THE EDITOR, Sir:
TRADITIONALLY, THE amalgamation of home, school, and church en-sconced in community, was the stabilising force in a child's life. Sadly, we have witnessed the disintegration of that structure. The teacher's role has become increasingly difficult as a result. To positively influence, empower, and guide children toward a sense of purpose, belonging, worth, and expression, is a Herculean undertaking.
Dwindling economic resources, parental neglect and abuse, and inappropriate societal images, re-define the role of the teacher. When parents fail to provide their children with foundational skills and mores, the teacher has to rely on pastoral care and counselling models, theological insights, behaviour modification techniques, sociology, psychology, pedagogical perspectives, as well as medical trends and discoveries. Given the poor infrastructural arrangements and teacher training limitations, these disciplines are underutilised. Research has shown that academic excellence and civility are developed when a teacher uses appropriate methods to help
students whose ability to learn is affected by conflicts, uncertainty, and tensions.
QUALITY TO QUANTITY
The paradigmatic shift from quality to quantity in education and family, as seen in the large number of students crammed in classrooms and the large number of parents with children for whom they cannot provide, has resulted in stagnation in nation building. It is incumbent on the Ministry of Education, Youth and Culture, in collaboration with the Ministry of Health, to implement a programme that will address the proliferation of neglected children.
Experience has shown that not everyone realises the obvious in situations. Here is a typical scenario: A woman has given birth to five children for five different men, none of whom maintains his child. By the second child, a woman should recognise the obvious but, after five children, she does not and the cycle continues. Both ministries can easily identify the parents who need their help.
It is time elected functionaries tell parents the truth: the number of children they have without parental support is putting much strain on their lives, the lives of others, the health sector, education, finance, and social structures. Use imageries that these parents can readily understand, and reinforce the concepts by varied means. Find ways to guide groups of parents to understand and practise suitable family planning skills. The programme has to be administered within the same time frame throughout the island in order for our society to feel its positive impact. We need to be resolute - parents, teachers, pastors, politicians, and media personnel. Let us regain our role as vanguard of society.
I am etc.,
YVONNE M. BRIGHT (DR.)
Education Counselling
Consultant
P.O. Box 5861
Kingston 6
