Dear Editor,
Annie Baliram in the Stabroek News of August 16, 2014 under the heading, ‘Students from the elite schools outperform the others,’ wrote a short, straightforward letter that begs for full attention and ought to be of deep concern to all educational officials, but more so to the working class folks.
But judging over the years how the systems works, it’s not likely that a single iota of attention will be paid to it; only lip service will be done and no one will touch it. It is obvious that the elite and the ruling class have no interest in having this disadvantageous educational system corrected. This state of affairs seems to be a permanent fixture; the existing differences are kept, except for a slight tweaking here and there to give an appearance which is often deceiving, but nonetheless will be welcomed by those lucky few who see it as a golden opportunity. For as always, what is to our advantage we often see as right.
According to Ms Baliram the law-makers seemed unfazed by the poor results and went into celebratory mood, beating their chests, spreading their wings, lifting their heads with pride in the system they preside over. She gave the reason for the unacceptably high failure rate at the CSEC examination from students attending poorer schools, eg, Charlestown Government Secondary, while students from Queen’s College and other elite schools invariably outperformed them. She saw the educational system as destined to fail because of a lack of expertise, while knowingly and hypocritically putting students through the mill of the very failed system year after year – running on the spot.
Her evidence is rock solid as she lists examples, such as the environment, which constitutes a broad spectrum of factors ranging from the quality of teachers or lack thereof; parental level of education and income bracket; nutrition; neighbourhood, crime, dysfunctional homes, etc. This is as against their elite counterparts who are privileged to enjoy a better environment and better neighbourhood; better educated parents with a higher income; and better quality teachers. Editor, we all know of countless cases when for whatever reason a top school loses a teacher, the best from a lower school is selected and sent to replace that teacher without any bother of filling that gap; there are times when students even have to abandon that specific subject.
The sister further makes a potent point: “that naturally talented students from elite schools outshine others because they enjoy an environment conducive to the unfolding of their academic abilities, whereas their counterparts in poorer areas are stuck in an environment that supresses rather than enhances the unfolding of their academic abilities.”
And this is indeed very disturbing, a most unfair situation, yet we see members of the working class, poor folks, determined to compete at all cost with the elites, despite the severe disparity and disadvantage in every department. This is even if they have to do so to the neglect and detriment of other siblings who are slow on the uptake. And though it is not good to deny slower ones an equal opportunity when all they need is special attention, I think we can understand that all students can learn if coached properly. On the question of slow learners, they have always existed, that is the way some were born and they can be found in all schools, both elite and ordinary.
Now a word on extra lessons: they are looked at like cell-phones, everyone is supposed to have one. From or even before the Grade Six level teachers in nearly all schools are on the extra lessons trail which every parent is supposed to have his/her child fitted into. Where the extra lessons industrial complex is concerned, parents don’t have to be convinced by a teacher, they just believe in it. But believe me, this facetious extra lessons ‘jim’ which favours the ‘quickies’ and a fast dollar is defeating the policy of no child left behind, for there is no special attention given to plodders and they are the ones invariably neglected, when the opposite should have been the case, but sadly it’s not. And let me in passing say that many of our teachers today don’t fit the bill; they may be certified yes, but not qualified to teach. Being a teacher is not merely about transmitting concepts in a mechanical way; many are in the job because they need a salary. Visit some schools and see for yourselves. And may God help those slow, poor children who can’t afford to pay; you stop the children paying and see which one will spend one moment extra after normal school hours to give lessons. The large number of illiterate young men, especially Africans, the drop-outs we see today, is a clear indication that the sister is correct, a testimony to the fact that the school system is counterproductive to holistic development.
All schools should have a policy tailored to the encouragement of every student; an inspiration to them instead of discouragement, which is the reason why so many dropouts become delinquents, making life miserable for us, yet we continue to perpetuate the cause of our misery. As it is the system will remain tailored to the upper class; poor folks are simply not fitted into the scheme of things. Just imagine, poorer schools for poor folks and better schools for rich folks. Well sooner or later it stands to reason we all will be touched by the dregs, the ‘uncountables’ that have been rejected and discarded by us in our gated communities.
Yours faithfully,
Frank Fyffe