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

“These people come near to me with their mouth and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship of me is based on merely human rules they have been taught.”- Isaiah 29:13. Have you ever critically examined the meaning of worship? Worship occurs when we give our deepest affection and highest praise to something or someone. True worship is a valuing or a treasuring of God above all things. Are you a true worshipper? Sadly, there are those who worship their possessions. There are many gods of this world both tangible and intangible. What is the face of multiple gods? There are those for whom their career, a prized title or education is their god. For others it could be their car, or a home, or any object that they value and give their overwhelming attention. As followers of Christ worship should begin with and end in true worship. However, some of us tend to negotiate with God regarding our worship. Our worship experience should never be boring. We shoul...

“The theme of this year’s World Water Day reminds us of a cold, hard truth: glacier preservation is essential for security, prosperity, and justice. Glaciers are nature’s vaults, holding a precious resource: nearly 70 per cent of all freshwater on Earth.”- António Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations. Nearly 2 billion people rely on water from glaciers, snowmelt and mountain run-off for drinking, agriculture, and energy production. The World Meteorological Organization states that in 2023, glaciers lost more than 600 gigatons of water, the largest mass loss registered in 50 years. Glaciers are melting faster than ever. As the planet gets hotter, our frozen world is shrinking, making the water cycle more unpredictable. For billions of people, melt water flows are changing, causing floods, droughts, landslides and sea level rise. Countless communities and ecosystems are at risk of devastation. As we work together to mitigate and adapt to climate change, glacier preservati...

“I'm special like everyone else. I do not let people judge me for having Down syndrome. The important thing is how I feel about myself. On the inside, I feel beautiful.” – Edward Barbanell. Down syndrome continues to be the most common chromosomal disorder among humans. People with Down syndrome are born with an extra chromosome. Statistics from Caribbean countries estimate that one child with Down syndrome is born for every 800 to 1,000 live births. In 2012, the General Assembly of the United Nations declared March 21st as World Down Syndrome Day . This year’s theme is “Improve Our Support Systems," which emphasizes the need for inclusive support that grants individuals with Down syndrome choice, control, and dignity. Down syndrome occurs when an individual has an extra partial (or whole) copy of chromosome 21. Down syndrome exists in all regions across the globe. Down syndrome commonly results in variable effects on learning styles, physical characteristics and health. A...

“Reading and exposure to words helps kids maximize their language and cognitive capacity. Even the tactile experience of holding or touching a book supports babies’ cognitive development.”- Laura Phillips, PsyD. The literacy crisis currently facing the nation has taken longer than expected for a lasting resolution. Perhaps the approach to improving literacy skills is the missing part of the equation given that so many approaches and strategies have been tried over the years. What has remained constant is that more and more of our students are not reading at their grade levels. Equally important is the fact that a significant number of our students do not see a future in education. Many students have disengaged themselves from the rigors of education, this is especially so given that there are so many attractive alternative pathways to success and respect. Our boys in particular given their propensity as tactile learners have switched off their learning mode a long time ago. However, ...

“When you have burnout, you’re coming to work with a very negative attitude and very negative energy,” and kids are so empathic that they feel your negative energy, and that spurs their negative energy, which causes more behavior problems and challenges.”- Donna Christy, a school psychologist. Teachers face high levels of work-related stress, impacting their mental health and potentially leading to burnout, anxiety, and depression, which can influence their well-being and the quality of education. Increasingly teachers are being asked to take on non-teaching tasks. In many instances this additional work is selectively applied to some teachers while others who find favour with administration are not so burdened. The disconnect between administrators and teachers regarding job responsibilities appears likely to persist without a revised Education Act. The classroom experience can become toxic. In fact, it is rather toxic for a growing number of teachers and students. Unfortunately, we...

“Hunger is not an issue of charity. It is an issue of justice.” - Jacques Diouf. Those of us who are tasked with the welfare of others must behave in a manner that is worthy to be emulated. However, we do not live in a perfect world and many of those who are entrusted with leadership do so in a spiteful manner. We must however, be reminded that we will all have a day of reckoning and will have to give an account of our stewardship. The issue of child abuse is always distressing to speak about. Oftentimes, we hear of the horrendous cases of sexual abuse of children that rocks the core of the society. Any society that tolerates or makes excuses for the abuses of children remains in a rotten state of affairs. The withholding of food as a form of punishment is hardly spoken about. This form of child abuse is more prevalent than we think and happens behind closed doors as many parents and guardians use this form of reward system to achieve a desired behavioural change in children. Punis...

By 2030, over 500 million people are expected to have disabling hearing loss requiring rehabilitation. Over one billion young people face the risk of permanent hearing loss due to prolonged exposure to loud sounds during recreational pastimes such as listening to music and video game play. Many of us take our hearing for granted. Hearing is one of our most essential senses, facilitating communication and connection with the world around us. The impacts of hearing loss are extensive and can be weighty. They include a loss of the ability to communicate with others, delayed language development in children, which can lead to social isolation, loneliness and frustration, particularly among older people with hearing loss. Unattended hearing loss in children can impact their academic performance and options for employment. Regrettably, children with hearing loss and deafness in developing countries rarely receive any schooling. The World Health Organization (WHO) adds that unaddressed hear...

“Everyone is crying out for peace, none is crying out for justice. I need equal rights and justice."- Peter Tosh. Each March the society pauses to observe Peace Day in our educational institutions. The fact that Peace Day is being observed in our schools is disconcerting. This issue at hand speaks to the wider societal problems of conflict and strife which have plagued the nation for years. While schools are supposed to be safe spaces, most of our schools are part of an education system synonymous with oppression and injustice. Those with power and authority often make policies in a culture where consultation is absent. This high-handed top down approach is rooted in our history of enslavement where one class believes they have all the rights without corresponding responsibility. The rule of law is selectively applied to various stakeholders in a biased and punitive way. Unfortunately, our schools have become sites of injustice where meritocracy is shunned. The positional power w...

“Our planet’s magnificent biodiversity is priceless, but conserving it comes at a cost. Each year, hundreds of billions of dollars are needed to close the global wildlife conservation finance gap; a gap we must bridge to ensure the survival of species and the ecosystems that sustain us all.”- Ivonne Higuero- Secretary-General of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). For many of us the wild is a place of unknown variables. Oftentimes we bring our biases to the wildlife due to misinformation and a sense of fear. However, the wild is a place of beauty, resilience and balance. United Nations World Wildlife Day (WWD) is celebrated every year on 3 March to celebrate wild animals and plants. Every year, we recognize the unique roles and contributions of wildlife to people and the planet. This year's theme is 'Wildlife Conservation Finance: Investing in People and Planet' . With more than one million species at risk of exti...