Banker, engineer for education minister

THE EDITOR, Sir:

With the greatest of respect to our teachers, many of whom are very hard-working, I am urging the new prime minister not to appoint another educator as education minister. It is not just because of a desire to see a break from tradition that I make this request; it's more a desire to see some desperately needed real improvements in the education system.

Having been intimately involved in the education system for some time, the time has come for us to move away from the all-too-dominant culture of non-accountability that reigns supreme in the system.

Most of us in the education system are all too aware of how difficult it is to effect any meaningful change. Culture change is never easy, and in our education system, as in many others around the world, effecting change is extremely difficult.

Inefficient system

One of the main problems with our system is a very weak and inefficient system of accountability. This is especially true at the school level. This weakness has become so well established that it is now the cultural norm. Many studies and recommendations have been done to address this, but nothing substantive has happened.

It would be a good thing if someone who has a better understanding of converting plans into actions be made the next minister. Also important is the desperate need for someone who understands what deadlines mean. Far too often, we have heard plans for major reform in the system being nothing more than speechmaking.

It is for this reason that I would prefer to see a banker, an engineer or someone whose job it is to meet deadlines made the new education minister.

We don't need any more studies, nor do we need another speechmaker. We certainly don't need another education minister who takes forever to get things done. No, what we need is an education minister who gets things moving quickly.

MICHAEL A. DINGWALL

michael_a_dingwall@

hotmail.com

Kingston