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

“All the world's a stage, and all the men and women merely players; They have their exits and their entrances.”- William Shakespeare. Teaching is a performance. Performance has always been part of the delivery of educational content. As a result, education theatrics is largely grounded in a philosophy of performance and humour. Education theatrics often refers to the performative characteristics of schooling where the emphasis shifts from genuine learning to appearances and symbolic gestures. Such rituals are not necessarily done with the best interests of the students. Additionally, resources are channeled into outward appearances, such as buildings rather than pedagogy. In this aspect of performance, the teacher becomes a performer in the delivery of his or her content, while students play the role of captive audience. In addition, teachers are pressured to perform compliance instead of fostering creativity. However, the script oftentimes does not go as planned. In the world...

The issues and experiences of men and boys are not taken seriously. In many societies men are expected to be tough and void of emotions. In our gendered approach to socializations boys from an early age are not shown as much attention when they hurt. Young boys are taught to “toughen up” or “suck it up” when hurt or when facing challenges. Emotional suppression is a learnt behaviour and lays the foundation for shame for unresolved feelings. This oftentimes positions anger and rage as the only acceptable masculine emotions. This “man up” attitude and narrative matures into a rejection of empathy toward others and repackages nurturing impulses as “weak.” Additionally, it is also very disrespectful for females to tell grown men to ‘man up’. It is this double standard approach regarding the sexes that oftentimes contribute to toxic masculinity. Toxic masculinity refers to a set of negative and harmful social norms that are associated with traditional ideas of manhood, such as emotional ...

“For promotion cometh neither from the east, nor from the west, nor from the south. But God is the judge: he putteth down one, and setteth up another.”- Psalms 75:6-7. The intersectionality of cultural norms and sexual behaviour is nothing new. Cultural norms are the standards that govern behaviour in a particular society. In other words, these are shared beliefs about acceptable behavior. Norms determine how people interact with each other, shaping everything from our social etiquette to our moral codes. Norms are not static but change with time, with some old ones getting abandoned and new ones emerging. Undoubtedly, there is an interconnectedness between cultural norms and the state of the society. In any discourse surrounding norms, we must acknowledge that there are those individuals who do not subscribe to cultural norms. From time immemorial sex has always been used as a form of currency or payment by both genders. Weaponized Sexuality . Over the centuries sex has been used a...

“A people without the knowledge of their past history, origin and culture is like a tree without roots.”- Marcus Garvey. There is a sense of urgency to rebuild Jamaica after the catastrophic and devastating impact of Hurricane Melissa which made landfall on October 28, 2025 packing winds of 185 miles per hour. The lives of many Jamaicans have been in limbo since that fateful day. Jamaicans are resilient. The process of rebuilding must be intentional and purposeful. Rebuilding is much more than replacing physical structures. Rebuilding incorporates the spirit and history of that space to be rebuilt. Jamaica’s strong and historic Judeo- Christian background must also be taken into account in refashioning this new Jamaica. Culture is the way of life of a people. Jamaica’s culture is an amalgamation of various groups of people who settled on the island over the centuries. Our culture and our laws have to a great extent been shaped by Christian beliefs and faith. Reconstructing any town es...

“School closures have caused large and persistent damage to children’s learning and wellbeing, the cost of which will be felt for decades to come.”- The World Bank. The 2025/20226 academic year will not be forgotten anytime soon. The impact of Hurricane Melissa which made landfall on October 28, 2025 has caused monumental disruption not only to the lives of countless Jamaicans but to the education system. Hurricane Melissa is the strongest storm to strike Jamaica in modern history, the hurricane sustained winds of 298km/h (185 mph) at its peak stronger than Hurricane Katrina, which devastated New Orleans in 2005. To date, 32 deaths have been confirmed, yet many more Jamaicans remain missing. What is evident is that it cannot be school as usual. Unfortunately, prior to the destructive force of Hurricane Melissa Jamaica’s education system was already showing signs of distress. A number of teachers were already teaching on empty. Additionally, a number of our students were already lea...