THE EDITOR, Sir:I HAVE seen where the Minister of Education Mrs. Henry-Wilson has found the solution for the current poor state of the education system. I think that she is a woman of great vision and ought to be recognised for her inspiring and no doubt beneficial contribution to education in Jamaica. The only persons who seem to be peeved by her brilliant idea are the teachers.
When one looks at the education situation in its entirety, and listens to the minister one can easily see that it is the teachers who have contributed solely to the poor state of education in this country. How can persons argue that the parent has a role to play in this business of education? How can sceptics state that our innocent children need to contribute to their education? Their role is just to be in school nothing else. I wondered how long it would take some bright Jamaican to identify this solution that the minister has identified. Well our Minister of Education has earned the Grammy for this year 2004.
As for the claim by principals that it's the values added on that are important that is rubbish. I am sure Mrs. Henry-Wilson will agree with me.
I understand the minister's intentions clearly and it can be summed up in these two scenarios. Student X entered High School X with an average of 30 per cent. The teachers at this school worked assiduously with him and he moved up to a 60 per cent. In statistical terms he would have experienced a 100 per cent improvement on his entry's average. Student Y entered high School Y with an average of 90 per cent. The teachers at this school worked with him and he moved up to 99 per cent average. Based on statistics he would have improved on his average by 10 per cent. It is clear that the teachers at school Y would have put in greater work and ought to be remunerated more than the teachers at school X. After all, at school X the student only improved by 100 per cent to a 60 per cent average whereas at school Y the student improved by a whopping 9 per cent to 99 per cent. It is clear that the teachers at School X are lazy and ought to be paid less or removed totally from the system.
Sceptics are saying that the Government is using teachers as a 'scape-goat' for their lack of vision. However, I would like to make it clear that the Government is fully aware of the saying that where there is no vision the people perish and they are not leading this nation to destruction. Do you think that they want us to perish?
I am etc.,
MIKE FORD
Mikeefordee@hotmail.com
Linstead, St. Catherine
