Make CSEC history compulsory

Patrick Robinson, Contributor

MISS TOMEICA Gunn's letter of February 8, 2012 to The Gleaner, captioned 'Youths ignorant of our history, legacy', highlights some of the deep-seated, long-lasting and seemingly incurable ills of our history. In that regard, the minister of education deserves the highest commendation for reintroducing the teaching and study of civics in our schools. However, I hope he will consider making Caribbean history a compulsory subject for the fifth form Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) examinations and take whatever steps are necessary to achieve this goal. The case for doing this is very cogent.

Colonialism deliberately distanced Jamaicans from their history, and since Independence we have not really done anything of significance to close that gap. In Jamaica, to talk of slavery and the struggle of our ancestors for freedom is seen as negative in outlook. But all countries that have prospered have ensured that their people know their history. We have been socialised to be ashamed of our past, to reject what is African, what is indigenous and Jamaican, and what we look like; and to embrace instead what is foreign, white, light-coloured and European or American.

This pathology of self-hate and a sense of inferiority has had an adverse effect on all Jamaicans, but particularly the 95 per cent of the population that is black and whose ancestors were slaves. (I hasten to add that Caribbean history is not confined to slavery; it includes, inter alia, the pre-colonial era, the period of Indian and Chinese indentureship and the post-independence era).

History is important

It may be questioned why it is necessary to make Caribbean history a compulsory subject in schools up to fifth form when it is already a subject students may take if they so choose. Why should it be placed on the same footing as English language and mathematics? The answer is that our history is important in ascertaining who we are as a people, and that self-knowledge is vital for the growth and development of Jamaica.

The psyche and identity of the Jamaican have been shaped by history in a fundamentally negative way. I am convinced that requiring students to take as serious an approach to the study of Caribbean history as they do to English language and mathematics over a five-year period will help to eliminate some of the damaging relics of colonialism that continue to afflict us. I need only mention the curious and lamentable phenomenon of 'bleaching' - there is no clearer indication of a deep psychological problem of lack of self-esteem.

Give root to our youth

While it is praiseworthy - and again the minister of education deserves commendation - to introduce Garveyism as a subject in our schools, let us not forget that Garvey himself was very clear and unequivocal about the centrality of history in national life, and the importance of knowledge of one's own history in particular. For it was Garvey who said, "History is the landmark by which we are directed into the true course of life." And it was also Garvey who asserted that, "A people without the knowledge of their past history, origin and culture is like a tree without roots." It is this 'rootlessness' that explains some of the behavioural patterns in Jamaica that can only be described as social maladies; and it is to contribute to the eradication of this 'rootlessness' why a compulsory five-year course in Caribbean history should be introduced. Of course, Caribbean history could properly include modules devoted to civics, social studies and Garveyism.

In short, the case for making Caribbean history a compulsory subject in the CSEC examinations is that the psyche and identity of the Jamaican are as important to national development as English language and mathematics.

But that is only one effort to rid ourselves of the psychosis of self-hate and the sense of inferiority. We have to be proactive in elaborating other measures for that purpose. Here is another measure that could be adopted. Beginning with this year - the 50th of Independence - the ministry of culture, in conjunction with the private sector, should commission each year a major work - a play, film, documentary or a book - on the life and achievements of one of our great ancestors, such as Tacky, Cudjoe, Nanny, Sam Sharpe, Paul Bogle, George William Gordon, Marcus Garvey, Norman Manley, Sir Alexander Bustamante, Bob Marley, Louise Bennett and Rex Nettleford. This would be a part of the annual Independence celebrations. If the work is a play, it should be taken to the capital of every parish and at least one other town in each parish.

Patrick Robinson is a Jamaica-born international jurist based in The Hague, Netherlands.