This
paper
examines
how
Jamaica’s
policy
responses
to
global
educational
policy
discourses
are
shaped
by
the
country’s
postcolonial
condition.
I
employ
three
core
concepts
of
postcolonial
theory
-
conformity,
resistance
and
hybridity
-
to
extrapolate
a
contextual
understanding
of
Jamaica’s
educational
policy
reform
efforts.
Through
the
examination
of
various
policy
texts,
I
find
that
there
is
rhetorical
compliance
to
neoliberal
educational
discourse
juxtaposed
with
policies
in
practice
that
challenge
notions
of
a
universalizing
neoliberal
ethos.
Drawing
on
examples
from
the
social
safety
net
and
students
loans
system,
I
argue
that
though
Jamaica
appears
to
be
embracing
global
education
disco
urses,
its
policy
approaches
represent
deeper
complexities
beyond
conformity.