The Strong shall help The Weak:The Gospel ascordin to Ronnie

[Don1]

I like dat moggle... ah wonda whe im get dat fram...hmmmm

Top Kingston Schools To Assist Holy Trinity
Published: Saturday | January 14, 2012
Nadisha Hunter, Staff Reporter

EDUCATION MINISTER Ronald Thwaites is to approach top-performing schools in Central Kingston to work closely with Holy Trinity High School in a bid to improve the standards of the institution.

The newly appointed education minister assured staff and students of Holy Trinity High School yesterday that they were not failures, but the school was merely performing below the expected standards due to various shortfalls.

As a result, he said, he would be convening a meeting with the administration of Kingston College, St George's College and Alpha Academy so that they could work closely with the school beginning in September when the new school year begins.

Thwaites walked from his Heroes Circle-based ministry office to tour the Kingston-based institution and promised to work closely with the school in order to raise the standards.

"In my mind and in the mind of the new administration, there are no schools, no students and no staff members who are failures. Our visit is to plan a programme of help, our purpose is to strengthen you in the difficult task of educating the students," Thwaites added.

Intervention needed

Holy Trinity High is one of the four schools former Education Minister Andrew Holness singled out for intervention as it was failing academically.

The other schools are Glengoffe High in St Catherine, Balaclava High in St Elizabeth and Marcus Garvey Technical High in St Ann.

"Why don't we make this area of South Camp Road, George Headley Drive and North Street a centre of educational excellence, collaborating faculty students facilities so as to lift the morale at Holy Trinity and to inculcate in those other institutions a hearty sense of the sharing and the generosity and spirit," he reasoned.

Thwaites said in the short term, he would also be expanding the school's library, which was inadequately equipped. The information technology facilities would also be improved to assist the 1,600 students on roll.

He said the quality of students entering the school would be addressed, in the long term, through the ministry's emphasis on improving early-childhood education.

Sadpha Bennett, principal of the institution, said he hoped the emphasis that the ministry was placing on the institution would help to transform the school into a centre of excellence.

[Mosiah]

I think it was a mistake for Andy to label schools as "failing". Everyone thought it was so great when he did it. A failing school implies a failing minister of education.

[Islandman]

An interesting idea.

It would be good if the details of this experiment is made public where possible. Whether it faila or succeeds there will probably be something that is learnt twhich will be useful for future reference.

[Islandman]

Choice of words could have been better, maybe he could have used "underachieving" but regardless these schools need to be singled out and dealt with. I don't see a thing wrong with that.

A failing school implies a failing minister of education? Not really, a failing school system does.

[Mosiah]

Munro and Hampton have long shared resources and the two schools have remained at the top of the "good school" list in Jamaica for years.

Hampton girls came over to Munro for the science subjects and Munro boys went to Hampton if they did the arts. This was not just at the 6th form level, but primarily so.

Perhaps Ronnie is thinking of something similar with these schools?!

[Mosiah]

True. But so many schools were identified as failing that it because a system, not just a couple schools! And yes, I don't have a problem identifying the underachievers.

[Islandman]

I am aware of that, but I think this is different. Hampton and Munro could be considered "equals" more or less among high schools. Georges and Holy Trinity are equals in name only.

Munro and Hampton helping Balaclava High would be the equivalent. Yes I realize that distance might make that impractical, just using them as an example.

[Islandman]

Yes I would think it would be a lot more than those 4 that are failing.

I am guessing that those must be totally dysfunctional for him to have identified them in that way?

[Don1]

Hampton girls came over to Munro for the science subjects

Emphasis pon Biology no doubt

[Mosiah]

and Physics (friction, viscosity, etc.)

[Don1]

That sharing and cooperation between schools in the same area...ESPECIALLY if they're so called "traditional" and "non-traditional" schools is a model I've been interested in. It's past time that insane traditional/non-traditional crap be buried.

Digital Yard will feature that if I have my way ... personally I will suggest/insist that JC partner or twin with Papine Secondary or some other neighboring school of their choice.

Sometimes one doesn't need cash to care...friendship & example can go a long way

[Don1]

Oh yes!! The dynamics of motion & fluids....lol

[Islandman]

That is definitely something worth trying.

[Me]

personally I will suggest/insist that JC partner or twin with Papine Secondary or some other neighboring school of their choice.

Papine High School not Secondary.

[Mosiah]

And it is not really a matter of schools being "equal" or not. In Hampton and Munro's case, there were few Munro boys doing art subjects so why waste a teach on 4 students taking A Level Spanish?!? And it made more sense to send over the few girls who were doing the science subjects. Plus, it was thought that Munro had the better science labs and perhaps teachers as well at A Level standard.

Could this have been extended to BB Coke High? Why not!? But then, this is what gave rise to community colleges which have never really been liked by the purists. The argument is, why should any of these schools have a 6th form? Why not just give them a community college among themselves?