By Earl Moxam, Senior Gleaner Writer
IF THE president of the Jamaica Teachers Association (JTA), Wentworth Gabbidon, had his way there would be a substantial return of boarding schools in Jamaica.
Mr. Gabbidon wants to see the reintroduction of boarding across the island, particularly to address the twin problems of indiscipline and poor academic performance.
"I don't think boarding is outmoded. That is something that maybe we need to look at in terms of dealing with our problem students," he told The Sunday Gleaner.
Once the norm for elite Jamaican high schools, boarding institutions have been whittled down to about five today Munro College and Hampton High in St. Elizabeth, St. Hilda's in St. Ann, Westwood in Trelawny, and Knox College in Manchester.
"We have found that some of our very disciplined students have come out of boarding institutions in terms of their work and attitude and behaviour. There are many students who would do better in a boarding institution based on the problems in their home situation where there is a lack of parental guidance and control in the homes and those are students who if placed in the boarding situation where they are supervised they would do much better," he argued.
While not giving a firm commitment on the matter, Noel Monteith, Minister of State in the Ministry of Education, Youth and Culture reported that the Ministry was reviewing the boarding school situation.
Mr. Monteith, a former principal of Cornwall College in Montego Bay, which previously operated a boarding facility, believes boarding schools still offer "tremendous advantages", not least of which is the discipline which can be instilled.
"A boarding school has certain rules and regulations which students have to abide by and it instils in them a certain level of discipline and helps them socially there are certain social graces that are taught at boarding schools mixing with students from different socio-economic backgrounds. They have to eat together in formal and informal settings under the supervision of boarding masters/mistresses, all of which make for a well rounded individual," he said.
SIGNIFICANT BENEFITS
Academically, as well, the Minister of State sees significant benefits from the boarding school experience, pointing out that more time is usually available for supervised study and the additional contact time allowed for students and teachers at the institution.
The controversial Minott Report, which graded high schools last year, based on performance in their 2003 fifth form external examinations results, had Munro, Hampton, and Westwood, all with a respectable B grade.
St. Hilda's and Knox came out with a less acceptable D grade.
The one major drawback, according to Mr. Monteith, is the cost of running a boarding school, which can be prohibitive for many parents and for the Government, which still provides extra subventions to the boarding schools for this purpose.
It's a factor that Senator Anthony Johnson, Opposition Spokesman on Education, believes may be too heavy a burden to overcome any time soon.
"I've had to deal with a few boarding institutions, and while there's no doubt that better results can be achieved through this approach, the cost is just horrendous, so it's not an option I would consider for expansion at this time," he said in response to queries from The Sunday Gleaner.
Senator Johnson, making a comparison, suggested that it may cost up to $100,000 per year to keep a prisoner in jail. It was, he said, even more costly to keep one student in boarding school for a year. "The call on resources in other areas of the educational system makes it difficult to make that choice," he argued.
