Office Administration

Office Administration is a Business Education subject concerned with the study of administrative principles, policies, procedures and technological competencies governing the modern office environment.  The content and teaching strategies used reflect current trends in the modern office.  The syllabus aims to provide students with knowledge, skills and attitudes for immediate access to entry-level positions such as administrative assistants, clerical assistants, receptionists, record management clerks, accounting clerks and factory and dispatch clerks and other related positions.

The syllabus adopts a practical approach, aimed at equipping students with the technical and professional skills to perform effectively, and for mobility as administrative support personnel within an organization.   Further, it seeks to nurture and improve students’ social and personal management skills and foster the development of a positive work ethic.  In addition, the syllabus provides the foundation for students desirous of furthering their education in other related fields.

The syllabus is arranged in 12 modules, sub-divided into specific objectives and corresponding content.   

Module I     -    Office Orientation
Module II    -    Communication                    
Module III   -    Records and Information Management    
Module IV   -    Reception and Hospitality             
Module V    -    Meetings                    
Module VI   -    Travel Arrangements                
Module VII  -    Human Resources            
Module VIII -    The Accounts Office
Module IX   -    Purchasing and Stock Control        
Module X    -    Sales and Marketing                
Module XI   -    The Factory, Dispatch and Transport Offices    
Module XII  -    Recruitment and Orientation

Principles of Accounts

Principles of Accounts is a course of study that provides an introduction to the principles and techniques that accountants employ in measuring, processing, evaluating and communicating information about the financial performance and position of a business.

The course in Principles of Accounts helps students to develop an understanding of a range of theoretical and practical techniques used in accounting.  It helps to develop skills that should enable them to participate more effectively and responsibly in today’s business environment, to improve the management of personal financial activities, such as, budgeting, savings and investment.  In addition, this course prepares students for post-secondary and professional studies in accounting.

The syllabus is arranged in 14 sections consisting of specific objectives and related content.

Section 1    -    Introduction to Principles of Accounts
Section 2    -    The Classified Balance Sheet
Section 3    -    Books of Original Entry
Section 4    -    Ledgers and the Trial Balance
Section 5    -    The Preparation and Analysis of Financial Statements of the Sole-trader
Section 6    -    End of Period Adjustments
Section 7    -    Control Systems
Section 8    -    Incomplete Records
Section 9    -    Accounting for Partnerships
Section 10  -    Accounting for Corporations (Limited Liability Companies)
Section 11  -    Accounting for Co-operative Societies
Section 12  -    Accounting for Non-Trading (Non Profit) Organizations
Section 13  -    Manufacturing Accounts
Section 14  -    Payroll Accounting

Principles of Business

Principles of Business focuses on the theoretical and practical aspects of business activities. It provides a framework to assist in more informed decision-making by individuals in their role of producers or consumers.

An understanding of business principles in this course of study prepares students to become productive members of society. The syllabus provides opportunity for students to develop entrepreneurial and managerial skills necessary to survive and prosper in a local, regional and global dynamic business environment.

The Principles of Business Syllabus engages students in conducting research which helps to improve their communication and critical thinking skills and creates an awareness of business ethics and social responsibilities.

The syllabus is arranged in into 10 sections consisting of specific objectives and related content.

Profile Dimension 1 - Organizational Principles
Section 1    -    The Nature of Business
Section 2    -    Internal Organizational Environment
Section 3    -    Establishing a Business
Section 4    -    Legal Aspects of Business

Profile Dimension 2 – Production, Marketing and Finance
Section 5    -    Production
Section 6    -    Marketing
Section 7    -    Business Finance

Profile Dimension 3 - The Business Environment
Section 8    -    Role of Government in an Economy
Section 9    -    Social Accounting and Global Trade
Section 10    -    Regional and Global Business Environment

Mathematics

The guiding principles of the Mathematics Syllabus direct that Mathematics as taught in Caribbean schools should be relevant to the existing and anticipated needs of Caribbean society, related to the abilities and interests of Caribbean students and aligned with the philosophy of the educational system.  These principles focus attention on the use of Mathematics as a problem solving tool, as well as on some of the fundamental concepts which help to unify Mathematics as a body of knowledge.  The syllabus explains general and unifying concepts that facilitate the study of Mathematics as a coherent subject rather than as a set of unrelated topics.

Every citizen needs basic computational skills (addition, subtraction, multiplication and division) and the ability to use these mentally to solve everyday problems.  All citizens should recognize the importance of accuracy in computation as the foundation for deductions and decisions based on the results.  In addition, the citizen should have, where possible, a choice of mathematical techniques to be applied in a variety of situations.  A ‘range of mathematical techniques’ is therefore, specified in recognition of the need to accommodate different levels of ability. Citizens need to use Mathematics in many forms of decision-making: shopping, paying bills, budgeting and for the achievement of personal goals: critically evaluating advertisements, taxation, investing, commercial activities, banking, working with and using current technologies, measurements and understanding data in the media.  Improving efficiency and skills in these matters will be beneficial to the community as well as to the individual.

The syllabus seeks to provide for the needs of specific mathematical techniques in the future careers of students, for example, in agriculture and in commercial and technical fields. By the end of the normal secondary school course, students should appreciate that the various branches of Mathematics are not rigidly segregated and that the approach to the solution of any problem is not necessarily unique. 

English 

Students who do the English course will explore receptively and expressively three major literary modes, Drama, Poetry, and Prose Fiction, in order to become aware of the many functions and purposes of language. In doing so, they will discover that the four facets of language arts, namely, listening, speaking, reading and writing, are closely linked together and are interdependent.

Syllabus objectives are organised under understanding and expression in order to guide curriculum development, to give meaning to a teaching program and to define an assessment scheme that reinforces an English syllabus which has been conceived as an integrated approach to language teaching and which enables students to appreciate the holistic nature of language learning.

The English Syllabus is organised for examination as English A and English B. The former emphasizes  the development of oral and written language skills among students through a variety of strategies. The latter provides opportunities for students to explore and respond critically to specific literary texts as they observe and appreciate the author’s craft.