In recent months there has been a resurgence of discussions in the newspaper and on the television on critical thinking and education. I have observed in recent years presenters at research conferences mention the role of critical thinking in their educational programme. The comments of the Caribbean Examinations Council examiners have reported that they have tried to compose some examination questions in the framework of critical thinking, but there seems to be no response from the curriculum developers to guide a new approach to teaching and learning.

There is a practice in Jamaica to ‘cut and paste’ best practices from elsewhere as new approaches to the teaching, especially in mathematics and science. We cannot ‘cut and paste’ our way through life and expect to get change. There is an abundance of money that is spent on education and the return on the investment is not great — and this is not a secret.

The time has come for us to look at what embracing of the old system of education is costing the country. In a general sense, Independence and change go hand in hand, but not in the case of Jamaica’s Independence in 1962.

What is necessary is for us to get serious and accept that the colonial philosophy of education that is informed by rote learning is very much alive today. However, the time has come to do something about it!

Issues regarding education are complex; matters concerning change in education begin with philosophy. I recall reading the Report from the Task Force on Educational Reform, 2004, and — let me clarify a matter — the idea that “Every child can learn, and every child must learn”.

Firstly, I believe it is ‘cut and pasted’ from President George W Bush’s 2002 ‘no child left behind’ programme; and secondly, it is sloganeering and not philosophising. I will not accept that the 2004 report dealt with the matter of philosophy. We must accept that there is such a thing as colonial philosophy that is grounded in all forms of ‘the hidden curricula’. The emphasis of colonial education was to train ex-slaves to be disciplined and obedient to status quo; it was practical education to for menial work.

There may have been some changes in recent years, but the tradition is still alive, and for the authorities to continue this tradition after Independence is somewhat like committing a crime against humanity.

So, the issue of critical thinking must be a central feature of this new philosophy of the new system of education. The new philosophy must address the deficient and defective language practice in teaching and learning. Communication is a most significant component in teaching and learning. If the practice of communication is defective, then the learning outcomes will be defective. One of the reasons we are still dependent on others is simply because we are trapped in a system of education that lacks emancipative qualities.

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