PRIME MINISTER P.J. Patterson's reference in his New Year's message to the unsatisfactory state of the nation's education system is a useful point of departure to put back on the front burner, an issue that has long concerned us. We cannot continue, as a country, to be indifferent to the poor state of the education system.
The sector has been producing some excellent students such as Sean Ashley, the top GSAT boy in 2003; Trudy McLeary, The Gleaner's Children's Own-sponsored spelling bee champion who placed third in the United States-based spelling bee competition, Scripps Howard; and Dionne Brown who beat the world in the GCE A' Level General Paper last year.
But too many of our children leaving the primary level are illiterate. Too many of those entering the high school system are reading below their level. Too many of those graduating from the secondary system are unprepared for the world of work and higher education.
As the Prime Minister said in his New Year's message, "we are not receiving the kind of outcomes we desire for the level of investment we are making" in education. We agree with Prime Minister Patterson: "We must change this."
We also share the Prime Minister's view that "we have to place greater emphasis on ensuring quality, literacy and numeracy" at every level of the education system. We look forward to the make-up of the "top quality team" which Mr. Patterson said will support Education Minister Maxine Henry-Wilson "in the very vital task of a thorough review of our entire education system". However, we believe we ought to move beyond just a review at this time, much of that has already been done. We must take some quick actions to begin the process of fixing the ailing system.
After several meetings with stakeholders last year, The Gleaner has developed a plan for a national dialogue on education in 2004. We want to involve all Jamaicans in this thrust to reform the system to bring about greater efficiency and to produce a more literate society.
There is no alternative. We cannot make any social, economic or political progress if we cannot graduate from our educational institutions a greater percentage of students who are literate, well-trained and ready for the challenges of society and the work environment.
As we initiate this national dialogue on education, we will be exploring wide-ranging issues and concerns which we hope will help to place on the agenda for discussion some of the changes that must take place for a better system of education for our children.
