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

Global education systems often create barriers for girls in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) fields. Data clearly states that such discrimination is both systemic and persistent. Unfortunately, the historical legacies of exclusion and discrimination still shape the present where women are underrepresented in areas such as engineering, science and physics. According to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), women comprises about 35 per cent of STEM graduates globally, a figure that has remained stagnant for over a decade. In Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC), women comprise less than 30% to 40% of the STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) workforce and graduates. While 60% of tertiary graduates in the region are women, they are significantly underrepresented in engineering (under 31%) and Information and Communications Technology (ICT), with only 14% of girls expecting to work in STEM. Underrepresent...

Never outsource your health to the surrogates of those who own the plantations. Too often many of us turn a blind eye to our personal health. The consequences of such actions can be devastating and many do not live to tell the tale. However, there are many realities in this space. In many instances where there are no trade union representations employees often lose a day’s pay should they not report for work. This reality becomes more impacting when one has a family. Needless to say, if one is unwell, one’s productivity in the workplace will diminish. One’s state of wellness is not only physical, but mental health impacts our overall physical wellbeing. Given, our history of enslavement and colonization many countries are indeed shapely alongside a plantation-like system. Within the plantation system the owners and or their surrogates are primarily concerned with profit. Health advice is shaped more by profit motives than by genuine care. Michal Jackson, in his song, “They Don’t...

“What the hand does, the mind remembers.”- Maria Montessori. As educators we have a wealth of untapped knowledge and anecdotal evidence regarding education systems. Unfortunately, global education systems operate on a top down approach and the experiences of educators who serve in the trenches are rarely taken into consideration. This misguided top down approach renders students merely as statistics. Sadly, within this space the human element is sacrificed on the altar of curriculum expediency. Boys, in particular are often overlooked as the education system reinforces a one-sized approach to teaching and learning. Boys are tactile learners. Tactile learning is an approach that engages a learner's sense of touch to explore and understand the world around them. It is grounded in the understanding that sensory experiences are crucial to cognitive development, particularly in the early years. This learning style involves the direct handling and manipulation of objects, allowing lear...

Today, 250 million children and youth are out of school, and 763 million adults are illiterate. Their right to education is being violated and it is unacceptable. In addition to the troubling statistics the learning loss associated with Covid19 is now further compounded by the educational deficits following natural disasters such as Hurricane Melissa which made landfall in Jamaica on October 28, 2025. The conversations surrounding education have been many. Regrettably, there is a culture of puppetry in global education systems that suppress critical thinking. Yes, there have been attempts to reform education systems. Yet, in many parts of the world there is a duality in global education systems. Globally, both access to education and inclusive education remains elusive for millions of children. What about those students who are functional illiterate? Does the United Nations data capture such demographics? Literacy is defined as the ability to understand, evaluate, use, and engage wi...

Regrettably, we live in a society that places a premium on youth, while the elderly are left voiceless. This demographic imbalance reflects both a cultural and systemic culture of neglect, where wisdom and experience are overshadowed by the relentless pursuit of a culture that glories novelty and vitality. This prejudice is evident across multiple layers of modern life. In the workspace, many elderly individuals face age discrimination; their experience are undervalued compared to the perceived energy and enthusiasm of younger employees. This pattern reveals troubling realities across the global sphere where the contributions of the elderly are consistently diminished and many are viewed as a burden. In many societies, pensioners suffer the indignity of having to wait excessively long time for their pensions. Seniors are disproportionately exposed and vulnerable after a natural disaster due to a combination of physical, social and economic factors that complicate their ability to ...

Despite strong teacher appraisals, Jamaica’s education system remains crippled by deep structural failures. According to the Jamaica Teachers’ Association, 93 percent of the nation’s teachers are rated satisfactory or above in their appraisals, yet, Jamaica’s education system continues to face significant challenges. In many societies, classroom teachers are not accorded the respect they deserve within the education system. Unfortunately, this pervasive culture of disrespect often extends to other stakeholders. Ultimately, students’ outcomes suffer as a result of an education system steeped in the legacies of colonialism, with a central axis of underperformance driven by an over- reliance on external educational practices. The problems in Jamaica’s education system are rooted in deep structural issues: under-resourced schools, unequal access, poor working conditions, ineffective oversight mechanisms such as the school boards, weak and biased school leadership, the absence of fair and ...