Dear Editor,
On May1, 2008, I wrote a letter to the editor on ‘Literacy in Guyana.’ I started the letter by stating, “We need a national conversation on the state of literacy in Guyana.”
I repeat here, the first part of that letter because neither the government, opposition nor relevant bodies responsible for education have done much, as they all desperately protect their quicksand turf while our children become more illiterate each year.
“We are an illiterate nation. Indeed, illiteracy is a national disgrace. A visible secret that everyone hears and knows about. We seem to nurture, promote, encourage and reward illiteracy. Guyana was once the most literate nation in the British Commonwealth. Today, we are the least literate. Once we were proud of our literacy. Today, we celebrate our illiteracy in many different ways. We are proud of this national cancer. The prospect of speaking or writing English or of computing simple numbers has rendered many men and women instantly impotent.
“Why do we need a national conversation on literacy? Well, illiteracy will undoubtedly lead to Guyana’s continuing decline morally, socially, economically, politically and psychologically. The implications are frightening. Imagine Mike Tyson participating at a spelling B competition. This is the image of Guyana in the global marketplace.
“The recent GDF exam taken by young adults showed a 17% pass rate for an exam 12 year olds should take. Many who view things through a racial prism will observe the majority of exam takers were perhaps African Guyanese. These individuals will deny this is an equal opportunity disgrace in Guyana involving all races and age groups. This should come as no surprise and it isn’t even the tip of the iceberg. Real life situations during the ongoing GECOM national registration would make anyone weep disconsolately. Many can’t read or write their names. Many don’t even know their correct names as written on their birth certificates. This current registration, like the previous one, highlights the depth of illiteracy we have sunk to. The simple act of filling out a registration or immigration form is an act of torture.”
Recently, Cleveland Thomas, a Christianburg head teacher refused to promote low achievers in his secondary school and was summoned to appear before the Teaching Service Commission which sparked protests by parents who supported his stand. Mr Thomas is someone I salute and whom we should as Guyanese all support. How can one promote thousands of illiterates each year? Don’t we have enough running around the halls of government, the private sector and in society at large? Don’t we have enough for three lifetimes?
Our government’s policy states that there should not be retention of any student from nursery to secondary school. Mr Thomas quite correctly believes the policy has to be modified. His rationale is pure gold: “They cannot even read or write; how we can promote such a student when they haven’t even mastered basic things that are taught at the primary school level?” He said that there were some children who were promoted because they had shown some level of improvement, but there were some whose performance was atrocious, scoring as low as 15%. “How can you actually promote such persons?”
The ‘No child left behind’ programme in Guyana is fundamentally very different from that of the United States. But let us get back to basics.
Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, states, “literacy is the ability to identify, understand, interpret, create, communicate, compute and use printed and written materials associated with varying contexts.” Functional illiterates can read words but they cannot comprehend their meanings, synthesize information or make decisions based on what they read. And marginally illiterate people feel most comfortable receiving information in a visual format, relying more on television than print for information.
In Guyana, the new alphabet as heard on the streets is quite astonishing. A for ‘awe’; B for ‘be tee’; C for ‘sea wall.’
F for ‘phone’ continues the high tech demolition of English. The demolition of the English language has become a casual natural national pastime. It is as if Guyanese culture is now being defined by our total disdain for English. We speak a local foreign language: Chinglish, Ringlish and Gibberish. Daily, some newscasters give new meaning to the words ‘functional illiteracy.’ It is as if nationally we spell backwards, read upwards and pronounce words as if we read sideways. Some do.
Culturally, illiteracy has become an integral part of national life. Our DJs abuse the English language with relentless fervour. The majority of our advertisements highlight a degree of illiterate thinking and poor English that are surpassed only by their make believe and vile content. It is hip to be illiterate in Guyana. Travelling in a minibus is a surreal experience in non-English.
We need a national conversation that is not controlled by the government. The strategies to solve this problem reveal an inadequacy that is beyond belief. Our solutions themselves, highlight our illiteracy. Our national conversation on illiteracy must have three ground rules. First, we should analyse the problem cold-bloodedly. Second, we must not apportion blame as we all are to blame. Third, we must seek honest workable solutions devoid of political, racial, emotional or financial motives.
The problem at hand is one that will determine our children’s future and our legacy to them. We cannot fail. We must not fail.
Illiteracy kills. The fight against the HIV pandemic has shown this aspect of illiteracy. Simple messages on how to protect oneself are not understood.
Illiteracy will lead this nation to more severe crime and racial conflict. This is because we are graduating large numbers of young people who have no ability to reason. Without this ability, more instinctual and aggressive behaviour will dominate our landscape. Mashing someone’s toes could result in being shot. Globally, there is a very strong correlation between illiteracy and crime.
We must act now. Mr Thomas and the parents from Christianburg have stood up for ‘truth.’ Now we need to follow up with ‘educational justice’ for our children.
The media have a major role to play as well as every parent. Politicians in opposition and government are literally silent, thereby reflecting their absolute disdain for competence. We need to reject these social illiterates. Reject illiteracy and any policy that promotes it.
Guyana must address illiteracy as a national priority. All must be involved in our quest for literacy. We are fast running out of time.
Yours faithfully,
Eric Phillips
