I have always known our educational system is deeply flawed, but now I am getting firsthand experience as to how flawed it truly is.
On Tuesday night, my seven-year-old daughter sat on the kitchen floor having what I best can describe as a mild panic attack over her half-yearly exams. I held her as tight as I could, I understood her frustration, the pressure she felt coupled with the trauma of having been out of school for two years.
It’s cruel that our education system relies so heavily on exams, that it is based on read and regurgitate that critical thinking or having opinions isn’t encouraged.
Despite heavy criticism, it seems the revamping of the educational system is forever overlooked. Rather than teaching critical thinking, encouraging conversation, developing presentation skills (all of which are super useful in adult life), we rely on that good old system of reading and regurgitating.
We place so much emphasis on exams and the importance of doing well, that we have children on the verge of nervous breakdowns every year when SEA, CXC and CAPE come around.
Backwards ever and forward never!
This should really be our nation’s slogan when it comes to educating our children.
Why can’t we create a system of continuous assessment? Yes, we can still have exams, but they shouldn’t account for the largest percentage of a child’s overall grade.
I mean, if my daughter and I are cracking in standard one, what is going to happen in standard five. I now understand where all my adulthood anxieties stem from.
But naturally, education never takes first place in our land backwardsness.
Schools remain closed and many schools will continue to stay closed due to a lack of funds for repairs, teaching equipment and the health and safety tools needed.
No there is no money for schools, but there is lots of money… around $15 million… to host a “Taste of Carnival” carnival.
Listen it’s not that the Government doesn’t know what they need to do, it’s just that they don’t want to do it.
If Cabinet can approve $15 million for a “Taste of Carnival” plus an additional $5 million in grants for small promoters and events, they can surely approve the funds needed to ensure our schools are ready to open and that no child gets left behind.
Open Schools TT has estimated a total of 50,000 children have been excluded from online schooling due to lack of devices, internet, etc.
That’s deplorable, absolutely 101% unacceptable.
Listen I understand that Carnival and all its events are winners when it comes to the economy. But riddle me this Batman, what is the use of a few extra dollars in the country’s wallet today when we are facing a future generation of lost adults who were denied the benefit of education?
Here’s a fun fact – chances are when schools do reopen there will be a record number of dropouts and children who are way behind.
We are hearing plans for Carnival and apparently lots of thought has gone into it, but its radio silence on how we are going handle students returning to schools and how our education system will adapt to the shortfalls created by school closures.
Psychological and educational experts have been urging our Government to review the educational system for the sake of our children.
Now in the time of a pandemic, these same experts have pointed out increased instances of childhood and adolescent mental dysfunction due to school closures and the need to reopen schools.
Their concerns have been ignored, but a few mas men shed a tear or two and BA BAM a taste of Carnival.
Perhaps had our educational system placed importance on critical thinking when our leaders were in school, we wouldn’t be in such a mess.
It has become clear that in our island of instant gratification and passing problems along to the next suckers who sit in the throne of Government, education has never been a priority.
I’m fed up, my children are fed up and I continue to be baffled by our backward approach to education, pre and post-pandemic. It is the root of many of our nation’s problems, it is not an easy fix and sadly no one has had the testicular fortitude to do what is best for our youth.
So enjoy your taste of Carnival, I hope it’s unpleasantly salty.
Unfortunately, you’ve chosen this over the sweet taste of education.
The Sweet Taste of Education vs Carnival
I have always known our educational system is deeply flawed, but now I am getting firsthand experience as to how flawed it truly is.
On Tuesday night, my seven-year-old daughter sat on the kitchen floor having what I best can describe as a mild panic attack over her half-yearly exams. I held her as tight as I could, I understood her frustration, the pressure she felt coupled with the trauma of having been out of school for two years.
It’s cruel that our education system relies so heavily on exams, that it is based on read and regurgitate that critical thinking or having opinions isn’t encouraged.
Despite heavy criticism, it seems the revamping of the educational system is forever overlooked. Rather than teaching critical thinking, encouraging conversation, developing presentation skills (all of which are super useful in adult life), we rely on that good old system of reading and regurgitating.
We place so much emphasis on exams and the importance of doing well, that we have children on the verge of nervous breakdowns every year when SEA, CXC and CAPE come around.
Backwards ever and forward never!
This should really be our nation’s slogan when it comes to educating our children.
Why can’t we create a system of continuous assessment? Yes, we can still have exams, but they shouldn’t account for the largest percentage of a child’s overall grade.
I mean, if my daughter and I are cracking in standard one, what is going to happen in standard five. I now understand where all my adulthood anxieties stem from.
But naturally, education never takes first place in our land backwardsness.
Schools remain closed and many schools will continue to stay closed due to a lack of funds for repairs, teaching equipment and the health and safety tools needed.
No there is no money for schools, but there is lots of money… around $15 million… to host a “Taste of Carnival” carnival.
Listen it’s not that the Government doesn’t know what they need to do, it’s just that they don’t want to do it.
If Cabinet can approve $15 million for a “Taste of Carnival” plus an additional $5 million in grants for small promoters and events, they can surely approve the funds needed to ensure our schools are ready to open and that no child gets left behind.
Open Schools TT has estimated a total of 50,000 children have been excluded from online schooling due to lack of devices, internet, etc.
That’s deplorable, absolutely 101% unacceptable.
Listen I understand that Carnival and all its events are winners when it comes to the economy. But riddle me this Batman, what is the use of a few extra dollars in the country’s wallet today when we are facing a future generation of lost adults who were denied the benefit of education?
Here’s a fun fact – chances are when schools do reopen there will be a record number of dropouts and children who are way behind.
We are hearing plans for Carnival and apparently lots of thought has gone into it, but its radio silence on how we are going handle students returning to schools and how our education system will adapt to the shortfalls created by school closures.
Psychological and educational experts have been urging our Government to review the educational system for the sake of our children.
Now in the time of a pandemic, these same experts have pointed out increased instances of childhood and adolescent mental dysfunction due to school closures and the need to reopen schools.
Their concerns have been ignored, but a few mas men shed a tear or two and BA BAM a taste of Carnival.
Perhaps had our educational system placed importance on critical thinking when our leaders were in school, we wouldn’t be in such a mess.
It has become clear that in our island of instant gratification and passing problems along to the next suckers who sit in the throne of Government, education has never been a priority.
I’m fed up, my children are fed up and I continue to be baffled by our backward approach to education, pre and post-pandemic. It is the root of many of our nation’s problems, it is not an easy fix and sadly no one has had the testicular fortitude to do what is best for our youth.
So enjoy your taste of Carnival, I hope it’s unpleasantly salty.
Unfortunately, you’ve chosen this over the sweet taste of education.
#CLASSBEFOREMAS