LETTER OF THE DAY - Drop 'failing schools' label
THE EDITOR, Sir:
I am really distressed about the public labelling and stereotyping of educational institutions as 'failing schools'. We know that social scientists have proven from research that stereotyping often leads to self-fulfilling prophecy. Many of our non-traditional schools have defied this social labelling and are making significant contributions to society.
Despite the embarrassment and potential harm that this is causing principals and other school administrators, communities, students, teachers, school boards and PTAs, Andrew Holness and his education ministry personnel persist in stubbornly highlighting this unfortunate promotion through the powerful media, consequently pursuing this ill-advised method of attempting to uplift education in our beloved Jamaica. Apart from correctly generalising this concern, for advancement of the society, each school should be dealt with outside the public domain.
No to public scolding
We should be all partners in positively dealing with our problems. It can never be the ethical method of pursuing development through this public castigation. Many schools are hampered by limited financing and the initial streaming process, which often leads to the labelling in the first place.
Some schools receive many students far below the average of many traditional grammar schools. The student-teacher ratio in several cases is also unreasonable. Our many teachers are heroes/heroines who work beyond the call of duty.
Additionally, many schools have outgrown their physical capacity, and overcrowding is negatively impacting on the learning environment. This, in turn, has led to the retention of the shift system in some schools, thus reducing the learning capacity because of reduced teaching hours for each shift.
Mr Minister, please desist from your persistence on this course of action, which gives me the appearance of winning a battle that will never promote the desired changes required in education. Revealing data from your findings to the public will be of no utility for building these schools. There also seem, in some cases, to be contradictions between you and the schools regarding when the assessments were done. There must be a semblance of objectivity, as it is noticeable that one school with which you have had a strained relationship is among the 'failing' schools.
This public labelling is not only unprecedented, but most undesirable. Who or what is really failing?
DISTRESSED
Harbour View, Kingston 17