Education in Saint Lucia

Education in St Lucia is compulsory from the ages of 5 to 15 years. Before independence schools in St Lucia were managed by different religious denominations, in particular, the Roman Catholic Church, the Seventh-day Adventist, and Methodist churches. St Lucia has achieved universal primary education, and universal secondary education. School hours in St Lucia are normally from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., with secondary schools starting at 8 a.m. and ending at 2:30 p.m. There are approximately 73 primary schools in St Lucia, and 23 secondary schools. St Lucia has a number of medical schools and universities. The Sir Arthur Lewis Community College is located in Castries, where most St Lucians go to further their studies. The St Lucia government had begun to provide all Form 4 students on the island with laptops, but stopped in 2016 due to the new UWP guidelines. The literacy rate in St Lucia is estimated to be 90%.