The Editor, Sir:

I am writing in reference to the letter written by Mr Harambe on April 17 entitled "Extra lessons linked to poor performances". I am a final year Business Education student, who recently had teaching practice at an urban high school in St Catherine where I taught Business Basics, an element of the Resource and Technology programme. The teachers there were warm and receptive, dedicated and thorough to the extent of the syllabus.

His experience in our beautiful crime-infested country was a very good one, thankfully. The fact that he was committed to his job and had good results does not mean that other teachers are not. When a teacher goes to a class and has to spend several minutes to settle the class to begin her lesson because of students who constantly mis-behave, couldn't that be a reason for failure?

Extra lessons

The teachers are often given basket to carry water and if they feel that extra lessons could assist in passes why not? We also like foreign teachers and tend to be nicer to them as we do teaching practice teachers, which could have contributed to the results. Some teachers will do extra lessons for the wrong reasons, but I strongly believe the majority really aim for success rates.

I am, etc.,

CHARMALEE FRANKSON

cfrankson20@yahoo.com

Kitson Town, St Catherine

Via Go-Jamaica