Education the victim of tribal politics

[Don1]

JLP, PNP destroying education!
Published: Sunday | August 8, 2010 0 Comments and 0 Reactions

Principals accuse politicians of trifling with the future of the nation's children

Tyrone Reid, Sunday Gleaner Reporter

Secondary-school principals have charged that for years, elected officials have been playing politics with education, putting thousands of Jamaican children at a disadvantage.

The principals are now calling for the insulation of critical education policies from political interference.

"We must stop playing politics with education, and there is just too much politicking about it. That's one of the problems we're having as a country," said Esther Tyson, vice-president of the Jamaica Association of Principals of Secondary Schools (JAPSS) and principal of Ardenne High School during a recent Gleaner Editors' Forum hosted for the principals.

Tyson said she was unhappy with the handling of education by both major political parties.

"Because we are not saying it is JLP (Jamaica Labour Party) or PNP (People's National Party); we have problems with both," she said.

The principals argued that too often, a change of government has eroded the gains made under policy programmes implemented by the outgoing administration.

Sharon Reid, president of the JAPSS, said the multibillion-dollar transformation programme, the brainchild of the PNP adminis-tration, has been derailed under the JLP government, which took office in September 2007.

Things derailed

"Take the Transformation Programme, something as important as that, there should have been such an agreement about it that it should have been seamless from one party to the next," Reid argued.

She continued: "You change government and all of a sudden you hear that things are derailed - a programme that was geared at lifting standards, (and) we haven't really gotten any explanation. We, have just been told that things have been returned to the ministry, and whatever."

The Reverend Gordon Cowans, principal of Knox College, advanced that sometimes the education ministry's action "really is too much influenced by what is the political reality, and this is part of what must change".

Principals left standing

Albert Corcho, principal of Tarrant High and president of the Association of Principals and Vice-Principals, argued that when the politicians switch lanes, it is the principals who are left standing in the middle of the road.

"When you have the shifting of policies, when you have a different political party coming in with a totally different approach, we at the school level, we on the ground are the ones who are left hanging," Corcho lamented.

Reid conceded that the for-mulating of education policies cannot be taken out of the hands of elected officials, but stressed that elected officials need to understand that education should not be trifled with.

"The politicians must agree and understand that education is bigger than all of us, so there must be agreement on certain things, even when governments change," Reid said

[Gamma]

politicians pay lip servicd to education but they seem to actually prefer to have the masses uneducated...teachers are poorly paid (for persons playing such a vital role in the development of our most potent natural resource, our people) and education seems to be the first one on the table when budget cuts are made!

[Don1]

politicians pay lip servicd to education but they seem to actually prefer to have the masses uneducated...teachers are poorly paid (for persons playing such a vital role in the development of our most potent natural resource, our people) and education seems to be the first one on the table when budget cuts are made!

So true.

This is how they keep their control of people (in ignorance) for their system of divide and rule to be sustained....benefiting also the business class which also wants to see the mass of people ignorant.

An evil politico-business cabal at work

[Mosiah]

we all agree here!

[Don1]

we all agree here!

[Islandman]

Do you really think this is a pre-meditated objective of the politicians and the business class though?

The business class would make a lot more money with a more educated work force. I am sure they know this.

This is directed to Gamma and Mosiah too.

[Don1]

Do you really think this is a pre-meditated objective of the politicians and the business class though?

The business class would make a lot more money with a more educated work force. I am sure they know this.

This is directed to Gamma and Mosiah too.

Yes I do think so!!!!!

At best ..if the ignorance of the many is not a premeditated outcome...it's seen as mere "collateral damage" in the main objective of acquiring and maintaining state power for politicians...and acquiring and maintaining economic power for the business class.... an unholy alliance.

The Jamaican business and political class is VERY backward, myopic, selfish and disrespectful of poor people.....they mimic their English colonial mentors in this regard. Of course there are exceptions...but let's deal with the rule.... not as bad as Haiti's elites...but way less progressive/egalitarian in outlook than Trinidad or Barbados.

We have many decades of experience with these people upon which to base a judgement....just look at the nature of the society today.

For me...the jury is in.

[Gamma]

not so much the business class but yes, the jamaican business class has a balancing act.....pay qualified people more money or get less qualified persons for less?

i think a reason for the brain drain is just that, look at nurses, teachers, engineers etc...they did not see themselves as being paid what they were worth in JA. so we have a chicken and egg scenario, the economy cannot sustain the higher salaries so they leave and this is a direct blow to productivity.

where the politcians are concerned, they have no room for indpendent thought and they have created a culture of tribalism. it keeps the message simple e.g. with party colours "our colour, good! the other colour, bad!" once enough people buy into that, the votes will follow.

i would be curious to know (ballot box stuffing aside) what plays a more significant role at election time, persons switching allegiance or abstentions!

[Mosiah]

i would be curious to know (ballot box stuffing aside) what plays a more significant role at election time, persons switching allegiance or abstentions!

well, we know tivoli residents not switching!

[Willi]

Simple...sell (99 yr lease)di Chinese the Port of KGN for US$6b and tek half of it put inna one irrevocable eddication truss. Lock box that only be broken by an "absolute" Majority in parliament of over 80%.

Problems would be solved.

[Reggaedoc]

You are absolutely right Don1. Islandman, you have to remember that the so-called Jamaican business class is really not a class of true investors, they are really resellers, more or less sophisticated higglers, or should I say haberdashers, in the true sense of their Lebanese, or Chinese past. Of course their are a few exceptions. They make money off a poorly educated workforce. Afterall, you should not be fooled. The so called business-class in Jamaica is not made up of highly educated people either. Why would they want a workforce which more educated than themselves?.

[MissLondon]

Uneducated people are easier to control and more needy, less self-sufficient. Very few of the current politicians would have a job if most Jamaicans were properly educated (you can be well educated and ignorant).

[Reggaedoc]

The only mistake you are making Don1 is to think that they are not as bad as the ones in Haiti. It is the same set of players from Labanon, and jews from Portugal, and Spain. same families. They split up and some went to Haiti, Jamaica, Aruba, Liberia etc. They all have the same plan, it is only taking longer to reach their goal in Ja, than it took in Haiti, and Liberia. They are getting there slowly. The rate had been slowed by Manley in the 70's and 80's, but successive corrupt governments have placed them back on course. It has been more difficult in places like the Aruba, because they are still a colony of the Dutch.

[MissLondon]

The inferiority complex some black people have ...............

[Jawge]

Iman it's premeditated based on the fact that Ja is still following the slavery and colonial policies that was laid down some two hundred odd years ago.

It seems that we lack the will and intellectual dexterity to change these policies; so that the populace can benefit. look at Mobay? Mobay is a potentially rich city but because it's run on policies some two hundred od years ago; there is lack of employment and crime.