A RIVETING DEBATE has been taking place in the media concerning the quality of education in Jamaica. Excellent articles in The Gleaner recently by Ralph Thompson and Faith Linton are well worth reading. Peter Espeut and Dr. Stephen Vasciannie have analysed examination data revealing extremely disturbing traits in our education system. Most significantly, after 10 to 12 years of education approximately 50% of children are leaving school without passing even one subject in CXC, and many cannot read. Of course, at the other end of the scale are children who excel, and schools with pass rates of well over 90% in the vital subjects of Mathematics and English. The discussions point to two fundamental problems: 1) the performance difference between the traditional and new secondary schools is far too great, and 2) the effectiveness of the education system in educating the majority of our children in unacceptably low. Both problems in turn raise the question: is the education system socially just? Does the system discriminate against the poor? If as the data suggest, the system is unjust and discriminates against the poor, why has education not been seen as a development priority by policy-makers, since clearly failure in education leads to a host of social ills, and retards economic development.
THE EFFECT OF CRIME
One likely effect of poor educational performance is the high level of crime, and schools located in impoverished neighbourhoods are disproportionately affected. Recently the media reported that over the Independence weekend the St Andrew Technical High School had AGAIN been burglarised. The Principal reported that four refrigerators, microwave ovens, and fifty gallons of paint had been stolen; grillwork had been damaged, and the school has no funds to replace the stolen items or repair the damaged grills. He appealed to members of the community with information about the burglaries to make reports to the police.
It is disturbing that thieves should target an institution such as St Andrew Technical High School, a school that has provided education to thousands of Jamaican children, many from the depressed areas around the school. Surely during the removal of four refrigerators, microwaves and gallons of paint someone saw something? We have to ask ourselves, "Why is no one willing to make the necessary reports to the police? Does the community have no respect for STATHS? Do they place no value on the services the school provides?" Is it possible that graduates of a school (and their parents) are disposed to be indifferent about a school if they fail to learn basic skills, or to pass a single CXC subject? It is possible that youngsters may move from a position of indifference to one of seeing the community school as an easy target to be burglarised for personal enrichment? The parents of the children attending STATHS certainly understand the importance of this institution, even if the burglars do not, and should be willing to do everything in their power to preserve and protect it.
Unfortunately break-ins to community facilities other than schools (i.e., hospitals, health centres, churches and Post Offices) are by no means uncommon; theft from community facilities is a general problem and a national disgrace! A more effective and socially just education system could help to change the social values of communities and thus facilitate collective action to protect community facilities from criminals, as well as foster willingness to provide information to the police.
COMMISSIONS, REPORTS, RESEARCH PROJECTS
Jamaica is not short of data on crime, inner city decay, violent episodes and various economic and social evils. We do not need more studies to tell us there is a high correlation between low/failing grades at school, and a high crime rate. While thousands of Jamaican citizens have been well educated in the public system, and increased access to secondary education has been afforded to larger segments of the population, the poor particularly, the performance data raise the question whether the effectiveness of public education has declined since independence. Available information does not permit a definitive answer to this question, but, though the upgrading of new secondary schools is commendable, much more clearly needs to be done to narrow substantially the performance gap between new and traditional high schools.
Why, in 40 years of independence, have we still not been able to implement a more effective and equitable education system? Are there interests which have a stake in maintaining or neglecting an unjust education system? Some may think such a possibility farfetched, but it is clear that a serious change of approach is needed to create a more just and effective education system. The economic and social development of Jamaica demands the provision of universal access to excellent secondary education. The performance gap between traditional and new secondary schools must be eliminated. This outcome should become the highest priority for our educational policy-makers.
You may contact Jamaicans For Justice at ja.for.justice@mail.infochan.com or visit their web site at jamaicansforjustice.org
