Dear Editor,
I find it rather disheartening that at this time in the so-called "transformation" of our educational system, the Government has published a report that makes certain schools appear as "breeding grounds for criminals".
I also find the publication of this report disheartening as the Government has chosen once again to place schools in a negative light. The minister of education has said that the report is not made to tear down schools, but is intended to be of some assistance to schools in moving forward.
However, contrary to the minister's belief, this report is actually demotivating, discouraging and destructive to the image of the schools. You don't need to go to Kingston High School or Denham Town High School or even to Jamaica College to detect miscreants that may become involved in criminal activities in the future. Every high school in this country, public and private, all-boy, all-girl and co-ed, shift and non-shift, traditional and non-traditional has its fair share walking their corridors. Why is this?
The problem does not lie specifically in the schools themselves. The problem lies in dysfunctional homes where parents lack control of their children. Also, students do not have role models in the communities where many of these come from, where the village is no longer concerned with raising the child.
Has the Ministry of Education forgotten those factors? Therefore, if we are to reduce crime and achieve real transformation in the educational system we need not cast blame on certain schools. Instead, we should try our best to solve the real problems behind indiscipline and immorality in our schools by holistic, sustainable means.
Markel Virgo
markel.virgo@gmail.com
Every school has its fair share
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I find it rather disheartening that at this time in the so-called "transformation" of our educational system, the Government has published a report that makes certain schools appear as "breeding grounds for criminals".
I also find the publication of this report disheartening as the Government has chosen once again to place schools in a negative light. The minister of education has said that the report is not made to tear down schools, but is intended to be of some assistance to schools in moving forward.
However, contrary to the minister's belief, this report is actually demotivating, discouraging and destructive to the image of the schools. You don't need to go to Kingston High School or Denham Town High School or even to Jamaica College to detect miscreants that may become involved in criminal activities in the future. Every high school in this country, public and private, all-boy, all-girl and co-ed, shift and non-shift, traditional and non-traditional has its fair share walking their corridors. Why is this?
The problem does not lie specifically in the schools themselves. The problem lies in dysfunctional homes where parents lack control of their children. Also, students do not have role models in the communities where many of these come from, where the village is no longer concerned with raising the child.
Has the Ministry of Education forgotten those factors? Therefore, if we are to reduce crime and achieve real transformation in the educational system we need not cast blame on certain schools. Instead, we should try our best to solve the real problems behind indiscipline and immorality in our schools by holistic, sustainable means.
Markel Virgo
markel.virgo@gmail.com
Every school has its fair share
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