Training

The school system in the Bahamas is well developed at the lower levels. Most children go to preschool at least a year before starting first grade. There is a compulsory schooling between the ages of 5 and 16.

Virtually all Bahamian children go through the first six-year stage and the next three-year stage. About half of the students also complete the three-year high school.

• COUNTRYAAH: Country facts of Bahamas, including geography profile, population statistics, and business data.

The tuition is free of charge in the public schools. However, some of them have many students and are considered to have low standards. About a quarter of the schools are private. The College of the Bahamas was founded in the 1970s with teacher training and technical training. The university has been gradually expanded and in 2016 it was converted to the University of the Bahamas. There are also several smaller vocational colleges.

The University of the West Indies has a branch in Nassau with university-level education in hotel and tourism administration. There is also a college where you can train for technicians and teachers.

• Searchforpublicschools: Offers schooling information of Bahrain in each level – compulsory, technical and higher education programs.

FACTS – EDUCATION

Proportion of children starting primary school

88.2 percent (2016)

Number of pupils per teacher in primary school

19 (2016)

Public expenditure on education as a percentage of GDP

18.9 percent (2000)

Public expenditure on education as a percentage of the state budget

18.9 percent (2000)