Wanted: Men in the primary school system

THE EDITOR, Madam:

I was listening to the graduation ceremony for my alma mater, The Mico University College, some time in November and got one of the biggest surprises. I had heard that there are not many males in the Jamaican educational system but I was in for an unfavourable surprise. I became so frustrated as a male until I stopped listening to the ceremony. The announcer called out all of those graduating in the secondary category and I heard some males, but in the primary category, not one male was announced. This is unfortunate, so I questioned myself, where is the nurturing for our young boys although so much special efforts have been implemented to ensure the safety of our boys by this particular college.

The Government will have to revisit their failed efforts to capture the imagination of our young men. I would like to see the day when males are no longer marginalised in the workplaces. No wonder our crime rates are so high, we are travelling on the wrong trajectory and we need to take stock as a country and implement effective changes which are far-reaching and boys orientated. Teaching and learning cannot be fruitful without the intervention of our young men. We ought to be more strategic in the changing of the culture dynamics by integrating our young men into a much better system.

If we have so few males to teach our very youngest, we are heading into a cul-de-sac. What has become of our men who are categorised as most of our heroes who have given exemplary services to this country? Why is it then that we have only one heroine in Nanny? Are we giving the females poor returns for their tremendous services? We must be giving our female baskets to carry water. Jamaican must be more proactive instead of reactive or we will never reach world standards.

PARIS TAYLOR

paristaylor82@hotmail.com