Dear Editor,

Jamaica’s education system is at a crossroads. Those of us who are in the trenches are very aware that all is not well. There is, however, the official narrative that fails to acknowledge that a Band-Aid approach will not solve the issues that we face as a society.

The truth is many students have switched off their dial regarding the education system. Having said this, we must also concede that boys, in particular, have realised from very early that there are more lucrative pathways available than the long and sometimes arduous path of academics. As a result, male underachievement across all levels of the education system has become a global concern.

The society is also hypocritical and continues to send our students conflicting messages concerning academic success. The adage “Children live what they learn” is a truism. Additionally, those who are tasked with policymaking should have realised by now that despite pockets of excellence throughout the education system, the majority of students continue to fall through the gaping structural cracks which urgently needs to be repaired.

Perhaps the recent assessment of the island’s 15-year-olds will jolt the collective action of all stakeholders. The 2022 international assessment conducted by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) through the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) has concluded that Jamaican students are not performing on par with other 15-year-olds in other nations in the subject areas of reading, mathematics, and science. A total of 3,873 Jamaican students from 147 schools completed the assessment. The results further showed that only 26 per cent of Jamaican students attained at least level 2 proficiency in mathematics, this is significantly less than the average of 69 per cent across participating countries.

This is clearly a call to action to rescue our students. Interestingly, the results of the assessment were published on the International Day of Education that is observed annually on January 24.

This year, the focus is on ‘Learning for Lasting Peace’. The idea is that education can transform us by giving us the knowledge and skills to be peacemakers in our communities. The United Nations tells us that education is like a powerful tool that can help us deal with big issues like climate change, inequality, discrimination, and conflicts. The theme emphasises how education lays the foundation for more peaceful, fair, and sustainable societies.

Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, the world was already off track to achieve its education targets. An estimated 224 million young people are still out of school and an estimated 300 million students will still not have the basic numeracy and literacy skills they need to succeed in life.

Undoubtedly, education offers children a path to a more promising future. As a result, there must be a global effort in calling for a more inclusive and equitable quality education so no student is left behind.

Wayne Campbell

waykam@yahoo.com