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

There seems to be a conspiracy in some sections of the society to thwart all efforts by the majority of Jamaicans to acknowledge and reaffirm their blackness especially as this relates to how they choose to express and represent their Afro- centricity. The debate surrounding the appropriateness of the Afro hairstyle in our schools is very much timely, more so, in light of Miss Jamaica Universe Davina Bennett's phenomenal success at the recently held Miss Universe competition. Miss Bennett mesmerized the global audience sporting her Afro hairstyle to place third. Interestingly, there were many in the society and the Diaspora who are still of the opinion that had she processed her hair she would have won the title. To what extent should the length and texture of one’s hair or hairstyle hinder one from receiving an education? Jamaica’s population is predominantly black.   However, the society continues to be haunted by our colonial past in which our forefathers endured hundr...

"You can have great teachers, but if you don't have a good principal, you won’t have a good school"- Eli Broad Are you satisfied with the level of leadership at your child’s school? This is the perennial question often asked by parents and other stakeholders in the education system.   There is usually a sense of arrogance associated with a significant number of our principals at all stages of the public education system.   It can be argued that this undesirable trait among some principals is not unique to our shores and is perhaps widespread in leadership in general. Our culture of arrogance in leadership is often rooted in a lack of an accountability framework which has also dogged our political system over the decades.   Disturbingly, many principals have found enablers in the same public education system which ought to hold both principals and teachers accountable. Regrettably, the playing field is not level in the public education system and as a result skylarking pr...

An earthquake unlike most other natural disasters gives no warning. As a result the potential for death; destruction and displacement are so much higher even with the best disaster management systems in place. The Caribbean based on its geographical position is very much prone to seismic conditions, and regrettably the region has had its fair share of same. Each January, Jamaica commemorates Earthquake Awareness Month; in fact the week of January 7-13 is designated as Earthquake Awareness Week. The theme this year is “Preparing for the quake helps reduce damage after a shake”. On Tuesday, January 9, 2018 a powerful 7.6 earthquake occurred off the Honduran coast. The U.S. Tsunami Warning System issued tsunami warning treats to the coast of Cuba, Mexico, Honduras, Belize, Panama, Costa Rica and Jamaica and tsunami advisories for Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands. Understandably, there was some amount of panic and concern among the population the following morning since many persons w...

Do you remember Jamaica of old? No, I am not referring to that period in our history of cooking on coal fire outside, or using the pit latrine because there was no inside bathroom. I speak of old Jamaica in terms of the positive values and attitudes of our foreparents which have made us who we are as a strong and proud people. Perhaps you are mature enough to recall; on the other hand maybe you don’t recollect a Jamaica of yesteryear due to your youthfulness. The human tendency is for us to reminisce at a bygone period when situations are not going in the direction in which we hope. Jamaica ended 2017 with more than 1600 murders. The population of Jamaica is approximately 2.7 million; the country’s murder rate makes us rank among the highest homicide rates in the world. A study by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) estimates the direct cost of crime and violence in Latin America and the Caribbean at $261 billion or 3.55 per cent of Gross Development Product (GDP). Over the years...

“A snowflake is one of God’s most fragile creations, but look what they can do when they stick together”!-Author Unknown The survival of any civilization is strongly connected to the adherence of traditions and mores, as well as how well that society adjusts to changes. The Caribbean, particularly Jamaica undoubtedly has a strong Judeo- Christian culture which has influenced and shaped how we chose to celebrate important culturally milestones. However, in spite of this, there is a growing trend among people of African descent to embrace our historically references as it relates to Africa; one such linkage to the Motherland is that of Kwanzaa. The name Kwanzaa is derived from the phrase “matunda ya kwanza” which means ‘first fruits’ in Swahili. Kwanzaa is a week long holiday honoring African culture and traditions.   Dr. Maulana Karenga, professor   and chair of Africana Studies at California State University, Long Beach introduced the festival in 1966 to the United States of...