ONGOING GANG warfare in East Kingston has forced the closure of Vauxhall High School for a day as teachers protest against inadequate security at the school. A main contributing factor to the teachers' concerns is that a protective wall that was damaged by Hurricane Ivan a year ago has still not been fixed. This has resulted in rival gunmen crossing the school compound firing shots while classes are in session. And this disruption in the new school year comes amid reports of an altercation at Ocho Rios High School in which the principal and a female student engaged in a shoving match over the length of the girl's skirt.
The issue of school security was raised at the 41st annual meeting of the Jamaica Teachers' Association, but Mrs. Maxine Henry-Wilson, the Minister of Education, was not hopeful that her ministry would have the funds to deal with the crisis. This is one more example of the human harm that happens when societies allow their finances to get so out of hand that normal expenditures have to be forgone as part of an emergency belt tightening exercise.
The wall at Vauxhall High School must be fixed without any further delays, and funds will have to be found to provide proper security for teachers and students in troubled areas with high crime rates.
On the other hand, there was a welcome sign of progress with St. George's College, which has had a long and distinguished history as a secondary school for boys, now taking the practical step of opening its doors to girls. Founded in 1855, the teaching staff was originally comprised of Jesuits and many 'old boys' still recall the good old days. Some, no doubt, are now in mild shock that this bastion of male education has gone co-ed, an integrated sixth form of 156 young men and women having come into being yesterday. We welcome this break with tradition and agree with Marlon Mills, St. George's College deputy head boy, who pointed out that the presence of girls should influence the boys to take their studies more seriously.
This development is evidence of progress on one front as the new St. George's College policy may herald sixth forms being able to offer associate degrees which would qualify for credits at tertiary institutions.
Every effort must be made by education authorities at all levels to think outside the box to address urgent and critical needs of the nation's young people.
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