AS REPORTED in this newspaper yesterday, the physical state of many basic schools in Jamaica's early childhood sector is not suitable for the learning process or conducive to the emotional development of the young children between the ages of two and six who attend them.
According to Audrey Chin, director of the CHASE fund which is helping to finance the rehabilitation of some of the basic schools, most of them operate on verandahs or in sheds. The Ministry of Education itself concedes that the location of the majority of basic schools is less than ideal, with some operating out of tenement yards, on the compounds of business complexes and garages. Many have no electricity and at a recent seminar put on by the Institute of Chartered Accountants, one of the presenters revealed that a third of basic schools are still operating with pit latrines.
According to Ms. Chin, $188 million of the $324 million set aside by CHASE for early childhood education has been disbursed to upgrade and equip some 241 basic schools. But there are approximately 2,000 of these schools in the system so this funding is barely scratching the surface of the problem. Nor can much comfort be taken from the fact that basic school enrolment in Jamaica is running at 97 per cent, if quality rather than quantity is to be the benchmark of success.
The Task Force report on education reform was submitted to then Prime Minister P.J. Patterson in September 2004 but some 19 months later there is still no clear picture on how the overall reforms are to be financed. Already $5 billion has been diverted from the National Housing Trust for education. We agree with the Jamaica Labour Party Opposition that this violates the basis on which the NHT was set up and should not be countenanced. As we pointed out in yesterday's editorial, the NHT is falling behind in providing low-cost housing in inner-city communities and this should remain its primary objective.
The Early Childhood Commission was set up to deal with reform of the early childhood education sector but we get no clear indication of how its activities and objectives are going to be funded. In addition to the dilapidated state of early childhood basic schools there is also the cost of upgrading the so-called 'pre-trained' teachers in the system. Having properly trained teachers in the early years of a child's life may be more important than toilets and kitchens but at some point both these needs will have to be met.
Let us get to work and aggressively tackle the problems plaguing the early childhood sector. This nation will benefit in the long run. It is worth the investment.
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