I am amazed that some people portray themselves as being intelligent human beings but yet seem to be behaving like the ostrich that buries its head in the sand and doesn’t see what is happening above ground or in the real world. Reading the newspapers gives one much food for thought and exposes some things about people that would otherwise seem respectable as their titles would suggest. A letter that was written by Rev. Gideon Cecil, and published in the Stabroek News of May 23, 2011, titled: “Since the introduction of free education we have produced more ill-educated students than any other nation in the Caribbean” caught my attention.
It is all well and good that the writer felt the need to comment on such a subject but what was glaring is that he did not provide any evidence to support this claim which is very broad in nature. I don’t understand how he can equate free education and ill-educated students.
A student not being able to read properly is not solely the fault of the education system. Remember the saying ‘It takes a village to raise a child’? There is only so much that any school system can do. If students are taught certain things in school but fail to follow their guidelines when they are in their home environment, then how can the school be blamed? Parents need to encourage their children to read more. There have been calls by teachers and authority figures for parents to play a more integral and active role in their children’s education.
I am always taken aback when I see people blaming government for every little thing. People do not feel that they have a responsibility to themselves or their families and it’s often that you hear them voicing their expectations that government will provide everything and meet all their needs.
I would like to remind the Reverend that he has to account for his conscience and although he might believe that he is being ignored, he is being watched with careful eyes for his skewed presentations, occasionally seeking to distort the accomplishments of Guyana. Apart from himself being one of the beneficiaries of free education in Guyana, there are many distinguished gentlemen and ladies serving Guyana and elsewhere who have benefited from this free education system. Did the free education system fail you Rev. Cecil?
Guyana’s education system has progressed over the years so much, that Guyanese students have been excelling at their exams and recording successes over many other Caribbean countries in several subject areas. Did the Reverend conveniently forget this fact when he started his letter?
We are not a backward nation that fails to see the good things that are happening and recognize them for their worth. Government spends huge sums every year to ensure that the education system is upgraded, that the students have what they need to excel; proper facilities, books, trained teachers, etc.
These things have contributed to higher standards of learning. If there is one student that does poorly then there are many more who excel at their studies. Students have to take it upon themselves to aid their own development. Someone who is not interested in learning and who is lazy, cannot expect to come out on top at the examinations. Those who work hard excel and that is a proven fact.
The fact that the Reverend said that he helped that student complete his assignment, shows that even though he is criticising the education system, he himself poses a problem. How can you do someone’s assignment? How does that child learn? Does this improve the education system in any way or benefit that child?
Instead of knocking the education system, the Reverend should have encouraged that child to do a lot of reading and speak to his parents about helping their child too. We cannot depend on the school system alone to mould our children because they do not spend their entire lives there.