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

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 ...