Mandatory sixth form is not practical!
Published:Thursday | November 11, 2021 | 12:08 AM
THE EDITOR, Madam:
Having gone through seven years of high school in Jamaica, including two years in sixth form before going to university, I can understand the arguments for and against extending the high school format.
I am, however, very wary of any mandate coming from government with the word ‘compulsory’ attached. The Ministry of Education announced that seven years of high school will now be compulsory, and traditional fifth form graduations have been banned. The Sixth Form Pathway Programme (SFPP) appears to be a very theoretical and academic approach to improving an education system with real-life implications. It was not carefully thought out nor discussed, it lacks practicality and relevance.
The Cabinet approved the SFPP, but who did the ministry consult prior to deciding to move forward with this initiative? Wouldn’t it make more sense to extend the high school by one more year up to grade 12 with vocational and technical options, then allow students to decide if they want to continue an additional year or leave? I’ve known teens who were burned out after the first year of ‘sixth form’, they couldn’t wait to exit high school. Not everyone can pursue extra years of studies, even with technical and vocational options. I don’t believe many high schools will be equipped in terms of infrastructure and resources to accommodate the new pathways. This will lead to chaos and some students might even go down the wrong ‘path’, only to realise it long after.
The concept of upper and lower sixth was inherited from our colonial past and mirrors the high school system in the United Kingdom. It doesn’t mean that it is ideal, practical or relevant today. Most high schools in North America continue up to grade 12. What is the point forcing students into two extra years when many can barely read or write and lack strong comprehension skills at grade 11? Even with traditional, technical and vocational options, there is a lot more to consider. Seven years of high school can be mentally and physically exhausting, the cut-off should be at grade 12, after which students should have the option to leave.
Government should strive to educate children in the core subjects at a reasonable level up to high school. When they are old enough they can determine their own paths and options. Government should not be mandating pathways for students at age 16-plus, when they are almost adults. All three pathways will have compulsory 90 hours community service from what I read. Once again, the operative word is compulsory. Students should not be forced into any type of service. It would be more useful to emphasise the teaching of civics. The pathway document has a heavy-handed and militant approach and should be revamped immediately to avoid fierce backlash.
P.CHIN