By Dennie Quill, ContributorONE OF the kindest persons I know once gave me a T-shirt she had acquired overseas, and on it was printed the following: 'Everyone is entitled to my opinion.' It seemed very cute and appropriate because of the work I was doing as a journalist.
However, each time that I wore this shirt I would earn curious glances from onlookers and others would daringly ask about my opinion on a variety of topics. After a few months I stopped wearing the shirt in public. But as I see things happening around me, I have this urge to comment and engage my fellow citizens in dialogue.
In this my inaugural column, I want to focus on the low levels of literacy. Granted, Jamaica is awash with talk shows and there are many opportunities for public discourse. But many of these programmes are purely for entertainment, and I mean that in the most pejorative sense.
One of the things that makes a workable democracy possible is debate. But if people lack the reading, speaking and writing skills needed to help them understand important issues, there can be no debate. It follows that nothing is more threatening to the survival of democracy than illiteracy.
POOR RESULTS
The sickening fact is that the 21st century has found an alarming number of Jamaicans still struggling with literacy. Last year, one Gleaner columnist analysed examination data and found that after spending 10 to 12 years in the school system, nearly half of these students do not pass even one subject in the CXC examinations and many are unable to read. I am not surprised. What is surprising is that the entire nation has not become engaged in intense dialogue to force a reversal of this dire situation.
Is it that schools are drastically affected by tight budgets? Have we lost too many good teachers over the years? What is the student-teacher ratio? How has vandalism affected schools' ability to perform? I do not know the answers to those questions but I wonder.
You, too, can confirm the depressing state of literacy in our country by going to church service in ANY rural area or stopping by ANY of our courts. There you are likely to have a brow-raising experience as you will observe scores of Jamaicans who are operating at very low literary skills level - with reading abilities well below Grade Eight. Embarrassingly, grown men and women stumble and mumble through passages of scripture. Ask any attorney-at-law, he or she will be able to supply examples of embarrassment when a juror is handed the Bible and he looks at his shoes instead of the words.
LINKS TO VIOLENCE
I have a theory that this low level of literacy helps to fuel violence, in particular, domestic violence. And I feel strongly that illiteracy constitutes as much of a security risk to the country as the activities of drug dealers and criminal gangs. Many people cannot win an argument with words. So might is right and a heated discussion will likely end in tragedy. Several years ago four men were engaged in a game of dominoes at a police station in the Corporate Area. A young constable was not having a good night at the table and after what he thought was a stupid play, he berated his partner, "Look how you favour mawga dawg." The partner replied, "Mawga dawg like yu mumma" and the constable pulled his service revolver and shot his colleague to death.
One of the arguments submitted at the preliminary enquiry while the constable was on trial for the killing was this: "Jumaican men get 'ignorant' when you insult their mothers." At the end of the trial, the constable walked free. A jury of his peers found that he was justified in shooting a man to death for insulting his mother. Amazing!
One cannot overstate the crucial role that education must play in national development if we are to equip our people with the essential tool for work success. So do you want to help? JAMAL, the national vehicle for the advancement of literacy, can use many more volunteers. I called the Kingston office. Don't be put off by the fact that you may have to call three different numbers and wait a long time before you get to speak with someone. JAMAL students fall into two groups young adults ages 15 to 17 and adults 18 years and older.
By the way, is your helper literate? And what about your gardener? Is he able to read instructions on the pesticide that he uses? If not, what are you going to do about it?
With this dialogue I hope we can over time make a difference in our communities. Maybe we can help to create a new atmosphere of learning. Maybe with these efforts we can meaningfully celebrate International Literacy Day on September 8.
Dennie Quill is a veteran journalist.
