Increasingly, secondary education is assuming strategic importance in education systems worldwide. Its significance is
derived from the fact that it is at the end of this level of education that most persons enter the labour market and access tertiary education.

With this understanding the Government of Jamaica has enunciated a policy of a full five years of secondary education for all students entering the sector as of 2003.

However the pursuit of equity and quality throughout the system requires that teachers’ skills be targeted for upgrading, especially in the areas of greatest need.

It is out of this policy that the University of the West Indies, Mona was requested to develop and implement the Secondary (Distance) Education Bachelors Degree Programme, which will train 3,000 teachers who are mostly employed in the newly upgraded secondary schools.

Ten disciplines have been selected for inclusion in the programme which will be offered to five (5) cohorts of students over a ten-year period. The emphasis of the programme will be on subject content, enabling Teachers’ College graduates to be upgraded to the degree level and be better equipped to teach in the secondary school system.

The programme will be delivered using a mix of summer face-to-face and distance education teaching and will increase the percentage of graduate teachers in the secondary system. The Bachelor in Education Secondary (Distance) programme is governed by the Faculty of Humanities and Education Regulations.

Details of the Regulations will be presented to students during Orientation/Registration.
- Course Packages are the collaborative efforts of the faculties of Pure and Applied Sciences and Humanities and Education.
- Course Offerings as well as the sequencing of courses may change as the implementation of the programme progresses.