Thwaites has betrayed our trust

Ronald Beckford, Guest Columnist

Jamaica's teachers have found themselves in the quagmire of negative comments by persons who themselves were moulded by teachers who at times went beyond the call of duty to assist them.

These negative comments have become more damaging to the morale of the nation's teachers since the minister of education made his pronouncements about the leave entitlements of teachers in Parliament recently.

Nevertheless, we soldier on. We continue to give lunch money, bus fare and other forms of assistance to the many students who are not beneficiaries of PATH.

We have to be counsellors to the students who have been molested and are severely scared by other adults. As a society, we seem to have selective memory, but how can we forget the numerous times our colleagues have been attacked by vicious students and parents alike, the many fights that we have had to part to the detriment of our own security and health?

How, as a nation, can we ignore the many ills that exist in our society and lay the blame of a failing society squarely at the feet of the teachers?

Precious time is often wasted to teach students the basic mannerisms they ought to have learned at homes, thus reducing schools to act merely as day-care centres.

The minister of education has hijacked the profession by betraying the trust of the Jamaica Teachers' Association (JTA) and, by extension, the teachers of this country by making such pronouncements without the proper dialogue, consultation and due process.

The minister has forgotten the very apt proverb that states: "The building of trust is likened to a wall built of sand; it is hard to build and easily broken." I wait with keen interest and guarded optimism to see this trust being rebuilt by those charged with the awesome responsibility of driving the education system forward.

arrogance and ignorance

In a country where free speech is only free speech predetermined by certain facets of society we have to be guarded in our response, as one muzzles a vicious pit bull. In all this maze of arrogance and ignorance and sometimes blatant disrespect of our teachers, the minister of education has employed an individual, Franklyn Johnson, who has likened teachers to "bad sex".

This adviser has, however, created a new meaning for "bad sex", because I remember with glee the many teachers who have had significant impact on my life, and I am sure there are millions of us who can hold our teachers in high esteem. The 'Teflon Rhodes Adviser' needs to be advised that when he sits to pen his sordid articles, that encouragement sweetens labour, and as such they go against the grain of motivation.

The present situation is akin to one having a nightmare, from which I truly hope to awaken. I would love to be awakened to see our nation's educators being highly motivated, be more respected and appreciated for the sacrifices we make daily. Those in their ivory towers should come down and work with us in the trenches.

These persons ought to be reminded that the dire straits that the education system is in require a leadership that will inspire the teachers and students alike to become world-beaters. They ought to be reminded that inspiration does not come by trying to break the spirits of the people that they are trying to lead.

The minister needs to be reminded of the words of Niccolo Machiavelli: "The first method for estimating the intelligence of a ruler is to look at the men he has around him." Can Education Minister Ronald Thwaites wholeheartedly say that his recent efforts have led to a more inspired workforce?

Ronald Beckford is a teacher of mathematics and physics at William Knibb Memorial High School. Email feedback to columns@gleanerjm.com and frantzbeckford@gmail.com..