The countries of the Commonwealth Caribbean have all maintained, and/or adapted, many aspects of the British educational system, despite efforts to respond to the specific needs of the Caribbean culture and people.

Generally, the Education System is divided in four distinct areas:

• Early Childhood (Pre-primary) Education
• Primary Education
• Secondary Education
• Tertiary Education

In addition to these, there are two other areas of importance to the sector:

• Special Needs Education
• Adult Education

Most of the countries have compulsory primary level education, which is generally offered free of charge in the public schools. One exception is the Dutch-speaking Caribbean, where both private and public schools are subsidised by the government once they comply with the legal requirements for establishing schools.

National Education Systems in the English-Speaking Caribbean