THE EDITOR, Sir:
THE JLP'S position to remove cost-sharing in schools at all levels is one promise I hope they will not keep if or when they are elected. The PNP has at least apparently learnt that Michael Manley's folly of free education was impractical for an economy at the stage of development at which we now are.
Michael Manley's experiment ended up putting tremendous pressure on schools to raise money by all sorts of means simply because government support has never completely covered all expenses. Most schools ended up virtually demanding contributions from parents through the PTA organisations. In fact I give full credit to the Education Minister for formalising these contributions as cost-sharing.
Education needs input from every possible source. The money that the JLP proposes to use to support such a policy would be better spent in hiring more teachers at the lower levels with a view to reducing class sizes. If we could ensure that up to Grade 8 or even Grade 6, no class has more than 20 students learning at this level would be more effective. This is the level at which motivation is most important. When students enter the high schools with basic literacy and numeracy skills they can learn effectively in larger classes of 40 or more.
Attack the policies which keep the student teacher ratio absurdly high. Promise more on-going training for teachers. Use television more effectively in education, especially at the higher levels. There is no reason why math classes on difficult topics could not be broadcast on a weekly basis and questions received by telephone as is the case in some talk shows.
Finally I believe that the main area in which this government should be attacked on education is in what it has done to the minds of our young men in preaching the supposed virtues of the cell phone and motor car culture. I am always amused to see some people coming into the school at which I teach in expensive hair styles and jewellery to apply for financial assistance to pay school fees.
I remember listening to the Grace lecture by Barry Chevannes a few years ago where he pointed out that only about 40 per cent (I do not have the exact figure at the moment) of teenage boys saw education as important to their future. The JLP leadership will have my full support if it promises to try and change that ratio in the more positive direction.
I am, etc.,
R. HOWARD THOMPSON
thompson@infochan.com
Mandeville
Via Go-Jamaica
