The inclusion of Social Studies in the school curriculum is influenced by the premise that an understanding of self, family, community, region and the world, will foster an appreciation of self and the environment. Learners will be sensitised to the need to respect themselves and others irrespective of ethnicity, status, belief, gender or class. The syllabus aims to equip young adults with the knowledge, skills, attitudes and values that would enable them to develop competencies to negotiate the increasingly complex and dynamic global environment in which they live and work.
The approach to the delivery of the subject is interdisciplinary, drawing from a variety of other disciplines including History, Geography, Sociology, Political Science, Anthropology and Economic, and explores the interaction between individuals and their physical and socio-cultural environment.
The syllabus seeks to instil tenets of the Ideal Caribbean Person as articulated by the CARICOM Caribbean Education Task Force (CTF) and adopted by the CARICOM Heads of Government at their 18th Summit. To this end, the syllabus contains objectives and content intended to nurture and improve students’ social responsibility, personal management skills and foster a positive work ethic.
On completion of the programme, students will have acquired the competencies to deal with issues and challenges faced in their daily lives and are able to function effectively as productive citizens. For those seeking employment immediately on leaving secondary school, the programme provides the necessary marketable social skills for effective participation in the world of work.
The syllabus is arranged in five modules namely:
| MODULE 1 | DIMENSIONS OF SELF |
| MODULE 2 | COMMUNITY INTERACTION |
| MODULE 3 | RESPONSIBILITY AND ACCOUNTABILITY |
| MODULE 4 | REGIONAL PERSPECTIVE |
| MODULE 5 | THE GLOBAL VILLAGE |