Dear Editor,
If the Minister of Education Silveria Jacobs plans to continue her political career beyond September’s election, it is imperative that she reconsiders her position on this hands-off approach regarding the influx of students, who are burdening the school system. To hear the minister proudly announce that children abroad have every right to reunite with their parents, and that this issue is a problem for the Justice Minister to tackle is such a narrow-minded view towards the success of quality education.
An education minister, who has taken an in-depth study of the factors that are impeding the quality of education, will never make such statements. Even if the minister did not agree with the discussions that surround this matter, she could have been more tactful in her responses.
The minister has opened the door much wider to receive some resentment from teachers – the same people whom she has asked for them to express their grievances, so that an amicable solution can be found to this on-going problem. If this is the stance that the minister has taken, then what purpose do the dialogues with teachers serve?
The minister must be reminded that teachers, who are the backbone of the educational system, do not take their complaints to the Justice Minister. So, if the Minister of Education does not find the matter important enough to initiate an immediate discussion as to how both ministries would collaborate, then the Ministry of Justice should represent the teachers and not the Ministry of Education.
It is such a gross disappointment to see how differently the various Ministers of Education view and handle the same issues that they complained about, while they were in the classroom. In light of this flood of students, how can teachers be as successful as they would like to be when they are sometimes confronted with 6 to 7 different levels of learning within one classroom?
On top of this constant intrusion, there is hardly a class that is equipped with an assigned assistant to ease the burden of the lead teacher. Note well, it’s not enough just to appoint an assistant, but one who understands the various dynamics that affect the quality of the learning environment. If teachers are burnt out, what quality of education does one expect, and is it a fair deal?
The comparison of quality education of private school versus public school was also brought forward. The minister indicated that her ministry will acquire more information on the academic achievements of these private institutions. If quality is the aim of the Ministry of Education, then why ignore the very factors that are impeding this quality? It may seem that these criteria set by private schools be regarded as discriminatory, but is it really? Not at all! The fact is: these standards were prepared with insight, to avoid the unnecessary repercussions that have inundated the public schools.
When questioned about studying in the region and the criteria for scholarships, it is quite clear that it does not take much for a student to get a scholarship. What is troubling though is: if 50 scholarships were granted, and 35 were given to recipients who arrived just 5 years ago, would this be a level playing field for children, who were born and raised here, or even those who came as infants? Isn’t it so that these extra monies could have been budgeted towards the continual upgrading of teachers to deal with the challenges within the classrooms? Or, to assist students abroad who would like to pursue their masters and PhD’s?
The Minister of Education should hold this view in mind: If the intended capacity of a room is to accommodate 10 persons, and five months later an additional 6 occupy the same space, and 4 others are expected shortly, what will be the outcome of such a situation?
Definitely, there needs to be an honest and detailed evaluation on the impact of Compulsory Education, not just on the educational system, but on society on a whole. The minister is well liked by many, including myself, but I cannot agree with her decision to pass the buck to the Justice Minister. Then what is the point of having an inter-ministerial relationship?
As stated before in a preceding article, I admire the manner in which the Minister of Finance Richard Gibson has taken a firm decision to eliminate the factors that will hamper the efficiency of his ministry. If the Minister of Education expects to create an impact, then she needs to further assess the dynamics that are impeding the proper functioning of her ministry. The minister must also come to the realization that decisions without insight are bound to have severe repercussions.
Joslyn Morton
