Challenges and Solutions of Higher Education in the Eastern Caribbean States

Abstract

Higher education is considered as one of the most essential factors in influencing societal changes, due to its ability to help formulate good decision making in every sphere of modern society, in businesses, education, politics and science. Higher education over the years has significantly increased, thus given rise to many opportunities for those who pursue it. The Caribbean students, like the rest of the world seek to benefit from higher education, not only for enhanced academic knowledge, but also for socio-economic development.Due to its sluggish development, brittle economy and lack of natural resources the Caribbean region faces many economic challenges in making quality higher education accessible to all of its occupants.The purpose of this study is to investigate and compare the challenges of low output of higher education and availability of higher education institutions in the 21 st century in the Eastern Caribbean. The study analyzed database of 37 tertiary institutions in the OECS, while using comparative approach to analyze availability and cost for higher education. Results show that factors that are affecting higher education in the region are accessibility, location, quality of education, institutional costs and unemployment of graduates. We found that increased access in higher education has risen tremendously due to accessibility of technology and factors like globalization, integration-networking and traveling cost. This paper suggests that collaborative approach be taken by governments of the region to increase access and funding for higher education through scholarships and grants.

Neurosurgical training in the Caribbean

“…The only regional tertiary medical faculty in the Caribbean is the University of the West Indies. This institution has various campuses on different islands and serves as a hub for many locals across the region ( University of The West Indies, 2022 ; Browne and Shen, 2017 ). There are currently active neurosurgical graduate training programs affiliated with the university in two islands, Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago.…”

“…Browne et al. identified economic challenges as a major hurdle in the establishment of tertiary education in the Caribbean ( Browne and Shen, 2017 ). This is a contrasting concept, given that more than half of the countries in this study have attained a high-income economic status based on data from the World bank ( The World Bank, 2022 ).…”

Does Motivation, Personality and Environment Influence Enthusiasm of Generation Z to Contuining Study to Higher Education?

“…That illustrates that the absorption of higher education is still low. According to Browne & Shen (2017), higher education is considered as one of the most important factors in influencing changes in society, because of its ability to help formulate good decision making in every area of modern society, in business, education, politics, and science. The function of higher education is an institution that functions in social development, financial growth, supports the production of competitive goods and services, forms and maintains cultural identity, protects social relations, combats poverty and supports a culture of peace (Basari, Altinay, Dagli, & Altinay, 2016).…”

Journeying from academically-underprepared to prepared : exploring developmental community college students' perceptions of developmental advising at a Carribean-based community college

“…Poverty levels remain very high within Latin American and Caribbean countries, and approximately 20% of Trinidad and Tobago's citizens currently live below the poverty line (Central Intelligence Agency, 2020; The United Nations, 2019). Further, most previously colonized countries such as Trinidad and Tobago continue to have a tenuous affair with development, and poverty and inequality remain pervasive in these societies (Browne & Shen, 2017;Gazzola & Didrikksson, 2008). Inequality is particularly pronounced regarding wealth distribution, employment, health, housing, and access to education (The United Nations, 2019).…”