Meaning
Early-childhood school for the youngest children, roughly ages three to six — Jamaica's community-run pre-primary/kindergarten, often housed in a church hall or a small building and run by a 'basic school teacher'. It is where children first learn letters, numbers, rhymes, and manners before starting primary school.
Examples
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Di likkle one start basic school dis September.
The little one starts pre-school this September.
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She teach at di basic school inna di community.
She teaches at the community pre-school.
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Dem learn dem ABC a basic school.
They learn their ABCs at pre-school.
Origin
A Jamaican term for community early-childhood/pre-primary school. See [[prep-school]], [[pickney]].
How it’s used
Community pre-primary school (ages ~3–6), before primary. See [[prep-school]].