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

“No one is born hating another person because of the color of his skin, or his background, or his religion. People must learn to hate, and if they can learn to hate, they can be taught to love, for love comes more naturally to the human heart than its opposite.”- Nelson Mandela. Historically, Caribbean governments have been reluctant to extend human rights to specific subgroups in their populations. These vulnerable and underserved communities continue to be second-hand citizens in the countries of their birth. The concept of human rights tends to make some of us uncomfortable if granted to others. Too many of us who are learned continue to view human rights through very narrow lenses. This myopic perspective leaves Jamaica lagging behind the developed world regarding social justice and human rights. This fear is often as a result of the Caribbean’s Judea Christian background as well as a culture steeped in homophobia. Feathers were recently ruffled at a declaration by Prime Minister ...

“We die. That may be the meaning of life. But we do language. That may be the measure of our lives.”- Toni Morrison. There is growing awareness that languages play a vital role in development. The position of language and its role in development should not be discounted given its place in ensuring cultural diversity and intercultural dialogue, but also in strengthening co-operation and attaining quality education for all. Acknowledging the importance of language is critical in preserving cultural heritage especially in marginalized communities. The United Nation has been a visionary in this regard and as such the International Mother Language Day was proclaimed by the General Conference of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in November 1999. International Mother Language Day is observed annually on February 21st. The 2024 theme “Multilingual education – a pillar of learning and intergenerational learning” , are crucial for inclusive ed...

“Teaching is a complex activity. The activity’s complexity is further heightened when teachers find themselves teaching out-of-field. (Hobbs & Torner, 2019). The teaching profession continues to evolve. The days of the teacher focusing on three basic skills taught in schools: reading, writing and arithmetic (the "R's" refer to, "Reading, wRiting, and aRithmetic") are behind us. There is a widely held view that the underperformance of the education system is rooted in an outdated educational philosophy that supports a teacher-centered pedagogy. Students of the 21st century are now encouraged to pursue skills and career paths in the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM.), as well as the successor Science, Technology, Engineering, The Arts and Mathematics (STEAM) and this clearly requires a more student-centered approach. As educators our primary task is one of preparing our students to take their rightful places in the global ...

“Families fighting childhood cancer should not have to worry about where they are going to get the next dose of the drug they need to save their child’s life.”-Amy Klobuchar. Globally, more than 1000 children are diagnosed with cancer every day. International Childhood Cancer Day (ICCD) observed on February 15th is a global call to action in the fight against childhood cancer. International Childhood Cancer Awareness Day was established in 2002 by Childhood Cancer International, that aimed at raising awareness about childhood cancer and how it impacts kids, adolescents, their parents and family as a whole worldwide. Childhood Cancer International was founded in the year 1994 and includes some 170 parent support organizations, associations for children in remission or support groups in almost 90 different countries across five continents. The day honours children who have battled cancer and those who mobilize support for research and funding initiatives. It is estimated that more than 4...

“On this World Radio Day, we celebrate not only the history of radio, but also its central role in our societies, now and in the years to come". - Audrey Azoulay, Director-General of UNESCO. Radio has been the most transformative medium of communication since its invention. Without a doubt the radio has been a powerful medium of communication globally. Those of us old enough will recall the importance of the radio in our lives as well as the importance of this form of communication to the lives of folks in surrounding communities. Radio has the ability to connect to the listener in an intimate way that perhaps no other form of mass media can. Radio has proven to be both a durable and accessible form of mass communication. Radio has been responsible for shaping the ideas and discourse around many social issues, from politics to times of war, from religion to sporting activities. Unfortunately, radio can also be a form of propaganda to mislead or serve a particular agenda. Thi...

gōng hè xīn xǐ, wàn shì rú yì 恭 贺 新 禧，万 事 如 意。 Happy New Year, wish you best of everything. For Chinese people and Chinese communities around the world, the Chinese New Year is arguably the greatest and most significant annual festival. The Lunar New Year or Chinese New Year begins on Saturday, February 10th. This year, 2024, is represented by the dragon. As is customary the festival surrounding the Chinese New Year lasts 15 days, although it can occasionally last up to 17 days in total. The holiday dates back centuries and coincides with the end of China's agricultural season, allowing farmers a break from field work and time to spend with their families. The Lunar New Year aligns with the start of a new moon. The practice of marking the Lunar New Year began centuries ago and is linked to an ancient Xia calendar which observed a new year on the second new moon following the winter solstice. Lunisolar Calendar . The traditional Chinese calendar is a Lunisolar Calendar based on ...

Cancers are a leading cause of death worldwide, causing 10.0 million deaths in 2019. We all have lost a family member or friend to cancer. In some families multiple members have succumbed to this dreaded disease. In 2022, there were an estimated 20 million new cancer cases. The estimated number of people who were alive within 5 years following a cancer diagnosis was 53.5 million. About 1 in 5 people develop cancer in their lifetime, approximately 1 in 9 men and 1 in 12 women die from the disease. World Cancer Day is an international day marked on 4 February to raise awareness of cancer and to encourage its prevention, detection, and treatment. This year’s theme is "Close the care gap" . Everyone deserves access to cancer care. Cancer is a large group of diseases that can affect any organ or tissue of the body. It refers to the abnormal growth of cells that divide uncontrollably. Cancer has the ability to spread from one body part/ organ/ tissue to another. Cancer is the s...

"Until the lions have their historians, tales of the hunt shall always glorify the hunter.”- African Proverb. There are those who will agree that it is a paradox to celebrate Black History Month in a society that is made up of predominantly people of African descent. Regardless, of your position it is important for us to pause and pay homage to the sacrifices of people of colour whose history is often under-represented and underappreciated over the centuries. Unfortunately, most Jamaicans are unaware of their historical background. Furthermore a significant gap is in our education policy which relegates the teaching of history as optional. This omission of history from among the core subjects directly impacts how we see ourselves as a people. The ongoing bleaching of the skin is also related to the lack of knowledge of our rich and powerful historical past. The fact that history is optional in our schools speaks volumes about our cultural identity or lack thereof. There are t...