Letter of the Day | If you want to see a change, go and vote

THE EDITOR, Madam:

In a recent speech, Prime Minister Andrew Holness declared the need for a system where students from low-income households are channelled into what he calls the best schools so they can be exposed to better opportunities.

The prime minister said: “The challenge that we face is how do we get the students who are not going to get the best grades, because they are not coming from the households with the income that will ensure the time and attention and care to get the best grades and that has been the inequity in our society.”

He went on to ask: “Can we honestly imagine a Jamaica where we are not taking the brightest students and putting them in the best schools?” Mr Holness says that is what we need to break the inequality in the society. I found this declaration disappointing on so many levels.

Not only does the prime minister apparently accepts the existence of a system where some schools are classified as better than others, but he also wants students who miss the mark to get into these institutions. And on what basis?

Because their parents are poor and therefore unable to give them the attention and care necessary to perform well academically? I do understand that students who perform poorly in schools need more attention, which these so called best schools could give them.

SOLUTION

But what use will these best schools be to them if their parents remain poor, which, therefore, based on the prime minister’s logic, makes them incapable of performing well? One good solution to this ever-present problem is to ensure that all schools are equipped with the necessary resources and skill set to be qualified ‘best schools’.

But what is even more troubling is the fact that politicians feel embolden to take to stages and make such comments that appeal to the needs of people who are comfortable with getting by on little to no effort, because they are poor and believe they are unable to do any better.

The prime minister, based on his public utterances, is among those who’ve succeeded despite coming from very humble beginnings. He’s often spoken about the solid foundation that his parents gave that ensured he did well in school, despite growing up in poverty.

I can’t ignore the fact that poverty does create a world of difficulties for parents who have school-aged children.

On the other hand, there is sufficient evidence of children whose parents have looked past poverty, worked hard, invested time, attention and care in their children’s academic career, and those children have had great success.

Sadly, our politicians are not concerned about appealing to those people when they make grand speeches.

There are a lot of people who are trying to make something of themselves despite their difficulties. Those are the people who are not depending on the little resources the politicians share among their ardent supporters, instead of injecting those funds into projects that can benefit the entire constituency.

‘I DON’T VOTE’

Sadly, those are also the group of people, among whom you most often hear words akin to “I don’t vote”. It’s sad that by not voting, they allow the other people to determine who forms the government.

Some voters are satisfied with the politicians who will never visit their communities, never make any sensible contributions in the house of representatives, never advocate for funds to fix roads in their constituencies, but can provide a back-to-school book voucher worth $2,000 each year.

If we have more of those type of politicians, it’s because a majority of those who vote are those who are satisfied with them.

That is why the prime minister can take to a stage and demand that students whose parents work hard to ensure their children perform well in schools not be rewarded with being promoted to a school of their choice.

That is why the Government has spent millions distributing cash grants to thousands of poor people who’ve been worse off due to the pandemic, and have done little to assist hardworking frontline workers and members of the security forces who’ve faced greater risks and challenges as a result of the pandemic.

That is why those who work hard and make immense sacrifices, don’t seem to get as much reward as those who fail to get anything done because they’ve decided they are too poor to do so.

There is indeed benefits to voting, but those who refuse to, will never realise it.

STEVIAN SIMMONDS