TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM CREATING STRESS
Tuesday, December 15th, 2009DENIS KELLMAN’S COLUMN- THE DEBATE
JULY 6, 2006
By Friday, I would have exhausted all invitations to graduation. On occasion such as this, I listened attentively to the various speakers admonishing young minds in the right direction. This year, I was privileged to listen to three speakers and it was not by accident all of them were schooled at the University on the Hill, known to some as the “pig pen.” These speakers concentrated in directing students to the moral high ground.
It is clear that in Barbados, we are seeing a change that is not in the best interest of our young people. This assumption was made because all the speakers instilled certain values in the youngsters, focusing on the spiritual high ground, avoidance of crime, and reading positive books. These speakers are all capable persons and what they said to these students should have been said to the Education Officers to take to their seniors in the Ministry to get them to better understand the under-performance of students in the secondary schools.
The stress created by the transportation system should be carefully analyzed, because if it is affecting workers who would have been in the system for a long time, one should ask the question of the Ministry, what effect it would be having on our young minds? These young minds are forced to face a change in culture at an early age. This could easily be avoided, if the persons who should be looking after the interest of our youngsters had put a proper system in place.
The results, this year have allowed the system to be corrected. It is clear that transportation and other negatives have forced parents to allocate their children to schools that would not create additional stress for the youngsters. Some of these students could have gone to different schools, but opted to attend schools nearer to them. These decisions have allowed schools like Alexandria and Coleridge and Parry to be the schools of choice in the north.
Ignatius Byer School was able to allocate 61 per cent of its students to the north. This means that these students will not have to compete with workers on long haul routes. This does not mean that competition will not be occurring every morning when workers are forced to compete with students because the 6 or 7 o’clock bus has not turned up.
One speaker was able to tell his audience about his advantage when marketing Barbados and speaking about the educational achievement of its people. At least persons who have not gained from our educational system can appreciate what others who have gained from the system cannot appreciate.
Dr. Courtney Blackman has been saying that we need to rethink the financing of our educational system. This system has allowed us to better our public and private sectors. One must wonder what would have happened to Barbados without free secondary education. This too few approaches to education cannot be accepted. I will not support this argument because I feel the exposure has worked well for us in our various industries and I sometimes wonder whether it has to do with the various costs or the independence of mind.
These persons do not see persons as equals, but judge them not on commonsense, but on a piece of paper. Such persons then believe that the can talk anything in front of them and they would not understand. These same persons do not utilize their education, so they automatically believed that it is being wasted by others. This assumption is made because it seems that they have used the various training votes to enhance their salaries and not production.
I might agree that educational achievements at the top do not match production or need. This country cannot continue to have persons with paper that is not relevant and should concentrate on the opportunity costs of their decision. I want the critics to do an analysis of those persons who do degrees after degrees and tell me if these degrees are being used in the interest of the country. I am not surprised that within the public sector, this point is more recognized.
Our country Barbados cannot deprive these young students from the north of an opportunity to help in broadening our productive opportunities. Those persons who have over educated themselves and can now speak about the abuse of the educational system should not deprive others of their opportunity. These persons would do well to inquire from the officials at BIDC about the importance of an educated workforce to their marketing.
The last time we heard this ignorance about the costs of education, we found ourselves short of nurses and doctors. We must appreciate that an educated workforce is an export product and it can also be used to attract investments. We must stop kicking down the ladder and being selfish. Surely, the call has to be better usage of our educational system and persons like Dr. Beckles and myself who believe in specialization should not be ignored.
This country, Barbados must outline its goals and opportunities, allowing young people to know where to focus their education. Maybe we should realize that it cannot be a degree, but one that fits in with the job that you are doing for you to better utilize your education. Messrs Boyce, Springer and Sobers should be consulted to teach Barbadians how to get an effective workforce.
It is not how much money is being spent, but for what it is being spent. We need to appreciate how we measure education and compensate ability. Is it the education vote that these guys are worried about, or is it the over taxation using ineffective systems that are regressive and have outlined their usefulness.
What is needed is a system that allows us to pay for our educational needs, increase the productivity of our workers, fully awarding them for their work and punishing them for their consumption and encouraging them to focus more on the production of the sea and land.
Peace, love, humility, wisdom and understanding.
Minister of Agriculture, Lands, Housing & the Environment, Hilson Baptiste said agriculture remains a resilient sector and continues to enhance livelihood and provide employment for the people of the country.
