Harrison College (Barbados)

Harrison College is a co-educational grammar school ( secondary school) in Bridgetown, Barbados. Founded in 1733, the school takes its name from Thomas Harrison, a Bridgetown merchant, who intended it to serve as ''"A Public and Free School for the poor and indigent boys of the parish"''.

Even in the nineteenth century it was recognised as perhaps the most prestigious secondary school in the British West Indies, attracting boys from neighbouring islands, including Pelham Warner who later went on to become the "Grand Old Man" of English cricket. Described as "The Eton College of Barbados", since Barbados' independence in 1966, five out of Barbados's eight Prime Ministers have been alumni of Harrison College, among whom are also numbered the national poet Kamau Brathwaite and Alan Emtage the co-inventor of Archie, the world's first Internet search engine.

The school is responsible for the production of at least 65% of all government scholars or exhibition winners since the government introduced these aids to help funding with tertiary education.

It was an all-boys school for most of its history, with girls admitted to the Sixth Form in at least 1970 and to the lower forms in September 1980. Since the 1960s, no fees have been attached to study at Harrison College, but entry is by a competitive national examination. Harrison College or "Kolij" as it is more affectionately known to its students and alumni has been a cornerstone of Barbadian education since its establishment in 1733.

Location

The school is spread over several acres in Crumpton Street, at the heart of the country's capital, Bridgetown. The campus includes: an assembly hall; library; laboratories for music, art, physics, chemistry, and biology; two large playing fields in addition to basketball and tennis courts; headmaster's and treasurer's offices, faculty retreat and an outdoor firing range maintained by the school's cadet corps.

Accreditation

Harrison College is one of 21 public secondary schools accredited by the Ministry of Education of Barbados. Entry to the school is governed by results of an examination taken in the last year of primary education, the Barbados Secondary Schools Entrance Examination. Traditionally the top 120 students (top 60 males and 60 females) in the examination are awarded admission into the school. However, after zoning was implemented in 1996, students may opt to go to other schools.

Two years later, at the end of their Upper Sixth form year, students used to write the Cambridge General Certificate of Education at Advanced Level which has been replaced by the Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination. Harrison College has maintained a minimum 75% pass rate at CSEC and 70% at 'A' Level and CAPE. Since 1990, 150 students have attained Barbados scholarships and Government awards.

Structure

The school's population is 1000 to 1100 students. The Junior School (Forms 1–3) has around 360 students who take subjects which include English, French, Spanish, Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Integrated Science, Geography, History, Woodwork, Metalwork, Music, Art, Religious Studies, Technical Drawing and Physical Education.

In the fourth year all students start a two-year course leading to a Certificate of Secondary Education. Students are required to take English, Mathematics, one science subject (Physics, Chemistry or Biology), one language (either French or Spanish) and one social science (either History or Geography). They are also given the choice of two other subjects chosen from among foreign languages, science, History or Geography, Art, Technical Drawing, Principles of Business, Principles of Accounts, and Information Technology. Students take at least eight subjects.

Nearly all students continue their studies at Sixth Form Level and entry is dependent on a satisfactory performance at the CSEC Examination. There is a great flexibility of choice at sixth form level as a wide range of subjects is offered to suit a range of interests, university requirements and ability.

Faculty

The college has sixty-three faculty members, including part-time staff, fifty-three of whom have bachelor's degrees and ten of whom hold master's degrees. The principal is Miss Juanita Wade, with Dr. Martin Alleyne as Deputy Principal.

Calendar

The academic year has 37 weeks and is divided into three terms in the traditional model: Michaelmas Term, Hilary Term

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