THE EDITOR, Sir:
THE FAILING education system has been a matter of grave concern to all stakeholders involved. Yet, in our attempts to improve it, we seem to be doing more harm than good. As a vice-principal in the present system, it pains my heart when I have to agree with some of the criticisms that are levelled at the education system, but I do.
Much of the blame for the system's failure has been placed at the feet of the teachers. Their lack of competence, their qualifications and their behaviour as professionals have all been cited as possible causes. Sadly, this is true in some cases. However, from where I sit, I put it to you that one of the factors that currently poses a serious threat to success in the schools is the attempts by the Ministry et al to upgrade teachers.
Sir, most teachers, realising that they are coming under pressure from the nation to upgrade themselves, have begun to neglect what should be their number one priority as they seek to upgrade by way of part-time studies, and the way this is done is creating chaos in the schools.
At my school, there are times when up to six teachers are absent in order to attend UWIDITE classes. In addition there are persons who leave for two days during the week to do courses for their Master's, plus the one or two who might be genuinely sick. There are times when, because of the poor organisation of these courses, teachers are called in the middle of the school day to attend classes, and they leave because the upgrading takes precedence, not to mention time taken to prepare for exams and to do course work.
Sir, the Ministry does not allow for schools to have extra staffing, so when this happens it plunges the school, more often than not, into a state of confusion and ultimately the children whom they are paid to teach suffer. Let me hasten to say that some measure of substitution does takes place, but this is never as effective.
I, therefore, use this medium to beg of the Ministry and the various organisations who offer these courses to look again at how they can better revise the upgrading of teachers, which is such a good thing, yet such a bad thing.
Maybe, just maybe, confining these courses to the holidays would be in the best interest of the nation's children.
I am, etc.,
'JAYTOM'
A Concerned Vice-principal
