THE EDITOR, Sir:
I WAS very concerned and at the same time, shocked to see the publication in The Gleaner on Monday, May 10, wherein the Opposition Leader and the Minister of Finance were placing blame on the education system for the low rate of productivity within our nation. I say concerned because I have always thought that, in comparison to other nations where I have seen education in progress, firsthand, Jamaica has one of the better education systems.
First of all, our curriculum throws challenges at students both at the preparatory and high school level and most certainly, at the university level. Then I am shocked because I am not quite certain I see this low productivity as being a fault of our education system in Jamaica. I tend to see more under-motivated people within our society. These people become this way because day after day they encounter comments and actions that indicate that there is nothing to do in Jamaica. I have friends who graduated from the University of the West Indies with me in 2001 and who have not gotten a serious job as yet. Therefore, Jamaicans sometimes are not motivated to want to make the most out of the system that we have.
Frankly, I understand why. Our universities take the crème de la crème, which may not be such a bad thing, but how much does the country provide for those who have the ambition and the courage and the motivation but who were not accepted into the universities? I fail to really see how our education system is responsible for low productivity because, although the system tends to be very homogenous, it is one of the best I have encountered while doing my studies or while watching others study.
Expanding Jamalco in Clarendon to produce more is of little or no factor in aiding motivation. One hundred more jobs? Come on, we need more than that if we are supposed to produce at the level that is desired.
I am, etc.,
ANYA A. ELLIOTT-
ROCHESTER
anyaelliott@yahoo.co.uk
Connecticut, USA
Via Go-Jamaica
