Ronald Thwaites | It is stupidity, after all

What stupidity is it for all the complaints about six out of every 10 Jamaican electors absenting themselves from the vote (though not apparently from the well-lubricated mass meetings).

Stupidity, because what else is to be expected when most of us have never been schooled in the virtues of civic engagement. To the contrary, the modelling most of us are accustomed to is to view the political process as constraint, entitlement, ingrained corruption or temporary excitement. The outcome last week was as predictable as its consequences for happier lives are doubtful.

ENTITLEMENT

Last month while standing at a bill-paying kiosk in a Flow office, the guy next to me engaged like this: “Wait, is you Mr Twait. My madda used to vote for you before she dead. My car need gas so mi a wait till yu finish”.

He was totally unimpressed and actually became angry when I explained that hand-outs were not what politics are about and that in any event, I was no longer an active politician.

His mentality is pretty normal. His type is going to haunt everyone who was elected last week and many of the losers as well.

LEAVING OUT ESSENTIALS

Second only to the illiteracy tsunami, the down-grade of the study of history and the absence of instruction in civic virtues in our school curriculum, cascade into the lack of participation leading to the election of the next government by no more than 20 per cent of those eligible to vote.

What kind of mandate is that? Legal, yes but profoundly inadequate in reflecting the will of a nation and pathetically weak in the capacity to spur a critical mass towards any united resolve and struggle.

BUY-ELECTION?

The millions of dollars spat out on Tuesday night will soon done. The story is told of the ballot paper which, in addition to the X read “Thank you for the $40,000”.

After the reputed last-minute $100 million is splurged, bitterness and hang-over will follow. I hear some banks almost ran out of cash. The ‘buy-election’ syndrome is getting worse, not better. The win- at- all-cost vice is the ethos Jamaicans are seeing, learning and practising in the absence of strong moral antidotes.

SELFISHNESS V COMMON GOOD

As Mia Mottley told her Jamaican audience last year, individualism is only positive when each of us is already enmeshed in a transcendental ethos or story which makes individuality not might or whim but part of a whole poised between chaos and order.

THE RESULT

As it turned out the results were as expected with some queer statistics still to be interrogated. There is nothing to crow about. For the Jamaica Labour Party to have massively outspent their rivals but lost 14 seats now won by strong opposition members, tells of the writing on the wall and is good for democracy- provided the chosen ones are constrained to break out of the stultification of parliament and patronage politics. Sustained public pressure will be essential.

TRANSFORMATIVE EFFORT

After an academic year of effort to transform the capabilities of nearly three hundred students in two high schools who entered Grade 7 many reading at a pre-primer level or barely above, multiple independent assessments show average improvement of between three and four grade levels.

This is a big step for these children which has been achieved only because the Ministry of Education allowed deviation from the multi-subject National Standard Curriculum to be replaced by intense concentration on literacy, numeracy and character formation. But it is still not enough. These students need at least another year of emphasis on the basics before they can handle many other subjects competently and be ready for some standard testing and onwards to personal responsibility and productive work.

MISLEADING EMPHASIS

Professor Thompson is right. Stop teaching to pass exams and instead track the specific educational and personality capacities and challenges of each child. The additional unit cost of each Grade 7 student for last academic year has been in the region of $60,000. This is a relatively cheap investment.

Much of that sum can be absorbed in the existing allocations to a school if the teachers contracts were renegotiated to ensure upskilling, accountability and increased remuneration. Which government will take on that? What future can we project if they do not?

Dangerously, poverty and parental disinterest still blight many able children in our cohort. People are still spawning children who they don’t want, can’t manage or are too permissive with.

Even more significant than better reading skills are the improved personality traits among disturbed youth over the year of smaller classes and personal attention. Many have learned more ordered behaviour and attention to class duties.

This method of restoring hope for underperforming students shows promise and is worthy of research and gradual expansion.

EXEMPLARY TEACHERS

No praise can be too high for those teachers of this cohort who have been willing to step beyond their subject specialities and blend in foundational skills and attitudes into their classes.

Most important of all, these teachers have transmitted to these underachievers a belief in themselves, their basic goodness, beauty and self-worth. Their personalities have radiated hope to many who come to school convinced that they are of little or no worth. This is a redemptive struggle. Such effort and devotion has to become the norm among educators and be rewarded accordingly.

HOW DIFFERENT

Because of what might have been an honest mistake about a tax liability, Angela Rayner, the deputy prime minister of the United Kingdom, has resigned her position. She did the right thing. Contrast that with our situation where legislators at the highest level face down credible allegations and go further to scorn and attack the laws and institutions designed to safeguard honesty in public affairs. We must demand virtuous service instead of grovelling to status and power.

SAVE THE DATE

On September 22 at St George’s College, Philip Wong, a distinguished alumnus, will tell the story of his epic struggle and success. It will be exciting. This event is the continuation of a one-of-a-kind series to inspire all senior high school students to dream, emulate and plan lives of prosperity and generosity. Don’t miss it.

Rev Ronald G. Thwaites is an attorney-at-law. He is former member of parliament for Kingston Central and was the minister of education. He is the principal of St Michael’s College at The UWI. Send feedback to columns@gleanerjm.com