All Jamaicans would do well to read, and fully digest, the recent offerings of two distinguished Jamaicans, which, essentially, address the cause of the Jamaican condition and what we have to confront if we are to overcome what everyone admits is a bad situation.

The two - Esther Tyson, principal of Ardenne High School, who writes a monthly column in the Sunday edition of this newspaper, and Edward Seaga, former prime minister, who is now pro-chancellor of the University of Technology (UTech) - focused on problems affecting students' performance and societal attitudes to those who are not performing at required high standards.

Frankly, while we may not be convinced of Mr Seaga's argument of what fashioned Jamaica into what it has become, we agree substantially with what he sees as the effect on society.

For, like Mr Seaga, we are concerned that Jamaica has become mired in excuses, overburdened by a psychology of failure and the eschewing of individual responsibility.

Social conditions

In her article on Sunday, Mrs Tyson addressed specifically, a topic that has recently consumed Jamaicans - poor education outcomes and how much blame ought to be placed on schools and teachers. If we read Mrs Tyson correctly, the answer is primarily parental neglect and inadequate resources.

Concentrating on the disparity of performance between the traditional and upgraded high schools, she suggests that the latter have been treated unfairly. She blames, primarily, the social conditions in which these schools operate - poorly prepared students, poor parenting, violent communities, etc.

All of which are true. But Mrs Tyson apparently missed the point of the analysis commissioned by this newspaper, which has formed the backdrop of this latest debate on education, which did not focus only on the dismal performance in upgraded high schools.

Indeed, only a handful of the traditionals can claim to be performing at acceptable levels and the outcomes at several are below the achievements of the former all-age schools.

Not a single-track issue

As we have argued in the past, fixing education is not a single-track issue, but it will not happen with teachers attempting to extricate themselves from the problem, seeking plausible deniability for bad outcomes. Which, by Mr Seaga's argument is the nature of Jamaica, where the drive is not primarily for perfection. Rather, people expect 'ease up and let-off' if things go wrong.

Coming close to Mrs Tyson's sphere of operation, Mr Seaga pointed to the government's proposed policy of not allowing underperforming students to sit the Grade Six Achievement Test (GSAT) to enter high schools if they do not master the requirements for literacy and numeracy. The upshot: a howl of complaints.

Said Mr Seaga: "The Jamaica society accommodates imperfections: unfinished business, loose performance and intimidation from good workmanship." Sadly, he is, essentially, correct.

Accountability

This brings us back to the matter of education. Of course, many teachers and principals work hard in difficult circumstances. They initiate interventions to help dysfunctional students in difficult environments.

Mostly, though, the teaching establishment would prefer to have such interventions noted in the realm of the anecdotal rather than on the basis of empirical analysis. For doing the latter is too much like being held accountable for outcomes and a requirement for performance-based rewards.

So, you should applaud people for innovation and good achievement, but do not hold them accountable to it.