- Ian AllenDave Myrie, new principal of Wolmer's Boy's School
Marie Gregory, Freelance Writer
DAVE MYRIE had no plans to work in Jamaica.
Born in Shropshire, England, of Jamaican parents, he had spent most of his working life in various London boroughs, and always in some aspect of education. Starting as a teacher of English Language and Literature, he moved gradually into the area of special needs, having taken a Masters degree in Educational Management. He started the doctorate, but he was offered a job in Jamaica as principal of Wolmer's Boys' School.
Friends in England told Dave he was crazy to pull up roots. He was senior special education needs officer with the London Education Authority, but his strong religious conviction led him to believe that the move to Jamaica was God's will for him.
Much of the work Dave had done in London concerned youngsters from broken families, under-achievers who were assessed at educational centres with a view to finding the best place for them in terms of rehabilitation. Many were from ethnic minorities, specifically Afro-Caribbean boys. They were classified as emotional behavioural difficulty (EBD).
Seeing so many of these boys experiencing problems, especially at high school level, prompted Dave to move into special education. He felt he was watching others make decisions effecting the future of these boys without having any understanding of their cultural background.
Since coming to Jamaica, Dave has realised that the cries of English heads for more resources were all relative! They have so much. And he has come to realise the enormity of the task before him here where the team's limited resources takes on a different meaning.
In London, he had tried to identify special needs in a wider way, seeing that speciality as part of general school improvement. Special needs are not seen as marketable, since the Education Act of 1988 allows the publication of exam "league tables" and schools "compete" for higher places. This meant that many schools did not welcome black under-achievers with irregular attendance!
Jamaica presents a very different situation. The society seems to Dave to lack structure and order and this is reflected in the schools. He is concerned at the apparent breakdown of social order. Beggars are everywhere and are intimidating, so he often feels almost vulnerable despite his size.
Even though there are differences in the way education is delivered on the island, Dave has settled well into his new position and has found the staff to be supportive. However, he feels there is a need for the approach to education to be a collaborative one.
Parents, old students, staff, the Board and students are all required to work together, otherwise success will be limited, he said. Admitting that the word 'failure' is not part of his vocabulary, Dave is busy working on a development plan for students and staff.
He believes it is crucial to invest in the staff who are the most valuable assets. He has also developed a behavioural policy. When he first met the Sixth Form boys they enquired about his approach to discipline and asked if he had been part of an army!
The school principal is concerned about the attitude of the young Jamaicans and he feels the problems affecting them will have to be addressed lest an entire generation is lost.
Dave enjoys reading "escapist westerns" and loves to cook and bake. He has never attended any cooking courses but when he lived in England he would bake around 40 Christmas cakes each year.
He is married to Helen and has an eight-year-old daughter, Stephanie, both of whom recently joined him in Kingston. With his family here, he plans to reserve one evening a week so they can spend quality time together.
Dave's mother lives in Savanna-la-Mar having returned from England sometime ago. A minister of the Wesleyan Holiness Church and a Bible College teacher she has a "quiet way" of putting matters into perspective, which Dave finds helpful.
Dave describes Jamaica as a beautiful country which has the potential for good living.
