Enuff Yappin'.. It's Time to: Engineer a New Jamaica

[Muadib]

Brilliant !

maybe can roll this into the DSJ program !

Who program di Robot by di way ?

[Bricktop]

How many Jamaicans can speak english? How long have they been taught english? Surely cannot be long? Yuh must be a comedian...

[Islandman]

Let's leave the GSAT argument for a while since at least we agree that we look forward for the day when the final test will not be necessary to get a place to a good high school.

The purpose of programs like Lego You Mind by Dr Hall and Digital Yard is to show some of these youths that science and maths can be interesting and enjoyable, not just a book thing. These programs cannot solve all of Jamaicas education problems but it can help to introduce critical and logical thinking outside of a strict classroom setting.

My frustration with so many of your posts is that you often speak of a Jamaica you left in the 80s and not the current Jamaica. Then you make no attempt to educate yourself on what has changed and what the new challenges are and which old ones remain.

For example, are you aware how many degree-granting institutions there are in Jamaica now? Ever heard of NCU http://www.ncu.edu.jm) , or CASE(http://www.case.edu.jm )? Are you aware of how much easier it is now to attend UTech and UWI without leaving the rural areas? The situation is not as chronic as it was in the 80s and 90s. There are MANY more options now than I had.

[Jawge]

I am a comedian. Humor me; define long relative to a population under three mil. Thanks

[Bricktop]

How long have we been teaching english to the Jamaican population? Times that by 6 and you might have your answer...

[Jawge]

I would love to leave GSAT alone but one when can identify it as part of the foundation of the crime problem then it has to stay in the argument. Sorry.

Things may have changed but even last year when I was in Ja and spoke with the people, there is this talk of I want to do this and that but I need to have this subject or that subject. I find it it ridiculous. Cut the red tape and educate those who seriously want to be educated. One thing I can say about the US if you want education here there is nothing under the sun that will stop you from getting it. Some people just don't know what they have.

[Islandman]

So hold on....if you want to do engineering at UTech or medicine at UWI and you can't pass CSEC or CAPE maths and chemistry, dem must let you in still?

In the US they have some little tests called SAT and ACT...you ever heard a dem? But of course you also think that the US high school system is a world leader when the results clearly show otherwise.

[Muadib]

There are a whole new range of Jobs that require skill sets not currently served by standard education system paradigm and placement criteria..even less so in the Jamaican (per) version..

[Jawge]

I don't know how it works in Florida but in NYC. sat and act doesn't stop high school students from gaining entry in an engineering program. In NYC you can opt for CUNY where your high school transcript will carry weight (if SAT isn't satisfactory). If the student's transcript doesn't satisfy the four year CUNY school. The student is then deferred to a community college. In the community collge they take remedial courses geared towards engineering and sciences On completion of the associates these students transition to four year cuny (some community collges has Mous with the senoir Cunys). Most students usually go to Ivy leagues for graduate work or some strong engineering schools (such as MIT or Caltech).

You are not told you are worthless because you did not pass sat or act hence no use you study the sciences.

[Islandman]

Sure there are...the system needs an overhaul. However I suspect that most of those careers still require a basic foundation in speaking and reading English and maths. We do not provide that for nearly enough of our students today and that is certainly not the job of a University, Community College or Trade School. That is the job of primary and secondary education. Not GSAT specifically, not CXC exams specifically. Last I checked other islands like Barbados do those tests or similar ones.

Last month I was in JA coming in from country and the car that I was in had a problem, the engine light came on and the car was losing power. We barely made it in to town and took it to a likkle breddah pon the roadside who supposed to be a mechanic. Him look inna the engine, couldn't see nutten wrong....did not have the tools nor the knowledge to do any kind of diagnostics on why the engine light was on. He could not SEE something wrong so he was totally useless. Turned out to be a sensor that had gone bad.

It is possible, even likely, that he is a smart person but like so many other technical careers that do not require a college education, the prerequisite skillset is leaving him behind. He and the younger generation of mechanics need access to a basic secondary education so they can get TRAINED to do what they want.

My main point, its not about the exams, it is about access to good primary and secondary schools.

[Islandman]

What is the DSJ program? Serious question.

[Islandman]

My point is that SAT and ACT are used to differentiate students just as CXC does. You can always go and retake subjects if you need to, and you can do that at evening school. Could some of the comm colleges have a remedial program? I guess they could, in fact I do not know if they do or don't. But that responsibility in my view lies with the secondary school system.

Somehow I suspect there are very few NY high school dropouts who end up in Ivy league schools studying engineering. I suspect most of those scored well in SAT in high school. Do you disagree?

[Don1]

Brilliant !

maybe can roll this into the DSJ program !

Who program di Robot by di way ?

Den wait...di pikney dem fraid fi program? Dem use Robot C or NXT fi program di machine

Nex wi aggo ave dem use industrial strength Solid Edge CAD fi moggle every part...dung to di screw dem...

Slew Dem!!!!!!!

[Don1]

What is the DSJ program? Serious question.

Ben want one hostile tek ova

[Muadib]

You do realize we have a swath of people that have a foundation in English and Math and are unemployed or under-employed.. ?