Technological, social, cultural and economical issues related to education in Jamaica​

ED 509: Issues, Reading & Research in Specialized Area Technological, social, cultural and economic issues related to education in Jamaica

Introduction This book focuses on the four main issues (technological, social, cultural and economic ) affecting the Jamaican Educational System. These issues are presented in the forms of newspapers, journals and books, which are then broken down into three articles each, which are summarised using (DIET- description, interpretation, evaluation, theory).

Editing and Design Team

Editors

Designers

Karen Allison

Karen Allison

Derron Brown

Derron Brown

Tudi-Ann Christie

Tudi-Ann Christie

Dawn White

Dawn White

Jimmy Wilson

Jimmy Wilson

Rayfield Clayton

Rayfield Clayton

Table of Content

TECHNOLOGICAL ISSUES....5-25

SOCIAL ISSUES.......26-45

CULTURAL ISSUES......46-68

ECONOMIC ISSUES.....69-87

Technological Issues

ARTICLE-1 The impact of Covid-19 on education equity: A view from Barbados and Jamaica

Teachers still need proper gadgets for online classes, says JTA president Description This article describes the inadequate situation whereby teachers don’t have the necessary gadgets in order to teach online classes after a year. It highlights through its president that teachers are not being adequately compensated or properly equipped which makes it frustrating to conduct classes online after one year of COVID-19 pandemic. The Jamaica Teaching Council reiterated that despite its investment in the provisions for training of teachers in online learning there was still a lot challenge as it relates to proper technological gadgets. The tablets that the teachers have gotten are not good enough for the teachers to use in virtual space. Teachers were now forced with an additional challenge. While some teachers had laptops, others were faced with devices challenge such as connectivity issues.

Many considering their small salary, purchasing data service was not viable. Several other concerns were outlined by the article that the teachers who are also parents have to be sacrificing their resources between their own children and the students that they teach. For this sacrifice teachers should be given the adequate resources to compensate for this the JTA president said

Teachers still need proper gadgets for online classes, says JTA president Interpretation There were genuine important concerns that were raised by Jamaica Teachers Association and the issues raised some questions as to the importance that the government has placed on education during this COVID-19 pandemic.

My reason is that based on the frustration levels expressed that it begs to reason that despite the meagre salary compounded with the non- existent of the proper resources( adequate internet connectivity and laptops that can be used to research) that the education of our students is still not being given the 100 percent priority that it fully deserves so that everyone can be happy.

Teachers still need proper gadgets for online classes, says JTA president Evaluation This article based on the concerns that the president highlighted were duly relevant and true to current situations that even now presented itself. Teachers have had to be increasingly asked to make sacrifices and that is still the norm as Mr. Smith had indicated. The facts of the matter were presented so that it was transparent and not ambiguous. A very good presentation of the failure of the government to pay teachers adequately have caused them to be at times having to be at a crossroads in choosing between themselves and the students they teach.

Teachers still need proper gadgets for online classes, says JTA president Theories The article is not aligned with any theory.

ARTICLE-2 The impact of Covid-19 on education equity: A view from Barbados and Jamaica

The impact of Covid-19 on education equity: A view from Barbados and Jamaica Description This journal article seeks to centrally examine the impact school closures had on Jamaica and Barbados, and highlights the emerging disparities the global pandemic has had on education. As a result, several questions related to technological issues were asked in order to arrive at some answers to these It was found out that Ministry of Education (MOEs) in the region responded to school closures primarily by increasing access to technology to facilitate remote learning. Though they did this, they were faced with some challenges with continuing education for students during Covid-19 were due to a lack of the necessary framework needed to support remote learning.

There were other findings such as the access to technology, which is the primary way students could continue education during the Covid-19 pandemic. This would not be available to students living in the most vulnerable households. Findings support information about the widening gap between students with and without access to technology and educational resources, based on the 2018 Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) data (OECD 2019)

The impact of Covid-19 on education equity: A view from Barbados and Jamaica Interpretation This article adequately did justice to the impacts of Covid on education equity which explained and brought out the technological issues that developed as a result across both Caribbean countries. There were a lot of similarities that each country Ministry of Education faced and as such dual actions taken in order to solve this. There were challenges faced but the respective governments particular in Jamaica provided some financial relief to the problems faced.

The impact of Covid-19 on education equity: A view from Barbados and Jamaica Evaluation

A comprehensive journal of what needed to be done when dealing with two Caribbean countries though Jamaica being a bigger Englishspeaking country. There was not any differences in the strategies that each government would have pursued considering that the

financing available to fund education in Jamaica is insufficient to provide the education resources that is needed especially in internet and laptops that are needed so that the teachers can even research the topics.

COVID-19 has definitely brought to light how insufficient the resources are for both countries to support education. This presents an alarming and grave problem since the basic of our education system, that of early childhood education which is the beginning stage of our future generation will suffer the longer it takes to find solutions in terms of finances to provide the resources like gadgets that each student can have for him/herself.

The impact of Covid-19 on education equity: A view from Barbados and Jamaica Theories The article is not aligned with any theory.

ARTICLE-3 The impact of Covid-19 on education equity: A view from Barbados and Jamaica

A Case study on the Challenges and Opportunities in Integrating Desktop CNC Technology in Grades 7–9 Description “Promoting STEM Education: A Case study on the Challenges and Opportunities in Integrating Desktop CNC Technology in Grades 7–9,” is timely due to the Ministry of Education, Youth and Information’s thrust toward the promotion of science, and technology, engineering and mathematics education in Jamaica’’. This two-case study was to diagnose the factors that foster or inhibit the successful integration of the CNC technology in Grades 7–9.

A within-case and cross-case approach was used to analyze data collected via focus groups, researcher reflections, teacher journals, classroom observations and interviews.

A Case study on the Challenges and Opportunities in Integrating Desktop CNC Technology in Grades 7–9 Description cont...

This peer-reviewed was done based on the 2016 the National Standard Curriculum (NSC) for Grades K-9 was launched by the Ministry of Education Youth and Information in an effort to promote students’ academic performance, behaviour and attitude, and by extension, to promote national development. Science and technology were acknowledged as key components in the developing world and this somehow too influenced the research on this topic. Socio-economic development being a high priority of the government played a part in the background to the research and Ministry of Education playing that vital role in terms of Vision 2030. Technology Integration in the Classroom played an important part in bringing out the point of the challenges and opportunities that this technology had.

Journal of Arts Science and Technology Interpretation A study of this kind was very comprehensive and the detail explanation that was necessary was easy to understand.

Hence the facts presented and procedures that proceeded those conclusions can stand up to the any judgement.

There were some obvious challenges that presented itself which would be expected with scope of this task. The response by teachers whereby they needed more time to be acquainted with the technology was justified.

Technology integration doesn’t start in the classroom and this was one of the agreed points that posed a challenge to teachers. Including teachers thought process improved the general understanding of this journal and made it logical.

Journal of Arts Science and Technology Evaluation

This comprehensive study was well done and meticulously done so as to bring across all the relevant information so that readers could apply it. In looking at the research design the thought process and the

purpose of the study can be matched back to the topic. It was interesting that the whole process of this peer review study was included, including “Interest in Technology” and in a meeting with researchers a principal was quoted as saying that “technology integration is important, and I want all my teachers to be trained”. Training and technology go hand in hand for the student's benefit as well as the teacher's improvement.

Journal of Arts Science and Technology Evaluation cont...

Teacher Pedagogical Content Knowledge “A challenge for teachers was to develop the interdisciplinary lesson plans that integrated the CNC technology.” This statement was very profound as it emphasised how teachers will be able to or one of the ways teachers will be able to have students think critically. Like any real technological issues teachers faced challenges in understanding and conceptualizing technology integration from process to product. This worked real, since this was something that the teachers accessing this technology were not previously trained for. It would have been good to know the response of teachers about the CNC who completely understood how the technology can be successfully integrated into the content of STEM.

Journal of Arts Science and Technology Theories The article is not aligned with any theory.

Social Issues

ARTICLE-1 Report To Reform Education System Launched

Description

Report To Reform Education System Launched

The Article entitle Report “To Reform Education System Launched” stated that the Government is taking decisive steps in the t ransformation of the education system through the launch of the ‘The Reform of Education in Jamaica 2021 Report’, on Thursday (January 14).Developed by the Jamaica Education Transformation Commission (JETC), the Report is a blueprint for the establishment of a comprehensive strategy to improve student performance and educational productivity across the sector.

The following key recommendations were made include governance and accountability; early-childhood education; teaching curriculum, and teacher training; tertiary education; technical and vocational education and training (TVET); infrastructure and technology; and finance.

To ensure that the recommendations are implemented, the prime Minster announced that by the end of January 2022, a monitoring and oversight committee drawn from members of the Commission and key stakeholders will be appointed. “This committee will be responsible for monitoring and publicly reporting on the progress of implementation of the recommendations.

Report To Reform Education System Launched Interpretation In the article It is quite evident that the education system was greatly affected by the pandemic which has add to the issues that has been plaquing our education system Therefore, the Government has taken a decision that the education system need to transform in order to reach those that were loss in the system mainly due to inequalities in the system which has resulted in thousands of children mainly from the poorest homes having little to no access to education that had contributed to the

increase of illiteracy in the education system.

The Prime Minister the Hon. Andrew Holness along with the Minister of Education and youth Fayval Williams has decided that to form a committee that will bridge the gaps that was created by the impact of the Corona Virus which has force the closure of our schools has a means to restore the education system. Chair of the Commission, Professor the Hon. Orlando Patterson, said there is a serious learning crisis in Jamaica he further spoke on the importance of equity in education and that greater importance should be place on early childhood education.

Report To Reform Education System Launched Evaluation The article outlines some insightful areas that need to be addressed to start gathering the pieces and rebuild our educational system. The areas of concerns are quite relevant and if they are implemented effectively, they will certainly bridge the gap in our educational system.

The article had outline how inequality has impacted our literacy level negatively depriving of children who are less fortunate from access to education. Professor clearly stated that equity and the importance of early childhood education is of great importance to the success of our educational system s and the future of our children the next generation. He presented a concrete argument of the relevance of the restructuring of the educational system.

Report To Reform Education System Launched Theories

Education is an important factor in one’s life. Without a good education our future would be murky has this sets the stage for all other aspects of our lives. According to Al-Shuaibi (2014) It is the key to success in the future, it illuminates a person’s mind and thinking. He further implies that education helps students to plan for work or pursue higher education by graduating from university. Having education in an area helps people think, feel, and behave in a way that contributes to their success, and improves not only their personal satisfaction but also their community.

Report To Reform Education System Launched Theories cont...

Vygotsky Social learning theories help us to understand how people learn in social contexts (learn from each other). McLeod (2020) Vygotsky's sociocultural theory views human development as a socially mediated process in which children acquire their cultural values, beliefs, and problem-solving strategies through collaborative dialogues with more knowledgeable members of society. Vygotsky's theory is comprised of concepts such as culture-specific tools, private speech, and the Zone of Proximal Development. According to McLeod (2020). Based on research students need human interaction, collaborative conversation to function effectively, education at this stage in our students’ lives are important they need to socialize with other so pull strength and learning from each other therefore the need for equity and inequality should be eliminated so that all is privilege to education to be the best version of themselves.

ARTICLE-2 Editorial | Farewell to 2021, hopes for a better 2022

Editorial | Farewell to 2021, hopes for a better 2022 Description While stepping into 2022 this article highlighted some of the challenges of 2021 hoping that it would be better. It has been especially tough for healthcare officials as they tried to balance public health concerns within the context of people’s frustrations at having their normal routines severely curtailed by the COVID-19 crisis. With students being forced to stay away from school, the pandemic changed the whole dynamics of how education is delivered. Some were fortunate to access and adapt to online learning, while others were ill-equipped to take on this new way of grasping knowledge. We ended the year with the fast-spreading Omicron variant sending increasing numbers of patients into hospitals. Vaccination rates for Jamaica remained stubbornly low and the virus continued to impact the economy, communities, work, school, entertainment, and culture and, of course, travel.

Editorial | Farewell to 2021, hopes for a better 2022 Interpretation This article is reminding us of the challenges we had face in 2021 and the impact that will spill over into the new year. As we are still facing the ubiquitous coronavirus, there is also the issues of crime and violence on the uprise, the economy still in shamble, corruption, and a comprise education system.

• New approaches will be needed to curtail the crime and violence which has become raw and vicious.

• Stricter measures will have to be put in place for developers to ensure that community members are dealt with

fairly.

• Stricter measure should be implemented and enforce to curtail corruptions to ensure good governance and a

corruption-free society.

Editorial | Farewell to 2021, hopes for a better 2022 Evaluation The author revealed several social issues that will spill over into a new year that will clearly affect our citizen. The article mentions the comprising educational system this can be related to the fact that some school those that are publicly own has not yet open their door as well as the Government not being able to meet its 20/30 vision statement due to the pandemic that has been embarking upon us for over a year.

The article is opening our eyes to the fact that all these unresolved issues will add to what we will be experiencing in the new year. This leave the question what will have to our youth if they are not privilege to education or educational devices to aid learning.

Editorial | Farewell to 2021, hopes for a better 2022 Theory The role of the Ministry of Education primary purpose is to provide education to children and young people in educational settings. Since the onset of the pandemic our youth have been struggling with education due to the closure of school to inequality our youth behaviour has change due to being at home for so long with little or no supervision for some this has altered the behaviour of our youths. therefore, Skinner theory of Behaviourism would be useful at this time.

ARTICLE-3 Some Parents Warming Up to SFP

Some Parents Warming Up to SFP Description The Ministry of Education, Youth, and Information (MOEYI) has added two more years to students leaving high school the Sixth Form Pathways Programme (SFPP). The seven years of secondary school is a mandate that is designed to allow all students to matriculate up to grade 13, exiting the formal education system at age 18, as opposed to the initial age of 16 years with an associate degree or its equivalent. Students entering grade 12 will be able to pursue one of three pathways during the additional two years, namely, Pathway one, known as ‘Traditional’, Pathway two, titled ‘Technical’ and Pathway three, called ‘General’.

Some parents applaud the ministry for these efforts as the see it as an opportunity to prepare their children adequately for the working world. While some of the students see this as an opportunity to allow them time to be sure of what they want to do in the future others see it as barrier to them getting to where or what they want to do with their lives.

Some Parents Warming Up to SFP Interpretation This article states the plan that the ministry has for ensuring that our young people have access to educational opportunities and establish a first-class national education system. This new system will allow students to matriculate to grade 13 instead of the traditional grade 11 which they believe will be best to better-prepared students for the working world or university.

All this sound like a great plan there are some concerns relating to the feasibility of such plan such as how will the ministry fund this project, is there sufficient funds to distribute fairly among all the school, is it sustainable, will this programme infringe on students’ independence, was it really taught of who will finance those students who are financially challenge. Clearly the idea is a good one if all the cons are considered and are carried out effectively and efficiently.

Some Parents Warming Up to SFP Evaluation The article was a good read, it clearly outlines the Ministry plan to restructure the school leaving system however, it is lacking as to how they plan to sustain this programme. It clearly stated how some of the parents feels about the programme while it states both side of how the students feels, while some applaud the programme some saw it as infringing on their independence.

Some Parents Warming Up to SFP Theories According to John Dewey (as cited Williams 2017), Children learn better when they interact with their environment and are involved in the school’s learning plan. Dewey argued that education can only truly be effective when children have learning opportunities that enable them to link current knowledge to prior experiences and knowledge.

The article stated some of the views of our students towards this programme and it is evident that they do not agree with it, however research has shown that for learning to be effective students’ inputs should be considered, if the views of the students are not considered then this can contribute to the programme becoming a failure.

Cultural Issues

ARTICLE-1 Jamaican culture gender socialization and Education

Jamaican culture gender socialization and Education Description The closure of schools and the delivery of education online is affecting boys in Jamaica more than their female counterparts because boys who stay at home are seen as behaving like girls. This is the view of Jamaica's Minister of State in the Ministry of Culture, Gender and Entertainment and Sport Alando Terrelonge, who says traditional views of gender roles are contributing to the underachievement of boys in education. He was speaking on Friday, March 19, 2021, during a virtual conference on “Black boys education: Currency, practices and social interventions." The state minister says boys who focus on their education, speak proper English and perform well in school are said to be behaving like girls. This “gyallification” of education is affecting boys in a negative way, he said. “As it relates to boys we are seeing this massive shock throughout our communities. As a Member of Parliament when I'm in the communities I see all boys on the road... while the girls must stay in the house and help out mommy... This creates a challenge for our boys, more so now that education has been moved from the school to the home. The underperformance of our boys and education is huge because of the social structure in which our boys find themselves," Terrelonge said.

Jamaican culture gender socialization and Education Description cont...

Minister Terrelonge says young males are under pressure to conform to stereotypes of how they should behave. “I hear every single day boys complaining that when they sit at the front of the class, when they raise their hands and participate, when they are respectful of their female colleagues and their teachers that somehow that makes them less than masculine. That makes him a girl because him a suck up to the teacher, him a gwan like him a goody two shoes, him a gwan like him too bright, like him know everything. These are some of the issues which plague our boys in the classroom. “So they [boys] find themselves at the back of the class because it's cooler to be at the back of the class... to give trouble, to disrespect the teacher because that is the manly thing to do. That sort of toxic masculinity permeates classroom and the society as well," he said.

Jamaican culture gender socialization and Education Interpretation This article was looking at the culture, and gender roles in education Gender roles like culture are learnt behaviour for mal es and females.

This article is addressing issues faced by our male students in the classroom, which impact their achievements within our educational

system. In reading this article the State Minister brought to the fore the negative impact our culture has had and is having on our boys which is impeding their academic achievements and fostering the high levels of violence experienced in our society. It is wit h this in

mind that my interpretation of the article is that our socialization is patriarchial, giving boys the freedom to roam the streets or in the yards playing with families put any form of curtailment on their actions. The girls on the other hand are expected to stay in the house and

be responsible for household duties. So, girls are taught responsibility from early in their lives. “Boys will be boys” as the saying goes, they were not taught responsibility for their actions, and are never held accountable for their whereabouts. As grown men, they are

expected to head their families and be the breadwinners of that family. Society has placed a lot of pressure on how our males are supposed to behave, aggressive, assertive, competitive and also be in charge. Whenever a boy goes against these norms they are

viewed as behaving like girls and are ostraciszed by their peers. Our society is contradicting our boys hence it is difficult for them to accept education as integral to their development and maintain the societal norms for masculine behaviours.

Jamaican culture gender socialization and Education

Evaluation

This article was an address made by Jamaica’s Minister of State in the Ministry of Culture, Gender and Entertainment and Sport Alando Terrelonge. He was speaking on Friday, March 19, 2021, during a virtual conference on “Black boys education: Currency, practices and social interventions." This conference was hosted by Jamaica with participants from countries such as Kenya, and Canada. His address was very relevant although he mentioned that in Jamaica we did not need to focus on black boys but on our boys. At the beginning of his address in mentioned his personal experiences when highlighting the issues of boys in our educational system. As he mentioned the societal pressures placed on our boys, in the homes, in the schools and in the communities there are traditional socialization of our boys that he is hoping that parents will begin to change, that of boys being allowed the freedom to be on the road at all times. After reading this article and listening to a part of the conference, I would hope that if we have another cabinet reshuffle that this state ministry be placed in the Ministry of Education, where his knowledge and experiences can be made beneficial to the development of boys in school.

Jamaican culture gender socialization and Education Theory Social reconstructionism is a philosophy that places importance on addressing social inquiry and a quest to produce a better society and universal democracy. Reconstructionist educators focus on a curriculum that highlights social reform as the aim of education. Reconstructionist educators such as Theodore Brameld and George Counts focused on a curriculum that highlights social reform as the aim of education which is also the means of preparing people for creating this new social order. Paulo Friere is one of the most noted critical theorists, who advocated for education and literacy as the vehicle for social change.

ARTICLE-2 Visual representations of women in a Jamaican science textbook: perpetuating an outdated, sexist ideology

Visual representations of women in a Jamaican science textbook: perpetuating an outdated, sexist ideology Description The gender gap in post-compulsory science education remains a key concern for educators in many countries. Over the last two decades, significant effort has been

placed in a number of initiatives aimed not only at raising the profile of science in schools but also at widening female participation. Despite these initiatives, the

rate of female participation in science has typically remained below that of males. Although many reasons have been advanced to explain this, visual representations in school science textbooks remain under-researched. Against a background of gender disparity in the Jamaican education system, this article examines the extent to which visual representations in a widely used school science textbook reinforce or ameliorate gender s tereotypes. The results indicate

that the textbook presents implicit support for gender-biased messages, though in ways that are more subtle than might be supposed. There were a number of ways in which the images did not favour males over females but there were also other ways in which males were more likely to be portrayed as powerful and in high-status ‘positions’, while females were more likely to be depicted in inferior situations. Such gender representations may a ffect how students see themselves in relation to science.

Visual representations of women in a Jamaican science textbook: perpetuating an outdated, sexist ideology Interpretation Although girls are said to outnumber our boys in attendance or overall scholastic achievements, in the areas of sciences, it is the boys who are the main achievers. This article tries to establish that in one of the more popular scientific books the portrayal of the gender remains in keeping with traditional gender stereotyping where the man is been portrayed as powerful and in high-status positions and the women are depicted in inferior positions.

Although their observation was that in numerous cases the images did not favour males over females, the gender-bias messages were more subtle and those gender representations may impact how students view themselves in relation to science.

Visual representations of women in a Jamaican science textbook: perpetuating an outdated, sexist ideology Evaluation As a society, many Jamaicans are of the opinion that because we are always hearing about the achievements of our women academically it means that they are no subtle images that are still there to maintain the patriarchal system in our education.

Wilton Lodge and Michael J. Reiss have done research that looked at Visual representations of women in a Jamaican science textbook: perpetuating an outdated, sexist ideology. They looked at the wide gap between girls and boys participating in the area of science. This research found out that the book perpetrated what they referred to as an outdated sexist idealogy. They also questioned the impact these pictures may or may not have on reinforcing gender stereotyping our girls to the social norm that the sciences are for the boys as these subjects are seen as “hard subjects” in our culture. I would recommend that in our system we began imaging black children in our textbooks and introduced West Indian literature books to be read, therefore we should be eliminating textbooks stereotyping the subjects suited for boys and subjects for our girls, as the continuation of gender bias in subject areas can prevent our students maximising their potential in education.

Visual representations of women in a Jamaican science textbook: perpetuating an outdated, sexist ideology

Theory

We have selected the Social Learning Theory as proposed by Albert Bandura after reading the above article. Bandura viewed social learning as the influence of both environmental and cognitive factors interacting to influence human learning and behaviour. He placed special importance on an area he described as observational learning. This is where he said that children observe, model and imitate, the behaviours, attitudes and emotional reactions of persons influential in their development. He refers to them as models, and it is these models, such as parents, characters on television, peer group and teachers that provide the examples of behaviour that they observe and imitate. This behaviour reflects the

appropriate actions of masculinity and femininity or proper social behaviour or anti-social behaviour. Hence in the education sector, the gender roles will also be significant as it relates to the subjects for the boys as is differentiated by the subjects for the girls.

ARTICLE-3 STUDENTS REIMAGINE THE JAMAICAN EDUCATION SYSTEM

Description

STUDENTS REIMAGINE THE JAMAICAN EDUCATION SYSTEM

Between January and February 2021, UNICEF Jamaica and the National Secondary Students’ Council (NSSC) held a series of consultations with ten (10) groups of high school students across the island, including students with disabilities, students in juvenile centres and in state care, student leaders from various schools and a general representation from students in urban and rural Jamaica. A total of 74 students participated in the focus group discussions, 44 of whom were girls and 30 were boys. The sessions were facilitated by a combined team of adult educators, including UNICEF and MOEYI staff, and student leaders of the NSSC who ensured that students’ voices were heard. The energy, spirit and views of the students were captured, and key concerns and recommendations are highlighted in this report. Summary of

findings The consultations revealed the resilience and resolute determination of the students. They were unafraid, confident and eager to share their views about the education system – the way they experience it now, how they and their peers are impacted by it, and their vision for a reimagined education.

STUDENTS REIMAGINE THE JAMAICAN EDUCATION SYSTEM

Description cont...

The youth of Jamaica have big dreams of what they want to see, feel and be. Students were engaged around four grounding questions: a. Why should we Reimagine Education? b. What do you think the purpose of school should be? c. Is the education that you are receiving achieving that purpose and keeping youth engaged? If not, why? d. Is there anything that is not taught in school that you would like to learn? Student feedback to the first question overwhelmingly revealed a general feeling that there is a need to reimagine education because the traditional classroom is rapidly changing, especially with the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. They were all clear that education was vital to their success in the world – and for some, the only way out of poverty. Their feedback to questions two, three and four were aligned across all schools: students imagine a more equitable classroom, enthusiastic and empathetic teachers, expanded curriculum and engaging lessons.

STUDENTS REIMAGINE THE JAMAICAN EDUCATION SYSTEM Description cont...

The students identified priority areas of focus for the future of education which could be grouped into four distinct pillars : i. Equity and Inclusion Inclusive education catering for diverse learners ii. Relationships in Learning • Teacher-student collaboration Empathy and compassion • Parent and teacher motivation iii. Curriculum Content • Real-life experiences • Varied curriculum that caters to interests • Leadership skill development • Physical and co-curricular activity iv. Teacher Capacity and Lesson Delivery 9. Active engagement 10. Blended learning

STUDENTS REIMAGINE THE JAMAICAN EDUCATION SYSTEM Description cont...

Students were highly appreciative of the opportunity to express themselves in a safe, non-judgmental space and felt that their opinions were valued and mattered. Students say...“Education is outdated and achievementbased.” “Teachers sometimes make students teach themselves.” “Some students are distracted. Teachers aren’t really engaging, and classrooms are not comfortable. This makes students feel # overwhelmed.” “We sometimes use drugs as an escape.”''the current system stifles creativity and suffocates students’ self-expression.” “Bad things happen ‘round you – family members kill someone and they want to kill you and so we have to defend ourselves, and sometimes it is hard to take you mind off it even though there are good things happening too “Other people cause us to drop out of school, cause dem draw yuh out and change yuh focus.” “The current societal construct of a man in our culture hinders males from wanting to be involved in education.” The education system doesn’t reflect their realities.

Interpretation

STUDENTS REIMAGINE THE JAMAICAN EDUCATION SYSTEM

This research looked at students representing different sections of our educational system voicing their opinions on what should be done to reimage the present education system. Data was gathered not only from students in the formal school system but also from children in state care, those who were expelled from school and those who had dropped out of the school system. The guiding questions were: (a) Why should we Reimagine #

Education? (b). What do you think the purpose of school should be? ( c.) Is the education that you are receiving achieving that purpose and keeping youth engaged? If not, why? (d) Is there anything that is not taught in school that you would like to learn? Their responses given were documented and placed in a report.

Evaluation

STUDENTS REIMAGINE THE JAMAICAN EDUCATION SYSTEM

This UNICEF Jamaica funded qualitative research was conducted by consultant Renée Rattray Ed.D. between January and February 2021. Consultations were held with ten groups of high school students from all across Jamaica with assistance from the National Secondary Students’ Council (NSSC), including students with disabilities, students in juvenile centres and in state care, student leaders from various schools and a general representation from students in urban and rural Jamaica. This series of consultations is important to our educational system, especially at this time when lots of changes are taking

place worldwide. In many instances in the past students when changes are to be made in education our students are either leftout of the equation or a few would be there in the discussions, more like tokenism than having a say in the process. After reading the article, I would recommend that the Ministry of Education need to consider the responses from the focus group discussions,#especially as it relates to Equity and Inclusion, that presently the system is outdated and achievement-based, that the current system stifles creativity and suffocates students’ self-expression, the current societal construct of a man in our culture hinders males from wanting to be involved in education and the education system doesn’t reflect their realities. These are some very

serious expressions from our students and for the system to be reimaged these and the other findings ought to be considered.

Interpretation

STUDENTS REIMAGINE THE JAMAICAN EDUCATION SYSTEM

This research looked at students representing different sections of our educational system voicing their opinions on what should be done to reimage the present education system. Data was gathered not only from students in the formal school system but also from children in state care, those who were expelled from school and those who had dropped out of the school system. The guiding questions were: (a) Why should we Reimagine #

Education? (b). What do you think the purpose of school should be? ( c.) Is the education that you are receiving achieving that purpose and keeping youth engaged? If not, why? (d) Is there anything that is not taught in school that you would like to learn? Their responses given were documented and placed in a report.

Economical issues

ARTICLE-1 The Economics of Education Ecosystem-repair, growth and sustainability

The Economics of Education Ecosystemrepair, growth and sustainability Description The article “The economics of the education ecosystem repair, growth and sustainability” was written by Sheryl Daley and published on January 12, 2022, in the Jamaica Gleaner. The article speaks on the surge of mental health issues among children and their families following the two-year pandemic. The article has highlighted some of the challenges faced by their communities and households due to the many restrictions, closure of schools and limited adult supervision.

The Economics of Education Ecosystemrepair, growth and sustainability Interpretation

The novel coronavirus has severely impacted the financial state of Jamaica, with our borders being closed and continuous restrictions aimed at combating the COVID virus as limited the country's ability to earn. This has severely impacted the lives of parents/guardians and their children mentally, and financially. More structured time at home has resulted in more sexual abuse and physical abuse among children and

teenagers due to financial and social stress. After two years of (the pandemic), isolation is the reopening of a breath of fresh air for students, however, the mental health challenges faced by students cannot be overlooked by resocialization but be tackled head-on with numerous interventions and trial error through a holistic approach.

The Economics of Education Ecosystemrepair, growth and sustainability Evaluation Mental health issues as always have always plagued our Jamaican education system however the recent pandemic has displayed its prevalence and delicacy but more so our lack of knowledge and experience in diagnosing and treating these issues holistically.

The Economics of Education Ecosystemrepair, growth and sustainability Theory The pandemic has given rise to a myriad of financial challenges in families, many of whom were already living below the poverty line or facing some sort of financial challenges. Hunger and consistent food shortage became the norm for many families in Jamaica during the pandemic. According to Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs, physiological needs are one of the most important basic needs in order to survive as human beings. This includes food and water, sufficient rest, clothing and shelter, overall health, and reproduction. Based on the theory and our current reality many families' physiological needs are not being met thus, they are unmotivated and their only quest is in search of food.

ARTICLE-2 Put money where your mouth is, Holness!

Put money where your mouth is, Holness!

Description The article “Put money where your mouth is, Holness! The crisis of UWI's finances and why we must overcome it” was written by Dr. Canute Thompson and published in the Jamaica Gleaner on March 02, 2021. The ten minutes read speaks about the challenges faced by the Universities due to limited funding from the current Jamaican Government.

Put money where your mouth is, Holness!

Interpretation The University in Jamaica needs adequate funding in order to function effectively. However despite the lack of funding the universities are increasing their awareness and trademade mark within the Caribbean and its diaspora namely the university of the West Indies. The articles brag the importance of post secondary and tertiary education to sustainability and true prosperity.

Put money where your mouth is, Holness!

Evaluation The article is politically aligned and biassed. While universities need funding to effectively function, the writer bashes the current administration and blames them for the university financial decline.

Put money where your mouth is, Holness!

Theory The article is not aligned with any theory.

ARTICLE-3 Education sector will need billions to recover from COVID-19, says Patterson

Education sector will need billions to recover from COVID-19, says Patterson Description The article “Education sector will need billions to recover from COVID-19, says Patterson” was written by a Gleaner columnist and published on January 13, 2022. The four minutes read article speaks briefly about the cost to recover the damage education sector amidst COVID 19.

Education sector will need billions to recover from COVID-19, says Patterson

Interpretation

The two year long corona-virus pandemic has deminished the Jamaica education sector and despite the dilemma faced by both student and educators, the Covid pandemic was a sliver lining to reform the education sector, since some of the issue our education as bbe identified such as the “ learning crisis.” Despite student were being matriculing to the next stage many were not learning. Thus“a crisis of poor performance and an organisational crisis” was recognized. In efforts to remedy the situation, new mode and method of teaching and learning where initiated, tested and utilized as well as other methods used to meet school representatives in larger capacity rather than a field visit to each location which was time consuming and cost to the government. Now the education sector us utilizing the zoom platform to host meeting, webinar and training that can facilitate hundred of participants in one sitting.

Education sector will need billions to recover from COVID-19, says Patterson Evaluation The article was well written by the columnist of the Gleaner company, despite it was a recollection of a virtual launch of The Reform of Education in Jamaica 2021 the report was detailed, outlining the main feature of the session.

Education sector will need billions to recover from COVID-19, says Patterson Theory The article is not aligned with any theory.

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Lodge, W., & Reiss, M. (2020). Visual representations of women in a Jamaican science textbook: perpetuating an outdated, sexist ideology. International Journal Of Science Education, 43(13), 2169-2184. https://doi.org/10.1080/09500693.2021.1957514

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https://jis.gov.jm/report-to-reform-education-system-launched/ Wilks A. (2021) Some parents warming up to SFP retrieved March 31, 2022 https://jamaica-gleaner.com/article/lead-stories/20211113/some-parentswarming-sfpps Williams M. K. (2017) John Dewey in the 21st Century Retrieved March 31, 2022, https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1158258.pdf

n/a, n. (2021). Put money where your mouth is, Holness!. Jamaica Observer. Retrieved 6 April 2022, from https://www.jamaicaobserver.com/opinion/put-money-where-your-thecrisis-of-uwi-s-finances-and-why-we-must-overcome-it_216042.

Education sector will need billions to recover from COVID-19, says Patterson. Jamaicagleaner.com. (2021). Retrieved 6 April 2022, from https://jamaicagleaner.com/article/news/20220113/education-sector-will-need-billions-recover-covid-19says-patterson.