The high school system in Jamaica dates back to 1879. Its history can be conveniently divided into three periods — (a) 1879 to 1911, (b) 1912 to 1943 and (c) 1944 to the present. King has done an excellent study of the formative period, 1879 to 1911. No study has so far been done on the period 1912 to 1943. This paper attempts in a modest way to begin to fill some of the gaps in knowledge about this period.
The years 1912 to 1943 constitute a distinct period of high school history in that they fall between the Piggott evaluation of high schools of 1911 which marked the end of the formative period and the Kandel Report of 1943 which set the policy framework for the post-war reform of secondary education in Jamaica. The period 1912 to 1943 includes significant reforms of high schooling following on the Piggott evaluation of 1911 and is essential for understanding the post-war reforms and therefore the current structure of the secondary education system.