- Norman GrindleyNew Education Minister, Maxine Henry-Wilson, signs the Instrument of Appointment at the swearing-in for the Cabinet at Kings House yesterday. Mrs. Henry-Wilson takes over that Ministry from Senator Burchell Whiteman, at left, who now takes over the Information Ministry, which was headed by Colin Campbell.
Omar Anderson, Freelance Writer
NEWLY-APPOINTED Education, Youth and Culture Minister, Maxine Henry-Wilson, said last Friday she will be banking on technology to improve the quality education that the country offers.
The new Minister spoke with The Sunday Gleaner shortly after Prime Minister P.J. Patterson unveiled his new Cabinet at Jamaica House in St. Andrew.
"One of the things I will look at is the broader use of technology to reach students," she said, declining to comment any further until she meets her team of advisers. She added, however, that the thrust to use technology to deliver a sound education is contained in the Government's White Paper which speaks to quality and access to education.
Mrs. Henry-Wilson replaces former Education Minister, Burchell Whiteman, who declined re-appointment to that Ministry. He was appointed Information Minister in the Office of the Prime Minister.
Mr. Whiteman, who cleared his desk last Wednesday, reminisced on his 10-year tenure as Education Minister.
"I was privileged to preside over the Ministry at a time of significant reforms to the benefit of the system and the people," he told The Sunday Gleaner.
He said he was pleased that during his time in office, there was a marked increase in the synergy between the ministry and agencies like HEART Trust/NTA. Under his watch, Mr. Whiteman said there was significant reform of the school curriculum; reform of the transition from primary to secondary education; reform of the funding and management of the secondary system. He said that there was a broadening and structuring of tertiary education that led to an increase in the number of community colleges and teachers' colleges.
Lots more to be done
He said, however, there is a lot to be done despite these significant achievements.
"One of the most important things that occurred in the last few years was the Ministry moving away from the process of how we do things to output, and therefore being in a sense much more performance-oriented," Mr. Whiteman said."
Turning to goals that he would have liked to achieve, the former Edu-cation Minister said it would have been ideal if there were a complete system of full accountability for teachers and principals which he urged the new Minister to treat as an urgent matter.
Meanwhile, Mr. Whiteman gave mixed response to the level of school attendance which he said the new administration is seeking to strengthen this term.
"On the secondary level we are pretty much on par with most of the Caribbean and the world, but attendance for the primary level is in the low 80s and that area needs to be improved," he said.
Come tomorrow, Mrs. Henry-Wilson will be working with a team which Mr. Whiteman congratulated for its support over 10 years. He said he expects the team to support the new Minister.
"We have a professional team there," he said. "I believe professionalism is more important than responding to personality. If persons are really professional, they don't have to be either bullied or begged to do their work."
According to him, he has found the team at the Ministry to be very supportive of Government policies and very helpful in shaping these policies.
Mr. Whiteman added the People's National Party (PNP) has been known for placing much emphasis on education which, he said, should continue with an even greater emphasis.
"I am confident the administration of which I've been a part and the party to which I belong, has fairly been endorsed by the people and should proceed on the basis of confidence and humility to give expression to the will of the people," he said.
