Understanding curriculum policy : a case study of curriculum policy development for secondary education in Trinidad and Tobago

Up to 1998, there was no common curriculum policy for secondary education in Trinidad and Tobago. Against this background, there was widespread student underachievement and it was determined that the absence of a common curriculum policy could be a contributing factor. In an attempt to address these perceived deficiencies, the country embarked on curriculum reform. Critical to the reform was the establishment of curriculum policy designed to ensure equity and quality in secondary education. In this study, I spotlighted the curriculum policy process, seeking to gain insight into what the development process entailed. I explored the approach to policy making that was adopted; investigated the sociocultural and historical factors which influenced policy development and brought to light the dilemmas which were experienced and the opportunities which presented themselves. I adopted Taylor, Rizvi, Lingard and Henry's (1997) concept of educational policy and employed Bowe, Ball and Gold's (1992) notion of the policy cycle. In addition, I drew heavily on the principles of critical policy analysis to deepen the probe. Through an interrogation of these concepts, an understanding of curriculum as policy emerged and was elaborated to guide the structure of the study; suggest a methodological approach; and signal critical elements of policy analysis. I took a qualitative approach to the study and employed a case study design, using interviews and documentary analysis as research methods. The findings of the study revealed that curriculum policy in Trinidad and Tobago is state-centric, elitist in nature and locked into the positivistic paradigm. Curriculum policy making is undisputedly impacted by global factors, yet, at the same time, strongly influenced by socio-cultural practices, linked intrinsically to the country's colonial history and deeply embedded educational ideologies. Curriculum policy making IS, therefore, complex and takes place in a dynamic policy environment which gives rise to many dilemmas but which also offers opportunities for curriculum policy change.EThOS - Electronic Theses Online ServiceGBUnited Kingdo