $501,550 for recurrent expenditure. The St. Vincent and the Grenadines Community College (SVGCC) our premier national institution’s subvention has increased from EC14,100,000 in 2022 to $15,500,000 in 2023. Currently, the Community College has four divisions that include: The Division of Arts, Science and General Studies, Division of Technical and Vocational Education, Division of Nursing Education and Division of Teacher Education. The present enrolment is 2157. Of this number 1251 are females.
Higher Education training remains a top priority of the government’s educational thrust. The aim is to have at least one university graduate per household by the year 2030. Many Vincentians continue to access university level training locally, regionally and internationally. The government provides a number of scholarships, bursaries and other financial support to persons enrolled in tertiary level training. Close to 1000 students recently received tuition scholarships to pursue their university training, with the majority offered to persons registered in programmes at the University of the West Indies, Open Campus which is a regional university campus that offers several online degree programmes.
There are also a number of foreign medical colleges with campuses on the island. They include Trinity Medical Sciences University, St. James School of Medicine, American University of St. Vincent and Richmond Gabriel University (formerly All Saints University). These medical colleges cater primarily for foreign students however, there are a few Vincentian students enrolled at some of these campuses.