Education - The Two Jamaicas

Almost 2 years ago, I visited Browns Town for a public forum on Education. Browns Town is often described as the education capital of the North. I was impressed - a community college, high schools, with others nearby. It was truly a community dedicated to lifelong learning. However, even within this idyll - a community committed to learning - there were clear divisions. There was a hierarchy in the high schools and the secondary school offerings.


I visited both Brown's Town and St. Hilda's High Schools. Brown's Town High floods - dividing the school into two 'campuses' when it rains. It was on a shift sytem, depositing students on the street at odd times - the Devil does find work for idle hands! Little parental guidance and contribution was a complaint of teachers. It had some ancient computers - the students were still learning about floppy disks. There was, however, a new lab with more modern computers. I have not seen a floppy disk in over 6 years. Nevertheless, Brown's Town was striving - an excellent music programme, an awesome mechanics programme, and a population happy to learn more about computers etc.(See http://www.jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20090501/news/news1.html) No moping and feeling sorry for yourself here.


St. Hilda's was the stereotypical school on the hill - quiet, disciplined and rule bound, well-resourced, traditional (http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/magazines/teenage/html/20040126t230000-0500_54898_obs_at_st_hilda_s___hard_work_brings_true_joy.asp). I felt like I was in a whole new world, populated by tuck boxes, bells, and reources. I was impressed - I wanted to come back in my next life as a St. Hilda's girl. The discipline, the library, the lab, the dormitories, the teachers, the clear ways to do things properly, the guidance offered. I was envious. The Principal spoke of parents and alumni contributing whether in cash or in kind, allowing for dinners, the upgrading and maintenance of resources to continue , even in the face of limited resources from the Ministry [of Education].

Yet these two institutions are held to the same standards. The students are expected to do as well, especially in the academic subjects. Students are not judged by their vocational ability - that is foir lesser students apparently. How can this be?

Why should high schools get the same resources, when they are at different starting points? Why not give the upgraded high schools more? They have less resources - oftentimes inadeqaute science labs and classroom space, inadequate physical space. I support a long-term plan to actually use the Education Tax to improve the offerings of the educational system. I recall Denham Town Primary winning science fairs year after year - without a science lab (http://www.jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20070514/news/news6.html)!

Moreover, the vocational skills that the upgraded skills often include are key in this new knowledge based global economy. However, we have to teach the cutting-edge aspects - as technology will only improve. Mechanical skills need to be taught - including the now-computerized engines in many automobiles for example. Upgrading high schools was a program done without a plan - at least not at Browns Town. Where was the assessment of what was needed to turn it into a high school? A rose by any other name .....

What makes a successful high school - at least in the Jamaican context?

I have identified three characteristics - one is resources, especially financial resources. This can come from auxiliary fees - more reputable schools can charge higher fees. It follows the law of supply and demand. A more in-demand item can go for a higher prices. Is there a good more in-demand than a quality education?

Secondly, you need good students and good alumni. The traditional high schools get the best and brightest students. The A+ students. Is it little wonder that these schools do well in terms of CAPE achievement? Moreover, buoyed by outstanding results, these students become staunch good alumni. They love their school - they are proud of it. They contribute their funds to the school. They track the school's examination results. They contribute their time and skills. They give in kind - catering functions, contributing security services, coaching teams among other things. This serves to decrease the various services that the stipend from the Ministry has to cover. The alumni will step in to buy the new computers, contribute the new school bus and the list continues. The alumni come in to talk and inspire the students - to let them know of the rich tradition that they have entered in and are expected to continue. The Kingston College (KC) example is well known - Kingston College is a school in a deteriorating area, but KC won both the Schools' Challenge Quiz and the Boys' Championships. The tradition of excellence and loyalty to KC has been impressed and tattooed on the heart of every KC Boy, to the point that onlookers speak of the KC Cult. Nevertheless, the tradition of excellence and contribution is a strong socialising force.

Alumni from non-traditional high schools are fighting to avoid the stigma of failure and non-achievement attached to their school. if successful, they are more likely to dissociate from their former school. They are not sending their children to that school. The school starts from scratch with each batch - there is no sustaining force from past generations. The non-traditional coan't command the same amount of auxiliary fees, or parental or alumni contributions. They need more governmental support.

However, traditional high schools have wavered - look at the example of Jamaica College (JC). This school spawned Prime Ministers and Ministers, but still fell (http://www.jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20071127/lead/lead2.html)! That brings us to the third element - Leadership. It is possible to become a good school, even in Jamaica. The traditional high schools do not have a stranglehold on quality in perpetuity. Ardenne High School has risen - look at the Spelling Bee Champions. Look at Jessie Ripoll Primary School (I know we are discussing high schools, but it is my alma mater !) - again leadership. These leaders decided to implement a quality regime - involving high standards, performance management, and discipline. We aspire to better - no matter what they were surrounded by. The recent lament by the principals of non-traditional high schools included some positives - they had all implemented programmes to support and inspire greater literacy among their students. They were finding ways to address their problems, even while lamenting about it. See http://www.jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20090621/lead/lead10.html

Any of these three characteristics can start the 'quality revolution'. Greater resources started the revolution in a number of adopted schools. JC and KC revitalised with strong direction from the alumni (I would love more examples from girls' schools!). Leadership transformed or rather moved Ardenne to a higher level. However, the other two factors are needed to continue and sustain the revolution. Learning from these examples would lead to a focus on increasing access to resources, improving the leadership stock in these schools and in encouraging greater alumni participation in the school. I see the second one being pursued. What about the other factors?