Fixing the education system

THE EDITOR, Madam:

IN VIEW of the current flurry in education engendered essentially by the catastrophic COVID-19 pandemic, I thought I would throw the following revolutionary thinking into the pool of thought for current and future educational practices:

1. That principals must be hired not only as controller and inspirer in his/her school, but must be the institution’s official PRO. Staff must have absolute confidence in his/her absence and he/she occasionally hosts committee meetings at school during school hours. He/she is well known for involvement in the school community.

2. Teachers must be rated‘ professionals ’. This means that teaching itself must be elevated to ‘profession’ such as medicine and law! Whatever it takes, it’s the most critical move in educational advancement.

3. Teaching must be research driven. In other words ‘research’ must no longer be seen merely as a subject to pass for graduation … but as a working tool … sine qua non! ... in the hands of educators.

The ministry must support and challenge research through a special national research committee with special financial rewards for published research. Teachers have hunches; let them explore.

4. Abandon and outlaw streaming by a ministerial decree as the apartheid of Jamaica’s education system. Allow all students in a given cohort to socialise as age partners. Bright students have much to learn from their less academic counterparts. Streaming separates students into ‘social classes’ and is the nesting ground from which gang leaders find their most gullible candidates!

5. Abandon and abolish the idea that boys are essentially ‘late starters’. Boys need a different approach to teaching more ‘hands-on’ than academic.

6. Each student must have an interview with the principal in his/her first year at a given school. Be able to introduce or identify himself/ herself comfortably. “I am…” (instead of “my name is!”): be able to sit with composure, with an eye-to-eye contact with the interviewer: and to shake hands with confidence.

7. Each student must be known by his/her teachers by (full) name and address: and must introduce his/her parents to his/her class teacher.

8. Students must be exposed to‘student-teaching-students’ in groups not exceeding three … a very bright and two not as outwardly bright. Could be an excellent COVID-19 strategy! This is also exposing bright students to the act of teaching, and may just attract him/her into teaching!

9. All students, but particularly boys, to be exposed in practical ways to the concept ‘compassion’ by watching the blind skilfully plying their trade in basketry or meeting face to face with paraplegics and raising funds for their assistance. Boys must be encouraged to be ‘blood donors’ at age 17.

10. All schools should be empowered and encouraged to employ 10 per cent of staff annually from the graduating cohort … bright, promising students but who are challenged financially going forward. They may just become attracted to teaching … and education needs them.

HERBERT L. BROWN Headmaster Emeritus deCarteret College