Socio-Politics in Effective Curriculum Change in a Less Developed Country: Trinidad and Tobago

Abstract

At the national level, curriculum improvement has often proven to be a sensitive, difficult, and problematic exercise. In some cases, however, espoused innovations have been accomplished, largely because the strategies used have been carefully calculated and skillfully implemented. In other cases, the strategies have unfortunately proven to be ineffective.

This article deals with an experiment to improve curriculum at the primary school level in Trinidad and Tobago. After several years of recognition that improvement was needed, the state “found a way,” through engagement of some well-calculated devices, to introduce and guarantee the teaching of essay-writing in its primary schools. Strategies used in this experiment are examined, and approaches that might have been used but were sidestepped are identified. Reasons why Trinidad and Tobago chose to avoid certain strategies are analyzed, and how and why the innovation of essay-writing was introduced are investigated. Three significant concerns are raised in conclusion: the innovation as it relates to the thinking of local academic and political elites; how primary and secondary school teachers evaluate the change; and whether or not the innovation was good for Trinidad and Tobago.