We have a voice, too, talk to us

THE EDITOR, Madam:

As a class of 2022 student, I can say that the Ministry of Education’s (MoE) recent Sixth Form Pathways Programme (SFPP) mandate has left many students reeling from shock and even disappointment. While these are understandable reactions, the general public would do well to understand that the minister is making a step in the right direction. Too many of Jamaica’s youth become unaccounted for in society and some are left unaware of the variety of options available to them with regard to post-grade 11 education. This step by the minister is signalling a greater interest by the ministry in the development of our country’s youth and will perhaps help to combat the learning loss suffered in this pandemic. While all these factors are good, the SFPP plan leaves little to no room for students who decide to pursue other avenues, by cutting out the graduation at the fifth form level, and CSEC students who want to go to boarding schools in the United States of America or the United Kingdom or complete the International Baccalaureate diploma face the prospect of leaving the Jamaican school system with no school-leaving certificate to show that they were a student at any particular school. The lack of consideration for such cases by the ministry comes across as apathetic and may send a bad message to certain members of the public.

The shortage of communication from the education ministry to the high-school students is leading to widespread confusion, uncertainty, panic and anxiety among students, particularly the class of 2022. A town hall for the students or perhaps an Instagram live from the minister or any MoE representative would go a far way to soothe the fears of the students and provide them with an outlet to direct their questions, such as “is there still a need to pay CSEC fees for the current year as the results are no longer needed to get them into sixth form”. Such a big change to the traditional Jamaican high school system and little to no communication from the ministry is doing nothing to help the students and rectify any misinformation circling in social media.

If the minister wishes to maintain a good relationship with students and parents, whom she has been elected to serve, it would be wise to start opening up the communication channels and discuss some of the many grey areas in this new plan.

HORACIA BENJAMIN