Admittedly, there have been bright sparks, particularly last year when grade four students surpassed the literacy target of 100 per cent mastery; more students than usual scored 100 per cent in the Grade Six Achievement Test; and for the third straight year there was significant improvement in Mathematics passes in Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate.

“These and other successes are as a result of the support from private sector partners, parents, teachers, and the staff of the Ministry of Education, including our regional offices and agencies,” Minister of Education Ronald Thwaites told Career & Education.

As the new year dawns, and people make lists of resolutions about their professional and personal lives, educators have shared their vision for the education sector and their particular schools for 2016. Their wishes range from more involvement of parents in the education process, to a change in lunch menus. See their full responses below.

Name: Sheryl Williams Davis

Position: Senior teacher

Institution: Spanish Town High, St Catherine

Wish: I am absolutely passionate as it relates to education playing a vital role in the economic and social transformation needed for the development of Jamaica. Hence, my wish for the education sector for the new year is for all stakeholders to be held accountable for their part in the change. Teachers and administrators have faced the brunt of societal backlash for the failure on their part, but what about the parents who have failed to fulfil the basic functions of the family, or the ministry which continues to encourage the adoption and the implementation of policies not tailored to suit or dynamic culture? When all stakeholders are cognizant of their roles and hence correction of shortcomings then true transformation can take place.

Name: Dwhyte Dunbar

Position: Teacher of Geography

Wish: Across all grade levels in all schools, I hope to see a change in the meals that are provided for daily intake. It is my wish to see students enjoying meals that do not have so many calories or food without nutrients because they affect the health of the students.

Name: Terryann TaylorPosition: Senior teacherInstitution: Bermaddy Primary, Linstead, St Catherine

Name: Terryann Taylor

Position: Senior teacher

Institution: Bermaddy Primary, Linstead, St Catherine

Wish: Despite the numerous advances made in the education system, there is much room for improvement. There needs to be more equity. The Government needs to make a concerted effort to ensure that struggling schools are afforded more and better resources (human and physical). Additionally, I, along with every other educator, crave the day when parents will see their children as the biggest investment they will ever make and provide for them the needed learning tools.

Name: Carolyn SaundersPosition: TeacherInstitution: Caymanas Smart Kids, St Catherine

Name: Carolyn Saunders

Position: Teacher

Institution: Caymanas Smart Kids, St Catherine

Wish: For my school, it needs a lot of development of the physical structure. I would like to be able to do that. I also wish parents would see the importance of participating in their children’s development, by being more involved and supportive of the school. The children’s success is theirs. As for the education sector, specifically early childhood, I would wish to see teachers become more sensitised about early development, because it really gives the children that balance, educationally, spiritually, and everything else. I feel that teachers focus too much on academics and that is why some of the children are having problems. They don’t know how to apply themselves when they move on because those areas were not paid attention to in their early development.

Name: Odaine JamesPosition: LecturerInstitution: Western Hospitality Institute, Montego Bay, St James

Name: Odaine James

Position: Lecturer

Institution: Western Hospitality Institute, Montego Bay, St James

Wish: I desire to see Jamaica’s education sector continue to provide quality education through genuine teachers with love, respect, integrity, proper accessibility, and with increased involvement of our stakeholders, namely the parents. I want to wish Western Hospitality Institute and the International University of the Caribbean showers of abundance of opportunity, breakthroughs and countless successes. Wishing them a prosperous new year and every blessing.

Name: Paul GrantPosition: PrincipalInstitution: Newell High, St Elizabeth

Name: Paul Grant

Position: Principal

Institution: Newell High, St Elizabeth

Wish: In the upcoming year I would love for a greater allocation of funding to schools, I doubt that it is the ministry’s desire for so many schools, especially the older ones that are not furnished with modern amenities, to be deprived of standard educational facilities that would be the catalyst for academic growth. The minister has been doing well for the past four years, and many schools have seen this but with a greater allocation there could also be the execution of plans proposed by the education ministry that could see an improved school environment to schools across the island. I would also like to see the country to take a greater look at the way in which students are placed and the systems that have been implemented to assess the performance of schools. So, instead of classifying one school as a school that is excelling and one that is failing or performing poorly that we will begin to look at the quality input. If we are going to assess our schools on this level then perhaps what we need in the new year is a new system of placing students because only that way we could truly assess the quality of instruction in institutions and while it may never happen, I believe that this would level the playing field across all schools.