Recently, I read a very thoughtful article written by Howard Thompson, a local educator. Then I read another by Grace Virtue agreeing with Thompson's opinions. I applaud Thompson for enunciating a rationale that seems to have escaped the Ministry of Education all these years. The practice of sending the brightest students to the best schools has the unintended effect of perpetuating an elite class.
With the limited resources available to the ministry, the aim should be to offer all children an adequate high school education. Therefore, all the students should be distributed to schools in their zones. Those parents who opt for other schools should be allowed their choices at their expense. Some cities in the US operate magnet schools to accommodate the gifted and talented students, but ultimately all students in those cities are afforded the opportunity to graduate from high school.
Virtue in a previous column was pretty hard on the Minister of Education Ronald Thwaites. From what I have read about the minister I am very impressed with his performance. He seems to think outside the box in dealing with his portfolio with issues such as the high cost of study leave for teachers, coupled with questioning the courses that many pursue during the leave, and the cost of the textbook programme the ministry supports.
The minister doesn't need to devise exotic innovations for the school system. The students need to be grounded in basic education, reading, writing and mathematics. Technology is just an aid to facilitate learning; the absence of aids like computers is not an impediment. Of course, the availability of such aids in schools will naturally foster the learning process. But the bulk of expenditure should be allotted to providing qualified teachers, adequate resources.
Stanley C Tracey, Dip Ed, BS, ME
Tamarac, FL
stntracey@yahoo.com
Thompson, Virtue make good points, but...
-->
With the limited resources available to the ministry, the aim should be to offer all children an adequate high school education. Therefore, all the students should be distributed to schools in their zones. Those parents who opt for other schools should be allowed their choices at their expense. Some cities in the US operate magnet schools to accommodate the gifted and talented students, but ultimately all students in those cities are afforded the opportunity to graduate from high school.
Virtue in a previous column was pretty hard on the Minister of Education Ronald Thwaites. From what I have read about the minister I am very impressed with his performance. He seems to think outside the box in dealing with his portfolio with issues such as the high cost of study leave for teachers, coupled with questioning the courses that many pursue during the leave, and the cost of the textbook programme the ministry supports.
The minister doesn't need to devise exotic innovations for the school system. The students need to be grounded in basic education, reading, writing and mathematics. Technology is just an aid to facilitate learning; the absence of aids like computers is not an impediment. Of course, the availability of such aids in schools will naturally foster the learning process. But the bulk of expenditure should be allotted to providing qualified teachers, adequate resources.
Stanley C Tracey, Dip Ed, BS, ME
Tamarac, FL
stntracey@yahoo.com
Thompson, Virtue make good points, but...
-->