Readers’ reactions

Empty classrooms

In the real world, this is a good thing. Instead of having a single classroom packed with 30+ students, the average should be 20. If Jamaicans are having fewer children, it creates a domino effect. Not everything is poverty/crime related, although they are contributing factors. – @Shininglightja

I hope the administrative and academic staff are capitalizing on the low students to teachers ration and achieving excellent results in literacy and numeracy. – @RenairB

Are these schools affected by violence, flooding, transportation issues? – @sabsdecoded

Birth rate falling rapidly. This is evident not only in schools but our Sunday and Sabbath schools are experiencing major reduction in children attendance. Plus parents are investing in sending their children to private schools. – @BettyJa77533964

I pass by Elletson Primary regularly, it looks like a ghost town. The time and resources gov’t spends dropping SOEs and ZOSOs would be better spent taking care of the socio-economic conditions of citizens. – @Marie24Dee

Are the children in these schools performing better than their peers, given the low numbers of students per teacher? – @DalveyG

We would need a school bus system before we merge some of these schools. Our children have serious transportation difficulties. – @LowrieChin

Well this sounds like things a work out cause we didn’t have enough teachers b4 to handle the number of students. – @1Donlexi

Less number of students should improve the quality of education. A larger workforce doesn’t equate to better economy, but as it stands the education system needs to be revamp. – @Clevela02987736

Smaller classrooms mean a better teacher to student ratio. This sounds like great news to me. – @JamaicanSuss

Can some be closed and the students plus staff be consolidated? – @Mellumjr

Would love to see the opposite ... table of schools overpopulated and where they are located. – @rhodenjax

Hopefully, the pickney dem can get more attention. – @DKLizzle

Big up to whoever conceptualised that two is better campaign, proof that we can change behaviour in JA. This is the best time for the MOE to consolidate, provide transport in rural areas. Now that resources are less strained, find ways to improve the quality of our education. – @LaLazuli_

Readers’ reactions sourced from The Gleaner’s X, formerly Twitter, page. Compiled by Khanique McDaniel