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

“It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it”-Aristotle The debate over whether or not class size matters has been ongoing for decades in education circles. While the jury is still out regarding the reliability and authenticity of research on the importance of class size to students’ outcome, we can all agree that there are many other factors of equal importance to students’ achievement rather than class size. Research done on the issue of class size by Northwestern University Associate Professor Diane Whitmore Schanenbach and published by the National Education Policy Center at the University of Colorado Boulder makes it extremely clear that class size matters regarding students outcome. Professor Schanenbach recommendations are most interesting and informative and states that increasing class size will harm not only children’s test scores in the short term, but will harm their human capital formation.    HUMAN CAPITAL FORMATI...

Twitter users in Saudi Arabia have been criticizing Michelle Obama for not covering her hair when she met the new king of Saudi Arabia on a recent visit. These people need to get a life and allow their women the freedom to choose. For example, women are not allowed to drive in Saudi Arabia, how backward is this in the twenty first century where there should be no limit as to what a woman can do. That is where their criticism should be focused on. More power to the US First Lady!

The on going debate regarding the existence of a middle class in Jamaica should be taken very seriously since it has implications for all of us. The definition for middle class varies from country to country because differences in purchasing power between countries and currencies make it difficult to come up with a common definition for what makes someone middle class. For example, it takes $115 Jamaican dollars to purchase $1US. Recently, I had to fill a prescription at the local pharmacy. When I handed the pharmacist the prescription she went on her computer to check the cost of the items. There were five items. I told her I would not be buying the nasal spray. In a few minutes time she returned to inform that the cost for the first three items was $5,100, the cost for the fourth item alone was just over $5,000. It was a humbling and embarrassing moment. Here I am, a college educated government worker and I was unable to fill...

Did you know that Jamaica at one time had twenty (22) parishes?  Jamaica now has 14 parishes; but at one point we had as many as 22 parishes. In 1664, nine years after the English formally took control of Jamaica, there were 7 parishes: Clarendon, Port Royal, St Andrew, St David, St John, St Catherine and St Thomas. This increased to: 12 in 1670 with the addition of five parishes: St Ann, St Elizabeth, St George, St James and St Mary; 13 in 1673 with the addition of Vere; 15 in 1675 with the addition of St Dorothy and St Thomas-in-the-Vale; 16 in 1693 with the addition of Kingston; 17 in 1703 with the addition of Westmoreland; 19 in 1723 with the addition of Hanover and Portland; 20 in 1770 with the addition of Trelawny; 21 in 1814 with the addition of Manchester; and 22 in 1844 with the final addition: Metcalfe. On April 23, 1867, “as part of the reformation scheme of Sir John Peter Grant” the law was passed for the reduction of the ...

Let love of the brethren continue. Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by this some have entertained angels without knowing it. Remember the prisoners, as though in prison with them, and those who are ill-treated, since you yourselves also are in the body.

  The international community and the free world stand in solidarity with the people and government of France in light of the brutal attack on the satirical newspaper Charlie Hebdo in which twelve individuals were killed, including cartoonists and police. This cowardly assault was clearly an attack on the ideals of democracy and freedom of speech and will not succeed. The pen is mightier than the sword. We will not be silence! JE SUIS CHARLIE.   

Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about the things that matter-Martin Luther King, Jnr.

Do not remember the sins of my youth  and my rebellious ways; according to your love remember me, for you, Lord , are good.

One of the basic tenets of consumerism is the right of the consumer to choose. However, we live in a society where this basic right is fast disappearing. The Jamaican consumer's right to choose is all but gone and this is compounded by the fact that there are too many monopolies offering goods and essential services in the society. It can be argued that, wherever a multitude of monopolies exist, the rights of the consumer are trampled on. This ought not to be. Let us examine for a moment the Jamaica Public Service Company's (JPS) new Energy Guard anti-theft system. It is currently being implemented in communities the company considers high risk for electricity theft. With this new system, individual meters are removed from the premises of the owner and placed on the outside which, according to the company, will provide easier access to facilitate meter reading, but most importantly, this system will end electricity theft. However, was any consideration given to those JPS cons...

Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord , my strength, and my redeemer.

  Twelve months, three hundred and sixty days later. Reminiscing on past successes and failures   Sitting in my recliner, sipping champagne with jerk chicken Thank You God for being so merciful despite my sinful nature. Looking ahead to the unknown Pondering what's in store for me this year A year full of promise Heighten expectancy amidst possible challenges Where did the time go? Lets do this again twelve months from now. Happy New Year! © January 2015 Wayne Campbell

Lamentations 3:22-23 New International Version (NIV) 22  Because of the Lord ’s great love we are not consumed,      for his compassions never fail. 23  They are new every morning;      great is your faithfulness.