Joshua and the education of a nation: Jamaican educational reform in the Manley-Era, 1972-1980

Former Jamaican Prime Minister, Michael Manley, and the Peoples National Party were concerned with the future manpower needs of the developing nation. In addition, they were concerned with what education meant for the elevation of the lower classes. World financial organizations such as the IMF and World Bank loaned the Jamaican government millions of dollars to aid in the development of educational programs. However, in return, they expected a skilled and educated labor force to be utilized in the global marketplace. Foreign aid organizations such as CIDA and UNESCO also contributed greatly to educational advancement on the island. However, they were found to have made funding recommendations based on the position and political ideologies of world leaders. This paper looks at education policy in Jamaica and the influence of those aid groups and banking organizations in the development and continuation of Jamaican educational programming from 1972 to 1980.