There is a lack of clarity on what quality education means and how it could be achieved. This study examines this question from the perspective of secondary school students in Jamaica and Trinidad. The study also sought to ascertain whether there were significant country, school type and gender differences in the students’ perceptions .A convergent mixed methods design was used for the research.

This dissertation uses the framework of Stake’s Countenance Evaluation model to examine the quality of the A.Sc. in Business Studies offered by Jamaican community colleges. Quality is defined as fitness for purpose, that is, the extent to which the programme has fulfilled its stated purpose and satisfied customers’ requirements. The constructs Employability and Transfer Effectiveness are used to further define fitness for purpose.