Graduates of Northern Caribbean University listen keenly during a graduation ceremony, held at the university's gymnatorium last year. The rising cost of tertiary education makes university life an impossible dream for some. -Contributed

The transformation of our education system remains uppermost in my mind as the most important thing this country must carry out in order to transform Jamaica. In our current global environment only countries with a highly educated populace will achieve growth, development and prosperity on a broad scale that is for all, not just for a small minority. This age of the knowledge economy requires citizens who are relentless questers, probing analysts and creative, independent thinkers.

When we look at our world today, we are amazed at the rate at which things are changing. My mother, who is a vibrant 89-year-old, was born in a Jamaica where horse-drawn buggies, train and tramcar were the means of transportation, where one communicated by post, or 'snail mail' as we now refer to it, and where most tasks were carried out manually.

She has witnessed unbelievable innovations in transportation, telecommunications, information and automated technology. She has gone from learning to read and write using a slate to communicating with the world on her computer! She often marvels that she has lived to see a man walk on the moon, and unmanned, human-made spacecraft go as far as Jupiter - and beyond! She has been able to adjust to these changes because of the type and quality of education that she received. She was in the minority in her time, and unfortunately, remains in the minority today. Why?

One of the most important aspects in transformation is a sense of urgency. 'The Task Force Report on Educational Reform Jamaica: A Transformed Education System' was submitted to the Honourable Prime Minister in September 2004. There were clear action items for the Short Term (by March 2005) and the Medium Term (April 2005 to March 2007). In other words, by next month, it was envisaged that the groundwork for transformation would have been complete, and we would be well on our way to achieving the 2010 targets!

In reviewing a PowerPoint presentation on 'Transforming Education in Jamaica', the only information available on the Ministry of Education's website on progress towards transformation, it appears that the pace of implementation is lagging behind by at least two years.

Diagnostic phase

The presentation speaks to a Diagnostic phase in January to August 2006 with implementation to start in early 2007. Congratu-lations on starting - but this is not good enough. For each year of delay in transformation, here are the implications in human terms.

Of the approximately 50,000 students who 'graduate' from the secondary school system each year, approximately 38,000 did not pass mathematics at CSEC, and 33,000 did not pass English! This means that since the Task Force Report was submitted, 76,000 bright, energetic young men and women have left high school, each with their own dreams and aspirations, but not equipped with even the most basic skills for the knowledge economy.

Where is the sense of urgency, other than talk and endless planning? Do not for one moment believe that the sense of urgency is only missing in the education sector - we see it in all spheres of Jamaican life: 'fighting' crime, getting Jamaica out of sugar, protecting our environment, taking care of the health needs of our citizens, etc.

We also encounter it in the private sector - years of existing in a protected economy have resulted in complacency and lack of urgency to transform. The good news is that some are forced to wake up to the realities of the global world and are having to adjust - or die. The bad news is that many still expect to be coddled and protected by a citizenry that can no longer afford it.

We can see that the world is not waiting for us. The ever-accelerating rate of change requires not just a vision of what can be, and the stated will to carry it out, but the will to start now. How do we create this sense of urgency?

transforming ourselves

Bold, courageous and audacious leadership. Our leaders need to step up to the plate and say 'this we shall do' and do it. No matter what.

We cannot transform the system without first transforming ourselves. We are the problem, not the students. The results that we have now, we produced. If we want a different result we must be first to change.

Every stakeholder needs to enrol themselves in the vision of transformation - from the reggae musicians, the preachers, the police, etc.

Commitment! We human beings are powerful beyond measure. When we are committed to something, it gets done. We need to become totally committed to the vision of transformation. Stop the blame, accept the responsibility and recognise that we each choose to be part of the problem or part of the solution. No excuses! No blame! And then we will see results.

Move our conversations from 'want to do' to 'must do'.

Come out of our denial and face the hard, cold facts. For example, until we stop seeing the CSEC numbers as statistics and see 38,000 young men and women each year whom we have failed, then we will remain satisfied with the status quo. Just imagine those 38,000 young people could fill the National Stadium. Standing room only!

For the private sector, face the fact that there is no bailout, that transforming your businesses is your responsibility, and that failing to do so is your choice and outcome - not the citizens of Jamaica.

Hold those whom we pay to undertake the transformation accountable. I am calling for the Ministry of Education to be very clear on the progress towards transformation in terms of the implementation of the action items in the Task Force Report, and progress towards the targets. It seems doubtful to me that we will meet the 2010 targets - I personally am not satisfied in adjusting those targets. I would like to know what the ministry is doing to accelerate the pace of transformation to ensure that in 2010, 60 per cent, or 30,000 young men and women, will pass CSEC math, English and three other subjects.

Understand and accept that urgency will not be comfortable for most of us - one of my favourite quotations, from Donny Deusch is: "In the change from being a caterpillar to a butterfly, we are nothing more than a yellow, gooey, sticky mess." For a while, we will indivi-dually and collectively feel uncomfortable, but that is an important part of the process of transformation. Urgency will get us through this stage quicker and with less pain.

We must open our thinking to the possibilities - yes, a transformed education system IS possible; yes, a transformed constabulary force is possible; yes, a transformed public sector is possible; yes, a transformed private sector is possible; yes, a transformed Jamaica is possible. And, further, it is possible sooner rather than later!

For here is the secret of transformation - once we are committed, have a sense of urgency and start, the results will happen much quicker and sooner that we ever thought possible!

Marguerite Orane is a partner in the management consultancy firm Growth Facilitators. She may be reached at mo@cwjamaica.com.