WE anticipate the publication of many success stories following this week’s release of the Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC) and other examination results.

And of course we tender our unreserved congratulations to all who have done well.

However, on reading about the achievement by Mr Garfield Davidson, the 12-year-old whose academic success story we have been following for the past two years, we can’t help but wonder if we are cheating some of our young people out of the opportunity to maximise their full potential. According to today’s edition of our sister title, the Observer West, Mr Davidson — who now has eight subjects at the CXC level — is preparing to tackle five more during the upcoming academic year.

If the trend of success continues, he’ll have 13 subjects at the age of 13. Another two years of studies at the advanced secondary level and he’ll be ready, at age 15, to take on tertiary/professional studies.

Within the context of our public education system, this is exceptional.

But does it really have to be?

Do we not owe it to ourselves as a society to ask some questions about what really separates a young man like Mr Davidson from the rest of the pack?

Is it his ability to learn, or his tutors’ ability to teach?

Of course, he is gifted and fortunate — we might add — to be the beneficiary of the asynchronous educational philosophy that the principal of his school, Ms Vivienne DeOkoro, has to offer. Simply put, asynchrony facilitates the development of children according to their mental as opposed to chronological ages. Consequently, a child who is mentally ready for graduate or even post-graduate studies won’t be held back by his or her age.

One school of thought posits that this is the way to go. According to that view, it is not in a child’s best interest to stymie upward academic mobility for social reasons as this may lead to boredom, frustration and ultimately, juvenile delinquency.

The opposing argument is that children who are allowed to develop academically within the context of their mental age end up being unbalanced and unable to socialise effectively.

Without taking sides, we submit that while there may be merits to both views, the issue is not a black and white one.

Rather, there may be exceptions to both arguments, depending on the particular characteristics of each individual.

That is why we are heartened to read that Ms DeOkoro’s gifted programme is being expanded for the benefit of children who live in Kingston.

For the matter of our children’s education is much too important to leave to traditional myths or chance.