EDITORIAL: How we continue to fail the poor

It's the kind of news that many will overlook in the current excitement being generated by the ongoing Manatt/Dudus enquiry, or continuing jitters over a lousy economy, job losses and vanishing grass from a once-green stadium.

But in an era where much of the news emanating from our schools is negative, revolving around violence and other antisocial behaviour, we view with admiration the action of four high-school students who went about organising financial help for a classmate.

We refer to The Gleaner story recounting the act of altruism displayed by students of Old Harbour High School in St Catherine who solicited help to pay examination fees for 16-year-old Dwight Phoenix so he could sit his CSEC examinations last year. It's an act deserving of commendation and emulation. But on further reflection, we have to accept that such an act is best seen as making up for a state system that is failing the very poor in our society.

What if these students had not taken the initiative to help this youngster? Is there no system in place through the Ministry of Education, via the schools, to assist bright, ambitious students like Dwight? And if there is such a system in place, how difficult is it for children from poor households to access this help? Far too often there are systems in place, like the Programme of Advancement Through Heath and Education, but the bureaucracy entailed in getting access is a strong deterrent, and in the end, much of these resources are never used.

wing and a prayer

The Students' Loan Bureau comes to mind, where it costs students just to apply for a loan and many simply cannot afford it. The answer is that they do not apply for a loan, yet they enrol in classes. They exist on a wing and a prayer, greeting each day with the hope that some good Samaritan will help them through. Unsurprisingly, dozens of students in our tertiary institutions have not been able to meet their financial obligations well into the school year. We trust that cruel reality will not crush their hopes of completing their college education.

Which leads us to enquire whether there are other promising students who may have fallen through the cracks because their parents could not afford to pay their examination fees and did not know where to turn for help. School boards and administrations should take interest in such matters to ensure that students like Dwight are guaranteed educational advancement, either though bursaries, scholarships or funds established by the alumni. There needs to be constructive dialogue on the best way to help such needy students, because there are scores of them across the length and breadth of Jamaica.

Dwight's story may have a happy ending because he has been successful in nine subjects, seven of them with distinction, and he is advancing in his educational pursuits. The school principal has said the school is paying his fees to ensure he sits his upcoming exams.

If we can learn one lesson from these students at Old Harbour High School, it is that in this cut-throat world we can reach up and lift up someone. This is a study in how to engage in a life of selflessness.

For those angered by the deceit and flawed policies of the Government, or those frustrated by the insipid responses of the Opposition, which now seeks to parade itself as the embodiment of national interest, students like these from Old Harbour may be the change agents that will emerge to take Jamaica out of its current quagmire.

The opinions on this page, except for the above, do not necessarily reflect the views of The Gleaner. To respond to a Gleaner editorial, email us: editor@gleanerjm.com or fax: 922-6223. Responses should be no longer than 400 words. Not all responses will be published.