THE EDITOR, Sir:
On 7th October, TVJ reported that Mr. Seaga is advocating free education for all. In the same newscast, there was Mrs Maxine Henry-Wilson suggesting that communities should take control of their schools. Does money exist for education, or does it not?
A secondary high school with which I am associated has severe problems. Some members of the community are very concerned and on several occasions we have tried to get the attention of the Minister of Education, both the present incumbent and the last, but to no avail.
Class 7-9 has 51 students most of whom are slow learners. The large class size occurs because the school is understaffed by eight teachers, as we are not allowed to fill these vacancies. But I see Mrs Henry-Wilson saying, in The Gleaner of October 9, that the recent freeze on employment in the public sector will not apply to teachers. Why can't we fill our quota?
Whereas the school was built to accommodate 750 students, it now boasts 1730, on two shifts, without any increase in accommodation. Laboratories have to be used as classrooms, so you can imagine what happens in practical subjects. Even the library is not exempted. I'll leave the dire effects of the shift system for a future letter.
As the bell rings for classes, neat lines of students break in disarray as they stampede for the classrooms. It is a race for the chairs! Just last week parents had to be called in because a boy and girl fought over a chair.
If, with cost-sharing, we can't provide sufficient chairs and adequate classroom space, and we can't hire teachers, how can we ever have free education?
It appears to me that population growth and the increase in the numbers of the jobless and the unemployable is a root cause of our problems. The taxes just don't stretch. That is why I appreciated the suggestion of Mrs Haye-Webster, who recognises the dilemma and seeks a realistic solution. For a start, sterilisation should be offered to persons who are having too many children.
Strategies of the past thirty years have taken us to the point where very little in the way of meaningful education goes on in many so-called high schools. Yet education is still regarded as the best solution to problems of poverty and over-breeding. How will the vicious circle ever be broken?
I am etc.,
E.W. BINGHAM
Green Island P.O.
Hanover
Via Go-Jamaica
