Editorial | Deadbeat dads fuel back-to-school woes

Delroy Chuck’s scolding of delinquent fathers is timely, coming as it does on the eve of the start of the 2019 academic year when fathers ought to be making a meaningful contribution to their children’s education.

Chuck, the justice minister, made a strong case for overburdened mothers who are left to fend for their children by irresponsible fathers as he addressed justices of the peace in Kingston earlier this week.

He argued that strong parenting by both mother and father could have such a great impact that it would not be necessary to have child diversion centres to help straighten out those with behavioural challenges.

Mr Chuck has obviously been listening to the experts. They say children who have their fathers in their lives learn better, have greater self-esteem, and are more likely to succeed in life.

Funding a child’s education can be a daunting task. Invariably, we see Jamaican mothers making preparations to get their children ready for school. This includes shopping for books, uniforms and other supplies.

Schooling affordability is a big issue with many families, and particularly within households headed by a single parent. It has not escaped the attention of this newspaper that hundreds of students are being helped by the corporate community through scholarships and donations worth many millions of dollars. There is also an army of kind-hearted individuals, including entertainers, in the diaspora and locally who continue to make substantial contributions to education either through the alumni network or other groups.

Aside from the frustrations of dealing with deadbeat fathers, there are other obstacles some parents will face this new school year. One of these challenges is congestion in the streets of the Corporate Area and various other bustling towns. Parents who transport their children to and from school to ensure their safety must brace themselves for gridlock, caused mainly by the fact that there are way too many vehicles on the road scrambling to navigate the clogged roadways created by ongoing road construction on busy school routes.

The worsening water situation will also pose challenges for homeowners and schools alike. Schools cannot function without water to take care of sanitary and domestic needs, so we hope there is adequate funding in their budgets to allow for the trucking of water to these schools.

Realities belie pronouncements

The Ministry of Education says it is ready for the new academic year, although it did not directly speak to vacancies or concrete plans to address them. The reality is that every new school year is greeted by an exodus of teachers from the classroom, including those specialists who have followed in the footsteps of their colleagues and have emigrated to greener pastures. It is crucial that exisiting vacancies in mathematics and the sciences are filled if Jamaica is to close the gap in mastering these critical subjects. Already, we are falling behind in mathematics, and an intervention is urgently needed to amelioriate the situation.

For students transitioning to a new school there may be anxious moments in seeking to fit into their new environment, but we feel assured that the teachers are willing and prepared to smooth things over for them.

While their parents try to scale the financial hurdles, children must be aware that they, too, will experience challenges. The ones best equipped to confront these are the students whose parents helped with character development, who have learned to hone positive social skills and understand how to avoid conflict.

Children may stumble at times during the year ahead but they should be given all the help necessary for them to get back up and finish their race.