Financing for equity in pre-primary education
1. Education resources to subnational governments
2. Education resources to institutions
3. Education resources to students and families
4. Social policies and family support programmes
Introduction
Key financing indicators (UIS Data)
The official entrance age to pre-primary education in Barbados is three years old. There are two years of free pre-primary education granted in legal frameworks. The net enrolment rate for pre-primary for both sexes was 65.6% as of 2024.
Governance
The Ministry of Educational Transformation (MEdT) is responsible for financing and management of the education system in Barbados. Within the ministry, the Nursery and Primary Education department manages pre-primary education. Financial responsibilities are shared with other ministries, including the Ministry of Finance and Economic Affairs, which manages pensions for retired government teachers, and the Ministry of Labour, Community Development and Sports, which contributes to vocational training expenditures.
Tuition-free status
Nursery schools admit students from 3.5 years old. Infant schools provide education to children under 7. Education is free in public educational institutions according to the 1997 Education Act.
1. Education resources to subnational governments
Resources are managed centrally and distributed directly to schools. As such, there are no public funding mechanisms for pre-primary education.
2. Education resources to institutions
There are 12 public nursery schools in Barbados and 16 private ones. The allocation of budgets to schools is determined centrally and outlined in the annual national budget, after which funds are distributed directly to educational institutions. Funding for nurseries is combined with that of primary schools. Nurseries have school Boards of Management, which are responsible for managing and distributing these resources. At the end of the fiscal year, the boards must submit revised estimates of income and expenditure, including salaries and allowances for all teaching and non-teaching staff, as well as fees payable by pupils.
3. Education resources to students and families
No programmes to provide education resources to students and families for pre-primary education were found.
4. Social policies and family support programmes
National Assistance Programme (NAP)
Established in 1969, the National Assistance Programme (NAP) provides financial support to vulnerable populations by offering both direct cash assistance to households and in-kind support to individuals and families in need. The NAP is means-tested based on the income and expenditure of the adults, health, education, employment and crisis. Target populations include children under the age of sixteen, who receive a weekly rate of BDS 63 per week. Additional educational assistance offers benefits to pay school fees, although nursery fees are not mentioned.
The Ministry of Educational Transformation (MEdT) provides school meals to preschools as well as a milk drink during the morning break.
This profile has been reviewed with the support of Dr. Stacey N. J. Blackman.
