JAMAICANS yesterday expressed mixed views on the education ministry’s plan to this year start placing new secondary level students in high schools close to where they live.

According to Education Minister Ronald Thwaites, the aim is to cut down on travel time and the gathering of students at bus parks which, he said, encourages idleness and other negative behaviours.

While some people greeted the news with anger, others gave it their support but called for more planning.

“I am not in support of this plan. If a child pass for a traditional high school they should be rewarded and placed at the school where they passed for,” said Georgina Collington.

“Fix the education system, provide resources in the non-traditional high schools before you put in place such a system,” added Collington.

Rushena Gordon agreed: “More needs to be done before such a system is introduced. For now, students should be placed at the school that they pass for.”

Andrea Hall also supported those views. “I don’t believe in that. I want my child to go to the school he or she passed for,” she said.

“To put in a system like that is too sudden, they need more time, more discussions,” said Ashlie Edwards.

Michael Rowe also opposed the plan. “I am against it. To me, a lot of the times traditional schools are more equipped and I believe if a child works towards going to one of these institutions they should not be held back,” he argued.

However, Alfred Wright saw no problem with the decision.

“I think such a system can help to take some of the pressure off parents; less bus fare to pay, instead of being forced to send students to institutions located miles away,” he said.

Corine Edwards took a middle-of-the road approach. “I am at a crossroads. It all depends,” she said. “The travelling distance to school is always a problem, so that factor cannot be ignored. But I also think more planning should be done before the idea is implemented.”

Meanwhile, Opposition spokeswoman on education and youth Senator Kamina Johnson Smith called on Thwaites to urgently clarify the policy. “Not only is the Jamaican education system not ready for this type of general placement system, but there has been no Ministry Paper before Parliament or official communication to schools or parents about a change of approach,” Johnson Smith said.

“When the ministry is able to generally equalise the resources available to our schools; when the performance of primary and secondary schools are generally improved across the board, geographic placement will make sense,” she added.

“At that time, distance and choice will be less of a concern for parents and children, and parents and schools can be properly notified of any such major policy change before the start of an exam cycle,” Johnson Smith said.

Thwaites, she added, should not try to correct one problem by entrenching another far more fundamental one — the problem of inequity in the education system.

“Does the minister really think that keeping undisciplined students closer to home will make them disciplined?” she asked.

Instead, Johnson Smith said, the minister should call on the Ministry of National Security to provide more police at transport centres and ensure, through his own ministry, that there are enough deans of discipline in schools and monitor their effectiveness.

She also suggested that Thwaites should ensure that enough guidance counsellor contact hours are available to disruptive children in schools, and that trained social workers be deployed to support the counsellors where issues go beyond the school gate.