THE EDITOR, Sir:
I STRONGLY believe that education should be offered freely up to the secondary level. Other countries such as Barbados and Trinidad and Tobago have been doing so. Not all families can afford an education to the secondary level.
If it was compulsory for all children to be educated, regardless of class or status, I believe that they would stand a better chance of achieving something worthwhile.
Unemployment is a sore point in our society. There are not enough jobs so that fathers and mothers can support their families. In terms of highly paid jobs, it is a case of "survival of the fittest". Not all will attend university. If all could attend university, there would still be an issue of over-educated people and not enough jobs for them.
There are programmes such as HEART and the National Youth Service which seem to be doing good by providing employment after training.
However, these youths are thrust into the floating surplus population. They are only employed for six months and then replaced by others who are in training by the same system.
Solid development should be considered so we can save as many of our youths as possible. Too many of them are turning to illegality because of the desire for immediate gratification. They are a dying generation and if their needs are not addressed, fatality will be the outcome.
I am, etc.,
PHILLIP-JAY CARTER
St. Catherine
