THE EDITOR, Sir:
THE LYRICS 'Education is the key to betterment' must have gone down in the annals of reggae music as something that caught the attention of music lovers, and effectively engaged the thoughts of many of us who take a very keen interest in the academic under-achievement of some of our young people.
As I travel across the countrysides of this island, it is not unusual to encounter many young people of school age who are disengaged and disinterested in what is happening inside the classrooms of this nation. This lack of interest on the part of these young people should be troubling to the society. Why are so many of the nation's young people showing little or no interest getting an education? This is a question that needs an answer.
If our nation's young people are not showing much interest in procuring an education, then who will be the leaders of the future? Who will be the role models for the next generation of young men and women?
The answer lies in education, but many of our children are not availing themselves to the opportunities. As a consequence, they are being left to become the lost, the least and the lowly. Without an education many of these young people are destined to become the have-nots, the poor and the destitute. I see a crisis looming in the not-so-distant future, and the time is ripe to do something to address this lack of interest in education.
I am, etc.,
G. GEORGE WILSON (Dr.)
Christian pastoral counsellor
St. Andrew
