EDUCATION
Education is defined as the act or process of imparting or acquiring general knowledge, developing the powers of
reasoning and judgment, and generally of preparing oneself or others intellectually for mature life. Education is far
more than what takes place in our learning institutions. Educating people involve teaching them the things that will
enable them to make the best decisions possible and function sucessfully in society. Some of these includes
citizens rights and responsibility, the justice system, financial matters as well as property rights.
Primarily, it is of utmost importance that people know their rights as well as their responsibilities. The best way to
protect someone's rights is for that person to know what their rights are and what steps to take whenever their
rights have being infringed. This prevent persons being taken advantage of, as well as to avoid many conflicts. If
we really care about protecting peoples' right, this should be the start. Any thing less is just platitude.
It is important that people understand the difference between criminal justice and civil justice and the purpose that
each serve. Many persons are not even aware that they can pursue civil action against anyone who have wrong
them and instead think that the end of the criminal case is the end of the matter. When a person is charge
criminally for a offence that is committed against an individual or the state, it is the state that will bring the charge,
try the case and impose the penalty if the person is found guilty. The law allows for persons to seek civil damage
but so many victims are not even aware of this and never seek compensation from the person who had committed
the offence. Persons need to be also aware that compensation can also be sought when they are wronged even if
the case is not a criminal matter, example libel.
During the FINSAC meltdown, it was surprising how many persons were unaware that the possibility existed that a
bank could fail and that they could lose their money. It was quite common to hear persons saying "mi give them mi
money to keep. How come them tek it len out?". Many persons enter into various financial arrangement only to find
out later that it is not what they thought is was and end up losing heavily. Education is just as important as
regulations. Education helps persons to avoid many of the loopholes and pitfalls that regulations are expected to
protect them from. Sadly too many persons do not understand the processes happening around them and in which
they are involved. JAP will run an in-depth and extended campaign to educate the nation on these and other
matters. For instance, persons need to know that whatever the government does is done on behalf of all of us and
in our name. This include the borrowing or allocation of money, the imprisonment of an individual or the hanging of
a murderer. They also need to know that we bear the responsibility of all the government's actions regardless of
which government is in place. For this reason and the fact that we are all directly affected by decisions which the
government takes, we all need to participate in the governance of the country. JAP will focus on the overall
education of the nations' citizens so as to enable persons to make the best decisions in order to enable them to
have the best standard of life possible.
Schools
There are several factor which are common among the schools which are doing well and which we all aspire for our
children to attend. These include a high level of discipline, a high level of parental involvement and in some cases
past students associations. The converse is true of the schools which are not doing well. A low level of discipline,
poor parental involvement and past students asociation are usually features. What has caused this breakdown in
discipline in so many of our schools? It seems that the power has been removed from the teachers hands and put
into the hands of the students. This has resulted in students openly challenging and cursing teacher. Almost all of
the measures used by these institutions to maintain discipline among students have been discontinued or curtailed
due to directives from the ministry of education. It's almost as if "don't do any thing to hurt the students' feelings."
Dedicated teachers are now totally frustrated as when they cannot maintain discipline in a class room, they cannot
teach the students. Thousands of teachers who have given years of dedicated service are frustrated and are
simply waiting for their early retirement while some have just decided to call it quits. They feel that their back is
against the wall and that they can cannot depend of the ministry for any support. Despite the low wages and in
some cases poor working conditions, it is the level of indicipline which is driving most teachers from the classrooms.
This is not to suggest that teachers should be given the power to abuse any student. Some of these students
comes from very difficult background and in many cases simply need a firm hand, some caring word or a hug and
some encouragement. Provisions must be made to protect the rights and best interest of all the children at all
times. With the rampant indiscipline now plauging our schools, the answer has been to put school resource
officers in our schools, provide them with metal detectors and encase our schools behind grill bars. The
maintenance of discipline is now being ceded from teachers to resource officers. To restore discipline into our
school, it is important that both students and teachers be held accountable as well as the parents. Everyone
needs to know clearly what is expected of them and be held accountable if and when they erred. The practice of
reprimand and punishment have now been replaced with counselling and consultations. Each of these have it
place in our schools and should be used as needs be. A JAP government will give the power to run the school back
to the school board, the principal, teachers and the parent teachers association (PTA). Too many decisions
concerning the running of the schools are being made at Heroes Circle who constantly meddle in the running of the
schools. The duty of the Ministry of Education is to set and enforce guidelines under which all schools will operate.
It is not their duty to micro-manage every aspect of the school operation. Things like the type of graduation
ceremony, for instance, should solely be the decision of the school board, the principal, teachers and parents.
There is absolutely no need for the ministry to get involved. Parents need to attend PTA meetings where they can
question the administration and receive information on the operations of the schools. Too often those members
who are present at PTA meetings have to sit and wait in the hope that a few more parent will turn up so as to form a
quorem. The absent parent are the ones who will then make an issue about decisions that were taken, at the point
when they are being implemented.. .JAP will implement measures to raise the moral of teachers and restore
discipline in our schools, look out for the welfare of students and achieve greater parental involvement. A fifteen
minutes morning break for students will be implemented in all schools which are not operating on a shift system. At
present most schools only give a forty minutes lunch break for the duration of the day. This time is barely enough
to purchase and consume lunch then rush to the bathrooms which has to be shared among the thousands of
students. This break is very important to allow for socialization and the building of friendships between the
students, the use of bathroom as well as to serve as a mental break. Principals and school boards along with the
teachers and parents will be given more powers and flexibilty to run their schools in the best interest of all concern.
This will of course be within the guideline set down by the ministry.
Education is defined as the act or process of imparting or acquiring general knowledge, developing the powers of
reasoning and judgment, and generally of preparing oneself or others intellectually for mature life. Education is far
more than what takes place in our learning institutions. Educating people involve teaching them the things that will
enable them to make the best decisions possible and function sucessfully in society. Some of these includes
citizens rights and responsibility, the justice system, financial matters as well as property rights.
Primarily, it is of utmost importance that people know their rights as well as their responsibilities. The best way to
protect someone's rights is for that person to know what their rights are and what steps to take whenever their
rights have being infringed. This prevent persons being taken advantage of, as well as to avoid many conflicts. If
we really care about protecting peoples' right, this should be the start. Any thing less is just platitude.
It is important that people understand the difference between criminal justice and civil justice and the purpose that
each serve. Many persons are not even aware that they can pursue civil action against anyone who have wrong
them and instead think that the end of the criminal case is the end of the matter. When a person is charge
criminally for a offence that is committed against an individual or the state, it is the state that will bring the charge,
try the case and impose the penalty if the person is found guilty. The law allows for persons to seek civil damage
but so many victims are not even aware of this and never seek compensation from the person who had committed
the offence. Persons need to be also aware that compensation can also be sought when they are wronged even if
the case is not a criminal matter, example libel.
During the FINSAC meltdown, it was surprising how many persons were unaware that the possibility existed that a
bank could fail and that they could lose their money. It was quite common to hear persons saying "mi give them mi
money to keep. How come them tek it len out?". Many persons enter into various financial arrangement only to find
out later that it is not what they thought is was and end up losing heavily. Education is just as important as
regulations. Education helps persons to avoid many of the loopholes and pitfalls that regulations are expected to
protect them from. Sadly too many persons do not understand the processes happening around them and in which
they are involved. JAP will run an in-depth and extended campaign to educate the nation on these and other
matters. For instance, persons need to know that whatever the government does is done on behalf of all of us and
in our name. This include the borrowing or allocation of money, the imprisonment of an individual or the hanging of
a murderer. They also need to know that we bear the responsibility of all the government's actions regardless of
which government is in place. For this reason and the fact that we are all directly affected by decisions which the
government takes, we all need to participate in the governance of the country. JAP will focus on the overall
education of the nations' citizens so as to enable persons to make the best decisions in order to enable them to
have the best standard of life possible.
Schools
There are several factor which are common among the schools which are doing well and which we all aspire for our
children to attend. These include a high level of discipline, a high level of parental involvement and in some cases
past students associations. The converse is true of the schools which are not doing well. A low level of discipline,
poor parental involvement and past students asociation are usually features. What has caused this breakdown in
discipline in so many of our schools? It seems that the power has been removed from the teachers hands and put
into the hands of the students. This has resulted in students openly challenging and cursing teacher. Almost all of
the measures used by these institutions to maintain discipline among students have been discontinued or curtailed
due to directives from the ministry of education. It's almost as if "don't do any thing to hurt the students' feelings."
Dedicated teachers are now totally frustrated as when they cannot maintain discipline in a class room, they cannot
teach the students. Thousands of teachers who have given years of dedicated service are frustrated and are
simply waiting for their early retirement while some have just decided to call it quits. They feel that their back is
against the wall and that they can cannot depend of the ministry for any support. Despite the low wages and in
some cases poor working conditions, it is the level of indicipline which is driving most teachers from the classrooms.
This is not to suggest that teachers should be given the power to abuse any student. Some of these students
comes from very difficult background and in many cases simply need a firm hand, some caring word or a hug and
some encouragement. Provisions must be made to protect the rights and best interest of all the children at all
times. With the rampant indiscipline now plauging our schools, the answer has been to put school resource
officers in our schools, provide them with metal detectors and encase our schools behind grill bars. The
maintenance of discipline is now being ceded from teachers to resource officers. To restore discipline into our
school, it is important that both students and teachers be held accountable as well as the parents. Everyone
needs to know clearly what is expected of them and be held accountable if and when they erred. The practice of
reprimand and punishment have now been replaced with counselling and consultations. Each of these have it
place in our schools and should be used as needs be. A JAP government will give the power to run the school back
to the school board, the principal, teachers and the parent teachers association (PTA). Too many decisions
concerning the running of the schools are being made at Heroes Circle who constantly meddle in the running of the
schools. The duty of the Ministry of Education is to set and enforce guidelines under which all schools will operate.
It is not their duty to micro-manage every aspect of the school operation. Things like the type of graduation
ceremony, for instance, should solely be the decision of the school board, the principal, teachers and parents.
There is absolutely no need for the ministry to get involved. Parents need to attend PTA meetings where they can
question the administration and receive information on the operations of the schools. Too often those members
who are present at PTA meetings have to sit and wait in the hope that a few more parent will turn up so as to form a
quorem. The absent parent are the ones who will then make an issue about decisions that were taken, at the point
when they are being implemented.. .JAP will implement measures to raise the moral of teachers and restore
discipline in our schools, look out for the welfare of students and achieve greater parental involvement. A fifteen
minutes morning break for students will be implemented in all schools which are not operating on a shift system. At
present most schools only give a forty minutes lunch break for the duration of the day. This time is barely enough
to purchase and consume lunch then rush to the bathrooms which has to be shared among the thousands of
students. This break is very important to allow for socialization and the building of friendships between the
students, the use of bathroom as well as to serve as a mental break. Principals and school boards along with the
teachers and parents will be given more powers and flexibilty to run their schools in the best interest of all concern.
This will of course be within the guideline set down by the ministry.
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THE JAMAICA ACTION PARTY
