The Intersection of Gender, Culture and Education: Jamaica: The Next 50 Years!

Most of us in the Caribbean speak an English Creole as our first language.   Despite this, we are expected, and sometimes forced, to speak and write a standard form of English in formal situations, such as what occurs in the classroom. As a result, we are likely to learn a standard, Caribbean English as our second language. However, this process has become more challenging with the influence and interference of text language which has seeped into formal writing and expression. Text language is an abbreviated form of jargon and or vernacular which has gained acceptance by users of various social media platforms. It is widely utilized by users of cellular phones to communicate with each other. Some educators refer to the process of development which all second language learners experience as interlanguage. Interlanguage includes some forms of the second language, with a mixture of other structures from the first language as well as from environmental influences. Ever since the increa...

December 1 is celebrated globally as World Aids Day. As in previous years this year the call to action is for an expansion of antiretroviral therapy to all people living with HIV which is the key to ending the AIDS epidemic within a generation, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). The day is also a way to demonstrate international solidarity for people living with HIV and to commemorate the spirit of those who have died battling the deadly disease. The theme for the 2015 “On the Fast Track to End AIDS” According to the World Health Organization (WHO) some 35 million people worldwide are living with HIV/AIDS, of this number 3. 2 million are children. Since the first cases of HIV/AIDS were reported in 1981 some 39 million individuals have died.   It is estimated that some 240,000 people in the Caribbean are living with HIV/AIDS. Jamaica has an estimated 32, 000 people living with HIV/AIDS. The Caribbean is second to Sub-Saharan Africa in terms of HIV prevalence. The WH...

Each year the United Nations commemorates November 25 as the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against women. Historically, women have been disadvantaged and in many societies women are treated as second class citizens. Too many Jamaican males see women's bodies as an entitlement for them to do as they wish. Disturbingly, too many women agree with this narrative. We need to critically examine our agents of socialization and find ways for men to see women as equals. The widespread availability of pornography especially among our boys have led to a distorted image of women. This has resulted in more women being at risk for abuse. The homophobic nature of the Jamaican society also contributes to some men becoming violent toward women to hide their sexual orientation and prove their masculinity to others.  Violence against women is wrong.     ·          Violence against women is a...

Today, November 19, the global community will commemorate International Men’s Day. However, in many societies the issues affecting boys and men are not being addressed in a meaningful manner. This is usually so because males are viewed as the stronger sex and are expected to be tough and as such work through their problems in the private sphere. According to Jerome Teelucksingh, who conceptualized the day in 1999, International Men’s Day is about highlighting discrimination against men and boys, promoting gender equality and celebrating the contributions of men and boys to community and family. The theme for this year’s IMD is “working to expand reproductive options for men”. It is expected that this year’s theme will encourage discussion on ways to enhance cooperation in addressing reproductive issues that affect men such as, safe sexual practices, family planning and sexual health. According to the manual on Adolescent Reproductive Health Issues (August 2004) the mean age ...

"Discrimination has a lot of layers that make it tough for minorities to get a leg up". Bill Gates In light of the recommendation by the Office of the Public Defender that St. Hilda’s Diocesan High School reinstate Jade Bascoe as head girl after investigations revealed that her rights were infringed, it bear thought whether or not the rights of other Jamaican students have been abused in the past. The education system has many minority groups. We live in a society where the voices of those who are labelled as different are rarely heard. Apart from Jehovah Witnesses we also have students who are Seventh Day Adventist and Rastafarians. Are the rights of those students being infringed upon regarding their involvement in sports or any other school related activity? As far as I know, Sundays are not included in the regular scheduling of sporting events, such as, the Manning and daCosta Cup football competitions. The Inter- Secondary School Sports Association (ISSA) i...

It is out of sheer ignorance that I pen this letter to enquire of my learned colleagues to share with me and the wider society any research in any discipline where there is a co-relation between female students wearing long uniforms and increase educational outcomes. For all practical purposes having a skirt 11 inches below one’s knee is not practical on many grounds. In the first instance the fabric of many school uniform is made from polyester gabardine and with a tropical marine climate such as that of Jamaica these uniforms become extremely hot during the course of the day. Let us be reminded that for the most part Jamaican classrooms are not air-conditioned. Secondly, why should female students be forced to wear formal wear to school? Yes, formal wear. The length of some of these uniforms mimics those of haute couture gowns which are only worn to formal occasions. Having an uniform eleven inches below the one,s knee has nothing to do with education. We need to ask ourselves t...

Education is the passport to the future, for tomorrow belongs to those who prepare for it today. Malcolm X There is a currently an advertisement on local television which is endorsed by the Ministry of Education which uses popular comedians Icy and Fancy Fat to highlight the importance of mathematics education in the general society. However, while this is commendable given the general fear of mathematics that a significant number of Jamaican students have this has done very little to curb the high attribution rate of teachers of Mathematics across the island. Given the low remuneration of teachers, and the general poor working conditions those teachers who specialize in Mathematics education are in high demand and are being enticed to leave the noble profession. Additionally, the high levels of indiscipline among students in which teachers have been verbally and physically abused is also another factor which is contributing to the exodus of teachers of Mathematics especially to more...

Education is not preparation for life; education is life itself-John Dewey School safety is the foundation on which the teaching and learning process is embedded. Jamaica has had and continues to have a serious problem with crime and violence. We live in a violent society and the violence we experience daily has slowly crept into our schools and classrooms. Many Jamaicans have had to install surveillance cameras and grills in their homes to give them an added level of protection and peace of mind in the midst of the growing levels of violence. Notwithstanding this, our schools and by extension our classrooms have not been immune to what happens in the wider society where crime and violence is ever increasing. On Tuesday, October 6, 2015 my life changed in a drastic way. At approximately 1 pm I was in a grade 9 class teaching. During the lesson I was hit in my left ear by an object which based on where I was standing was fired from a student from the c...

“The roots of education are bitter, but the fruit is sweet.” Aristotle. The hustle and bustle associated with a new academic year is here. However, to a great extent the 2015/2016 academic year will commence similar to previous years beset by a myriad of fixable problems. It bears thought that, as a society we have become satisfied with mediocrity as this is evident with our continuation in celebrating pockets of excellence scattered across all fourteen parishes, three counties and six regions of Jamaica’s education system.   Disturbingly, there has been a gradual decrease in our pockets of excellence. This is unacceptable and clearly indicates that we need to become proactive in order to improve Jamaica’s education system. The gravity of Jamaica’s education system is documented in the 2014 National Education Inspectorate (NEI) report which stated that more than sixty per cent (60%) of the country’s primary and secondary schools are failing in their education delivery to the nati...

Customer service is an extremely important part of maintaining on-going client relationships. It is critical to foster and maintain a healthy client relationship in order to grow one's revenue.  For the most part the Jamaican society has seen a gradually improvement in customer service. However, as consumers we must and should demand more from our service providers in exchange for spending our hard earned cash at their place of business. We tend to forget that the time we wait to be served is also apart of customer service. We should be reminded that as consumers we also determine the quality of consumer service we receive. Too often we do not register our dissatisfaction with poor customer service. We need to register our disgust by boycotting those business establishment which offer customer service. A significant number of our doctors are guilty of this. In too many instances multiple patients are given almost identical appointme...

For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly.Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die.   But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Romans chapter 5 verses 6-8

Over the years much praise has been bestowed upon Jamaica’s education system and its standing in the global community. This fact has been highlighted by the numerous educational institutions which have recruited Jamaican teachers. Many countries have instituted an exchange programme whereby teachers are given the opportunity to travel and gain immeasurable experience over a specific time period. The time has come for us as a society to at least examine the possibility and probability for the education ministry to engage and consult with various agencies such as embassies, and consulates based in Jamaica. We need to come to the realization that such an exchange programme can bring much needed benefits to Jamaica in the areas of technology transfer, best teaching practices and cultural exchange. The Jamaican student deserves the very best, especially in this digital and highly competitive community, therefore we must explore and be mindful of every possibility that afforded t...

The gender factor is oftentimes overlooked by many organizations involved in research and development in the society. In fact gender and development specialists are usually not taken seriously in many developing societies. This is a retrograde and myopic attitude which requires a new approach regarding how we plan for our people and the future. With the start of the new school only two weeks away the Ministry of Education has a grand opportunity to lead in this regard. The time has come for us to do more gender based research using specialists in the field. This is especially important since educational institutions operate on a gendered system, and as such expectations are different for both sexes. The 2015 ranking of secondary schools in Jamaica clearly highlights the troubling reality of the inequalities in the education system along gendered lines. Of the top ten best performing schools according the percentage of passes in the core subject areas of Mathematics and English Languag...

In some jurisdictions information regarding a doctor’s training and experience is readily available. While it is true that the Medical Council of Jamaica has a registry of doctors who are licensed to practice locally, there is no database which tells the public of specializations of doctors beyond their basic training. Doctors in Jamaica are licensed on their basic qualifications to practice medicine. However, the fact is a significant number of doctors pursue post graduate studies and this should be reflected by the Medical Council of Jamaica’s registry. The doctors’ registry should also include the success rate percentage of specialist doctors. The Medical Council of Jamaica should look into this urgently with the possibility of moving towards this best practice. This would undoubtedly provide more detailed and useful information for Jamaicans to make a more informed choice regarding their specialized medical care practitioner. Wayne Campbell waykam@yahoo.com Twitter@WayneCa...

Corruption is arguably the biggest threat to any country’s long term survival and development. The current scandal plaguing Petrobras, Brazil,s state oil company should be a lesson for all of us. Since the scandal broke more than 100 politicians, business executives and public figures have been indicted in the on-going corruption case at Petrobras. The corruption took place in the guise of a kickback scheme involving Rolex watches, yachts, helicopters and prostitutes, money. The state oil company was overcharged by corrupt officials under a fake competition plan. It is alleged that Brazil’s ruling party pocketed over $200million which was then used to finance political campaigns. The time has come for Jamaica to develop a national school initiative to teach Ethics and anti-corruption principles in our schools. We must make every effort to target our young people before they are overtaken by this culture of corruption. Ethics should be introduced as a separate subject in the curricul...

With the start of each academic year we must be reminded that leadership can make or break any school.   Inspired leadership is at the genesis of the positive transformation of the Denbigh Town High, which was only upgraded to a high school a few years ago and has since become a school of choice in Clarendon. Sadly, this best practice is not being replicated throughout the education system; hence we are left with only pockets of excellence. With the start of any academic year there is always much expectation. Conversely, we are still being haunted by the 2014 National Education Inspectorate (NEI) report which stated that sixty (60%) per cent of Jamaica’s primary and secondary schools are failing in their education delivery to the nation’s children. This is unacceptable, and we must all work together to fix the ailing education system. To a great extent our non-performing schools rest with the poor and weak leadership exhibit by a significant number of principals. There are ma...

Many are the plans in a person's heart, but it is the Lord's purpose that prevails.

Emancipation Day 2015 is now beyond us. However, by now we would have realized that there is a disconnect between the historical significance of the day and most Jamaicans. Interestingly, this is not the case in Barbados and Trinidad and Tobago where Emancipation Day is also observed. This lack of attachment to Emancipation Day is not surprising since the teaching of History; specifically, West Indian History is optional in many of our secondary schools. The teaching of History should be compulsory for at least the first three years of high school in order to raise awareness and foster a sense of identity and pride regarding Emancipation Day, as well as other cultural significant days. In fact, we should give history the same attention as the core subjects of Mathematics and English Language in the curriculum instead of viewing the subject as an afterthought or add on. Disturbingly, not only is the spirit of Emancipation Day dying, but also the awareness of our young people regarding ...

Every country must join together to overcome this transnational threat by supporting and protecting victims while pursuing and prosecuting the criminals- Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon Trafficking in persons is a significant crime and a grave violation of human rights. Trafficking is often overlooked by many countries since this scourge tend to happen to those who are defenceless and voiceless in the society. Each year human traffickers become more creative in luring men, women and children into this multi-billion industry. Disturbingly, the very young are at particular risk, especially our girls since it is estimated that twenty one per cent (21%) of all trafficked persons are girls. Most if not all of these trafficked girls often end up as sex slaves across all regions of the world.   The promise of a better life, low self-esteem and little or no family support is usually at the genesis explaining the relative ease our young and vulnerable people are caught up in a life...

It is rather sad and disappointing that as a society the Jamaican state is not united on any national issue. Successive governments over the years have failed the people miserably in providing adequate security and protection for its citizens. Regardless of the political party one supports, the effect and impact of crime is the same on all of us. Crime has a crippling effect on the psyche of a people and nation. In fact, crime and violence if not brought under control quickly will contribute greatly to the demise of this nation. Our economic success is intricately hinged on us having a manageable level of crime and violence. Recently, we were shocked out of our wits upon hearing that there were seven murders in St. James over a 24 hours period. On average the Jamaican state has over 1, 000 murders yearly.   For the period 2009 and 2014 more than 7,000 Jamaicans were murdered. This is unacceptable and a consensus involving both the government and the Opposition is required.   ...

LET'S MAGNIFY THE LORD Today's Scripture: “O magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt his name together.” ... (Psalm 34:3, KJV) TODAY’S WORD "Come lets magnify the Lord for He's worthy to be praised." Something powerful happens inside when you magnify the Lord. When you magnify God, you aren’t changing Him; you are changing the way you see Him. You are making God the center of your life rather than your problems and circumstances. So many people today waste time and energy talking about their problems and feeling sorry for themselves. That’s because they are magnifying their circumstances in their own mind and heart. But when you start magnifying the Lord by talking about Him and worshiping Him, you are making Him the main priority in your life and opening the door for Him to move on your behalf. Today will you choose to magnify God regardless of what’s going on in your life or around you. Talk about His goodness. Talk about His faithfulness. "in e...

Black masculinity and identity are usually judged in terms of one's language and mannerism by those of your own race as well as by others. We should not treat people differently because of our own biases and insecurities. Instead, we need to take the time to get to know that individual whom we believe is strange and different. It is not our job to judge another. Be a friend to someone today.

The recent beating of a 13 year old schoolboy of Yallahs High School in St. Thomas by four girls has come and gone without much ire from civil society. We live in a society where double standards regarding how we treat the sexes are pervasive and oftentimes blurred. What if the opposite had happened where four boys had beaten a girl?   We can be sure that the society would have been outraged and demanding for some type of punishment for the culprits involved? We still hold unto our traditionally gender roles which says males should be tough and assertive and females should be passive and fragile. The perceived problem occurs when these gender roles are crossed and we become unsure how to treat the individual. Clearly this youngster did not fit into the hegemonic notion of masculinity hence he was targeted by these girls. ANTI-BULLYING POLICY School bullying in any form, and committed by any sex, is unacceptable and should be punished to the full extent of the law and the...

The time has come for Jamaican housing developers to include a police post as part of the basic amenities when constructing housing schemes of a particular size. Purchasing a home is arguably the single most expensive investment an individual will make during his/her lifetime. It is quite reasonable to expect some level of security and safety after such an investment.   The recent horror stories of rape and robbery at Longville Park Housing Scheme in Clarendon has once again highlighted how vulnerable and helpless we are as citizens against the scourge of crime and violence in the society. Additionally, the National Housing Trust (NHT) also has a part to play in ensuring the safety and security of the residents. Many residents of Longville Phase 3 have reported that the NHT constructed the windows of their homes with plastic. According to residents the plastic windows serves as an entry point for criminals to access their homes. We know the society we live in and to have made ...

The nation is now in a post Grade Six Achievement Test (GSAT) frame of mind. The results of the 2015 (GSAT) are now available and our students are about to embark on post primary studies. As expected, some students are happy to have been placed at their school of choice, while others who fall in the minority twenty five per cent are wondering what went wrong why they were zoned. We are very much aware that some of the high schools in Jamaica are more sought after than others. This is predominantly due to the public perception, effective management, as well as the schools track record. Regardless of which school you are placed at life goes on and you can bloom wherever you find yourself once you apply yourself and remain focused with the help of parents and guardians.   For the most part our schools have not done a very good job ats promoting their strengths to the general public especially during an era of social media. An added benefit of using social media is that s...