Ronald Thwaites | Basic competencies

I hold strongly that if all of our people had a firm grounding in religious or humanistic virtues and could read and write in both our languages and compute serviceably, the nation would thrive both socially and economically.

Lee Kuan Yew, who some of us love to quote but not to follow, insisted that there are certain non-economic factors that make for growth. Fidel Castro, at the other end of the political spectrum, felt the same. That is why the pursuit of civic and social training, literacy and numeracy were treated as non-negotiable and foundational in their polities.

In our post-emancipation period, a similar ethos prevailed. A strong elementary education in an otherwise twisted and exclusive environment provided the underlay of a black middle class and the nationalist movement.

ABANDONING BASICS

We have lost our way. We relish the approval of debt-rating agencies like Fitch who last week commended us for alacrity in reducing our debt to GDP rating. This is good. It has been achieved by the sacrifices of the poor and middle class. Their standard of living has been decimated by the process. For want of proper resourcing and because of being seduced by false gods, we fall short – far short, of cultivating a socially conscious, literate and numerate population.

We can strain to satisfy Fitch, Moody’s and the ironically named, Standard and Poor who curiously thinks we are not rich enough to make our banks even richer! But their concerns do not mean that we end up with the mind-space, the academic and vocational capacities espoused with laser focus by Cuba, Singapore and our own forebears.

ENOUGH RESOURCES?

My contention, from personal experience and respectful following the up-to-now ignored major recommendations of the Patterson Commission, is that money is not the major problem in achieving quality universal education. If properly spent, the upwards of $150 billion from the annual budget plus the contribution of parents and philanthropy ought to be delivering far better results than we are seeing.

The most urgent national discourse should be to enquire why this is not so and to take the radical steps required to correct this. It is unforgivable that parliament has failed to initiate this consideration over the four years since the Patterson Report has been available. And the way Gordon House is run now and since such discourse will be critical of the thin-skinned political directorate, it is highly unlikely that leadership will come from that forum.

TASKS IGNORED

Patterson called for a review of the structure of the Ministry of Education and its attendant agencies to assess the extent to which the structures are fit for purpose. Has that been done? If so, with what results? And if not, why not?

The Report further mandates an assessment of the existing accountability framework in Jamaica and the development of recommendations to improve accountability in the education system. Where are we with that in a context where the contribution to schools by parents who can afford it, are styled as optional; where the performance of some 90 per cent of teachers are evaluated as satisfactory and exceptional although more than a half of all students are performing sub-optimally? So much so that officials conceal full exposure of examination results so as to hide the extent of our peril.

AN EFFORT TO CHANGE

For the past year a group of educators from St Michael’s College, headed by Grace Baston and Faith Alexander, have spearheaded an effort to raise the standards of functionally illiterate 7th Graders by total concentration on character formation, literacy and numeracy. The effort has been thoroughly evaluated and cross-checked and has been shown to have reasonable success so far.

With support from the school management at Holy Trinity High and Newell High, smaller classes have need created, committed teachers have been identified and trained, effective software utilized; nutrition, mentoring and parental support cultured. Extended school hours and vacation schools have greatly helped.

Most students have advanced several reading grades and have a much improved attitude towards themselves, respect for others and the value and joy of learning.

The programme is being extended to two other high schools with similar problems and to a primary school with a view to changing the primary experience ; to further prove the concept and test its scalability. The costs have been largely underwritten by private sector contributions. The Ministry has watched the process, sometimes sceptically, other times helpfully, and has supported the salaries of the teachers involved and provided the computers required. Will it continue and expand?

This effort is one example of what can be achieved to take education transformation beyond what the Gleaner called the sterile tick-boxing exercise which evades the core of our nation’s problem – poor character formation and grossly inadequate literacy and numeracy levels. It requires personal dedication, clear focus and a belief that most of our children are not stupid and bad. At the national level, it requires a level of united political will and shared commitment, clearly missing up to now.

AN EFFECTIVE SPEAKER

During the four terms I served in the House of Representatives, the Speakers never had to behave like a bully. Mrs. Neilson, a celebrated teacher, was deliberate and indulgent, Michael Peart, reserved, understated and respectful. Delroy Chuck and Marisa Philibert, both suave lawyers, knew not to be over-bearing while the avuncular Pearnel employed his trade union experience to negotiate proceedings usually skillfully. None of them forfeited the trust which a presider must cultivate.

The Standing Orders are effected and selectively applied. They are not oracular. Efforts to update them have been purposely frustrated for decades. Warmy, self-styled originalist but in fact a chronic rule-buster, is trying to become the avatar of the House standards. Ministers don’t need anyone to protect them from sharp questions. Committees must not be directed as to what subjects their members or the public wish them to investigate.

Parliament is ineffectual and boring enough without a shrewish and defensive muzzle from the presider’s throne. No Kings (or Queens) must be our cry!

“This is the one I approve, (says the Lord) the lowly and afflicted person who trembles at my word”. (Isaiah 66: 2)

Rev Ronald G. Thwaites is an attorney-at-law. He is former member of parliament for Kingston Central and was the minister of education. He is the principal of St Michael’s College at The UWI. Send feedback to columns@gleanerjm.com