PRESIDENT OF Generation 2000 (G2K) Chris Tufton cited the poor performance in the core subject areas of mathematics and English in the recently-released CXC examinations as yet another indication that the country is failing to adequately prepare the next generation for the challenges of the future.
Speaking at the launch of the St. Catherine Chapter of G2K in Spanish Town, last week Sunday, the G2K president noted that declines in both mathematics and English at the proficiency levels is unacceptable and an indication of a failing State. Dr. Tufton noted that the Government is not following through on its commitments that were agreed in parliament last year between them and the Opposition party. These commitments included raising the budgetary allocation for education to 15 per cent over five years, providing a comprehensive textbook lending programme, and reducing the student-teacher ratio at the primary level to 1:25.
He believes that there are other worrying signs to indicate that the country is failing in education. He noted that enrolment and attendance levels among the poorest quintile of the population are as low as 60 per cent, with affordability identified as the main reason for low levels of participation. Citing the 2002 Survey of Living Conditions, Dr. Tufton said for a 20-day school month, approximately 56 per cent of the poorest children had a 100 per cent attendance record compared to 84 per cent of children falling in the highest income levels. Dr. Tufton said that this is clear evidence that many Jamaicans continue to be deprived of access to the education system due to economic reasons.
NEGATIVE IMPACT
The negative impact of this is clear when one considers output quality, Dr. Tufton said. He outlined that the levels of academic qualifications among secondary graduates falling in the poorest quintile of the society is dismal, with 92 per cent of school leavers having no academic qualification.
"These are persons who have passed no exams and are for the most part barely semi-literate. This is totally inadequate", said Dr. Tufton.
Dr. Tufton is cautioning that the recent proposal by the World Bank, which is endorsed by the Govern-ment to rationalise the school feeding programme, will further negatively impact the capacity of poor families to access the education system. He said that this is another backward step and implored the government to avoid pursuing this route.
He noted that a link must be drawn between poverty and educational attainment and the government must place greater emphasis on the qualitative aspects of access and output for those who are most economically susceptible.
Dr. Tufton criticised the Government's Programme for Advancement through Health and Education (PATH, describing it as "inadequately funded and lacking in corrective procedures to deal with parents and their children who do not comply with attendance standards".
He is questioning whether the PATH programme is refusing assistance to students who are genuinely in need and acting with unwarranted haste to drop the students that are not compliant with attendance records.
