Of what value these excessive subjects?

Esther Tyson, Guest Columnist

The article 'Thwaites emphasises quality over quantity of subjects' in The Gleaner of March 6, 2014 highlights some issues in education that I have been concerned about for some time. One of these is the trend in Caribbean secondary schools to have their students sitting more and more subjects at the CXC/CSEC level, seemingly in an attempt to outdo other schools or students to achieve the coveted award of being top student in the Caribbean.

This trend needs to be examined. I believe that, first of all, as the examining and awarding body, the CXC needs to determine what's the optimum number of subjects students should excel in to be named top student in the Caribbean. The council should not seem to be responding to the competition where more and more subjects are being taken in order to gain the coveted award.

Subjects must fit into regular hours

The number of subjects decided on should take into consideration the number of subjects that can be taught in a regular school's timetable of, on average, five teaching hours per day, for five days for the week. It should not be predicated upon subjects being studied outside of the regular school hours. This might be, but not in all cases, dependent upon parents who can afford to have their children doing extra classes to cover these additional subjects. Again, this would be placing the privileged at an unfair advantage over students whose parents cannot afford such 'extras'.

Further to this is the issue of students who are so involved in pursuing only academic subjects, finding little time to be involved in co-curricular activities, whether in school or out of school. As Minister Thwaites pointed out: "What is the meaning of the quantum of subjects that so many have achieved ... . Does this make for the rounded, multi-competent Jamaican person who we want, who the economy needs, and who the world craves their services?"

Students need to be involved in more than the academics to be truly prepared to face the rigours of post-secondary education and the world of work. A student who is involved, for example, in a team sport learns the value of working with others, of cooperation, of playing for the team and not only for self. These are values that are now esteemed in a world that is moving from organisational structures that are less hierarchical and more flat and broad-based. To learn to work as a part of a team is essential in the education process.

Performing arts

In addition, the field of the performing arts is still largely being developed in secondary schools as a co-curricular activity. Students need time to be able to hone their gift or skill in this area when the school's curriculum does not allow them to do these as subjects during the regular school day. We still seem to be bound by a sense that the fields of the arts, sciences, languages or business are the only areas that are acceptable in the curriculum of our secondary schools.

This must change, but until then, we need to allow the extraordinary talent of our Jamaican youth to flourish in the fields of music, drama and dance by allowing those who wish to do so the chance to participate in these as co-curricular activities.

Of equal significance is the importance of students learning the value of sharing by being involved in community outreach projects. This takes time. Time that would be taken up by extra classes to pursue excessive number of subjects that might win the students an award but would not be preparing them as giving, caring citizens.

Dr Didacus Jules, CXC registrar, made this point in the Caribbean Examiner, Vol. 8 #2, October 2010:  'The Caribbean today needs an education system which is an effective vehicle of human empowerment and social transformation. To create this, we must first ask ourselves, 'What must education achieve in the contemporary Caribbean'?"

As a nation and region, we must apply ourselves to this question and put in place a system that will create a nation that will benefit us as a people. Therefore, CXC needs to look again at the criteria that are set for its awards in order to encourage the type of education at the secondary level that will best benefit us as a people and a region.

Fix GSAT placement system

I hope to see in the near future that the Ministry of Education will address the nature of the present system of students being allocated to secondary schools, namely, GSAT. It is unnecessary to be burdening our young students with subjects such as science and social studies to be tested at grade six in order to determine their readiness for high school.

An extensive system of extra lessons has been developed to ready our students for this exam through rote learning and simply swotting. The question is whether all this is necessary. Students arrive at high school stressed and burnt out from the pressure that they face preparing for this exam.

On the other hand, teachers in high school complain that the students are not taught to critically think in solving problems in math for GSAT and have to be retaught. I believe students should be prepared to be competent in mathematics, English, and critical thinking in order to be ready for high school.

Let us deliberately look at how we are engaging in the business of education and make the necessary policy changes that will benefit us as a nation and a region.

Esther Tyson is an educator. Email feedback to columns@gleanerjm.com and esther.tyson@gmail.com.