Values, standards and education

Esther Tyson

In a report in The Gleaner of October 9, 2011, Jamaica was ranked among the worst in the Americas for poverty, unemployment and inequality. Jamaica was said to have the second-highest unemployment rate at roughly 11.8 per cent and the country also had the fourth-highest poverty rate at 43.1 per cent compared with 23 regional neighbours.

We are now in 2013 and there are news reports of companies laying off their employees frequently. It seems that the level of poverty is increasing. This is very worrying for those of us who work in the field of education.

It seems that across Jamaica where school populations are derived from the inner-city communities and deprived rural communities, that the social challenges facing students are greater. The need for deans of discipline in schools over the last decade reflects a growing problem with indiscipline among students.

Attendant with this reality are the cognitive deficiencies that many of our students from a lower socio-economic background display. This is not just because of poverty, but because in situations of poverty, many parents are not giving the children the cognitive stimulation, nutritional provision and social skills that they need to do well in school. When you combine this with the lack of resources in many of our schools, we have an equation that results in less than success.

challenges

As a nation, then, we need to face the realities that we are dealing with in the schools. The situation at the Half-Way Tree Transport Centre, the raunchy Maggotty High video, the behaviour of children right across this island are increasing cause for concern. It is a reflection of a society that has lost its way - economically, socially, morally and spiritually.

Many in the society quickly condemn teachers. Yet many of these persons would not last one day in the classroom of an inner-city school. The challenges that teachers face daily are tremendous. The schools should have a cadre of not just one or two guidance counsellors and a dean of discipline but social workers and psychologists to deal with the myriad emotional, psychological, social and spiritual problems those students present with every day.

In addition, because of the cognitive problems these students have developed, each school needs to have a supply of special educators who can help these children fill the gaps and be re-engaged in the mainstream.

There are too many children who are angry or withdrawn because of the physical, psychological and emotional abuse that they face in their homes. There are too many children without the support from nurturing adults to guide them in their development to adulthood. There are too many absentee mothers and fathers. Grannies who are ill raising children. Young siblings are bringing up younger siblings. Girls live with men for support. Children live on their own.

These kids, who have lost their childhood too quickly, come to school emotionally scarred and act out their anger and disillusionment in confrontations in the classroom. They are combative and see the slightest infringement of their space as a reason to fight. They are resistant to authority. They do not know how to socially adapt to situations that require them to practise self-control and take instructions from persons in authority. They are not being parented.

socialisation

The school, then, is their only hope of proper socialisation. How do we do this with inadequate resources? How do we do this with teachers who are also emotionally wounded and need help, who, therefore, find it difficult to handle these challenging students in front of them? So many young teachers are themselves products of a society that has lost its way.

I am glad that the Government has implemented the Programme for Advancement Through Health and Education (PATH) which provides lunches for the students. For many students, that is the only meal they have for the day. There are some schools that have more than 80 per cent of their children on the programme.

Principals find that children are eager to come to school on the days when they know they will receive their PATH lunches. There are some schools that have implemented breakfast programmes, but many others cannot afford it.

It is well-known that children's brains need good nutrition in order for them to learn. How do we expect to improve our educational output with so many children lacking adequate nutrition?

I am thankful that the Parenting Commission has been put in place. We need to look at having mandated parenting sessions for pregnant mothers who come to the prenatal clinics. The fathers should be required to participate in these sessions, too. The Parenting Commission should partner with churches in the communities to develop community-based parenting programmes.

There are so many children having children who do not know what to do. There has been such a breakdown in values and standards in our society that many parents do not have such values to pass on to their children. The parents need to be taught.

The parenting handbook written by Faith Linton and Barry Davidson, Answers to Questions Parents Ask, is a good resource to be used in such a programme. I need to ask what is being done with the many mothers who are having babies before age 16? Who are the babyfathers? Why are they not being arrested and mandated to take responsibility for their actions?

We need to change our culture to one where education is seen as important and beneficial. Unfortunately, there are too many parents who do not have this view. For this change to happen, we must engage the media and the entertainment industry. We must partner with the private sector to develop visual and audio promotions of healthy parenting habits. We must show why education is important to us as a people.

This can be done, since it is this same media and entertainment industry that has promoted a culture that decries family, marriage and good order. Instead, there has been a promotion of 'man fi dead if im diss yuh', 'gyal in a bungle', and a general disregard for law and order. If we are to change our culture from where slackness reigns to self-control, respect for law and order and where good sense prevails, we have to work together as a society to make this happen.

We have little choice. The path we are currently on - the road that we have carved out for our children - leads to inevitable destruction.

Esther Tyson is an educator and acting principal of Tarrant High School. Email feedback to columns@gleanerjm.com and esther.tyson@gmail.com.