Wrong approach, Mrs. Henry-Wilson
published: Wednesday | August 20, 2003

THE EDITOR, Sir:

I AM writing in response to Maxine Henry-Wilson's appeal to spread the top-scoring GSAT students to all the high schools. While I agree that the old Common Entrance Exams were devastating to those who did not pass, I must strongly disagree with Maxine's approach.

These young children are moulded by their environment and peers. If the top-performing students are placed with peers that underachieve then the pressure will be on them to also underachieve or risk being ostracised or worse. So contrary to what the minister thinks, her approach will dilute the end product, thus leaving Jamaica with a very weakened pool of properly trained gifted individuals. The achievers will challenge each other to ever higher heights.

W.E.B. Dubois wrote of the gifted 10 per cent lifting up the nation. With Maxine Henry-Wilson's approach all will remain equally at the bottom of the barrel.

I am, etc.,

Glendon Thompson

E-mail: GLENDONT@BELLSOUTH.NET

addr1: 4205 Parnell Road

Marietta

Georgia

Via Go-Jamaica'

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