‘We have achieved the impossible’
AS PRESIDENT of the Jamaica Independent Schools’ Association (JISA), it is indeed a privilege to be serving in this capacity as JISA celebrates 51 years of supporting the mission of national development through education in Jamaica.
At this juncture, I find the quote from Lewis Carroll’s book, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, most relevant.
Alice told the Queen, “One can’t believe impossible things.” The Queen responded, “I daresay you haven’t had much practice. When I was your age, I always did it for halfan-hour a day. Why, sometimes I’ve believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast.”
The COVID-19 pandemic has forced our JISA member schools to pivot almost overnight; and since our physical closure on March 13, we have achieved the impossible – maintaining the viability of our institutions and beating the odds.
Many of our onlookers have shared their support and even extended their well-wishes in an effort to encourage us in this most difficult period of our operations. As school leaders and operators, we have had to retool and reconfigure our operations to creatively establish the means to maintain our physical campuses while, simultaneously, establishing virtual learning platforms. We have had to sustain our school spirits and build our stakeholders’ confidence so that learning could continue.
JISA has continued its mission of building the capacity of private schools, in order to improve teaching and learning, so as to ensure that all children in the sector become functional individuals, who will make a worthwhile contribution to nation-building.
We have become stronger and even more resolved to continue serving the underserved, as many of our parents have sacrificed greatly so that their children can get the most effective learning solution that best suits their individual needs. This great sacrifice embodies the movement of private education in Jamaica.
Private schools, from their first mention in 1938, were created out of sacrifice by educators who firmly believed that the children of Jamaica deserved the best education we could provide. Since then, we have grown together and have worked together to achieve a system of results and a culture of performance leadership.
As we celebrate JISA Week 2020 under the theme ‘Private Education in Jamaica: The True Story’, I call on all Jamaicans to celebrate with us and to seize the opportunity to engage with us and our members. I also call on our members to celebrate our journey and their contribution to education in Jamaica. We will continue to defy the odds and break barriers with our relentless spirit and commitment to the advancement of our great nation.