The Ministry of Education, Youth, Sports and Culture and the Chief Education Officer oversee curriculum, admission, placement, attendance and special education. Grenada has a two-session school day, with rolls taken for each session. The academic year begins on 1 September and ends on 31 August. Vacations normally include periods of about three weeks, two weeks and eight weeks, although school calendars and timetables can vary. Pre-primary education is available through public and private early-childhood providers for children around ages three and four, but it is not compulsory. Primary education normally covers Grades 1 to 6 and includes language arts, mathematics, science, social studies, health and family life, physical education, religious studies, agriculture and arts and crafts. Minimum Competency Tests take place in selected primary grades. At the end of Grade 6, the Caribbean Primary Exit Assessment, or CPEA, assesses mathematical, language, civic and scientific competencies through internal and external components and supports transition to secondary school. Secondary education is provided by public, assisted private, private and denominational schools. Schools offer core and foundation subjects under the national curriculum. The Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate, known as CSEC, is the main central secondary qualification. The Secondary Level Examination, or SLE, is documented as an alternative or fallback pathway, but its current use after the CPEA is not fully clear from the available evidence. Tertiary education and technical or vocational training follow secondary school and are separate education areas. Families can choose among public, private, assisted private and home education where the applicable requirements are met. Admission to pre-primary and primary school generally gives priority to locality. A birth certificate and an immunisation record or valid exemption are normally requested. Secondary admission normally begins around age eleven. A transfer usually requires a signed letter and an available place at the receiving school; the Chief Education Officer can resolve disputes. The law provides an educational programme for residents of compulsory school age. The Education Amendment Act 5 of 2024 raises the compulsory school age from 16 to 17 with effect from 1 September 2024, which means attendance is intended to continue until age 18. An accessible version of the older education law still contains the previous age provisions, so families should confirm the operational admission and attendance guidance with the Ministry or school. Parents have a duty to support regular attendance. Students are expected to attend punctually, participate in the programme, work through the curriculum and follow school conduct rules. Attendance officers can investigate absences, issue warnings and enforce attendance requirements. Public schools generally do not charge tuition for regular attendance. Books, uniforms, meals, transport, specialised services and other listed items can still create costs. Private and denominational school fees are not centrally standardised in the available evidence. Non-OECS or non-Commonwealth students may face charges. Government-directed placement in a private school can involve government payment of fees and related costs. Assistance with supplies, uniforms, meals and digital devices may be available through specific programmes, but eligibility and timing depend on the programme and the case. Parents can receive information about progress, behaviour and attendance, observe relevant school activity and participate through parent-teacher associations. Religious education and worship take place in public and assisted schools, while constitutional protections allow a parent or student to decline instruction connected with another religion. Children with intellectual, communicative, behavioural, physical or multiple exceptionalities have a legal right to an appropriate educational programme. The least restrictive setting is intended where resources allow. Assessment, parent consent, consultation and access to reports form part of the process, and an appeal to the Minister can generally be filed within 14 days of the relevant decision. Delivery capacity remains uneven, and only a small number of dedicated special-education schools serve this area. School provision is spread across a mixed system. A UNICEF profile counted 215 educational institutions, including 108 pre-schools, 77 primary schools, 24 secondary schools and 3 special-education schools; the same profile recorded about 68 percent private and 32 percent public institutions. The figures and enrolment rates vary by reference year and source. Parish-level differences matter, and Carriacou and Petite Martinique are treated as one parish in official statistics. Hurricane Beryl damaged or destroyed 34 schools in 2024, while learning loss, school safety, bullying, child-on-child violence and corporal-punishment concerns remain relevant when assessing continuity and the safety of a particular school.
School in Grenada
Grenada's school system covers pre-primary, primary, secondary and special education. Public, assisted private, private and denominational schools operate alongside home education. Primary school usually begins at about age five and lasts six years, while secondary school normally follows from about age eleven. Public tuition is generally free, but families may still pay for books, uniforms, supplies, transport or specialised services.
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