Education Standards and Assessment Unit

The Education Standards and Assessment Unit (ESAU) is the government body responsible for conducting independent evaluations of Cayman’s public and private schools. The ESAU’s mandate is to contribute to the continuous improvement of education in the Cayman Islands, which it aims to achieve by partnering with a wide range of entities, including public and private sector schools, the Department of Education Services and the Education Ministry.

Whilst the unit reports to the Ministry of Education, Training, Employment, Youth, Sports & Culture, it is autonomous as regards its evaluations. The unit also works closely with the Department of Education Services, which utilizes the results of ESAU’s evaluations to inform its support of schools in their improvement planning. The work of the unit extends beyond school evaluations to research and the provision of independent advice on education matters to the Ministry.

The unit had previously been known - since its inception in 1996 - as the ‘Cayman Islands Schools’ Inspectorate’ until its name change in September of last year (2007), which was part of efforts to bring the unit’s work more in line with the broader transformation of Cayman’s education system.

The unit is the first government entity to receive the Investors in People award, an accolade which says much about the unit’s commitment to excellence and the development of human capital.

Last Updated: 2010-04-14