What value for our education dollar?

THE EDITOR: I did not have the time before but I wanted to write you concerning your editorial of August 28, regarding the disastrous performance of prospective SRP’s in a simple dictation test. Your editorial poses the question: “What does that say about the effectiveness of our education system?” and the answer is simple. The Junior Secondary School system exists as a cauldron of indiscipline. And this is so because of the attitude of both parents and teachers. Sad to say, we are churning out hooligans faster than we dare to admit.

Our Government has remained content to mention how much money they are spending on education but they never attempt to quantify what they are getting for money spent. Fact is they do not have the political will to address this problem., recognising as they do that some trade unions are willing to go as far as injunctions in the High Court to protect their malingering members. It is a virtual hornet’s nest and can cost a lot of votes. We certainly need to have a proper programme for evaluation of the performance of teachers. What is the present system in place to evaluate their performance? How current are they in teaching methods and skills? How many of them utilise their long vacations to attend workshops, seminars and refresher courses?

Enough said. I need more especially to focus on the selection process of the SRPs. Are we as a nation satisfied that this dictation test is the best method for selecting those who must function as policemen? This dictation must be simpler than a Common Entrance or SEA examination. How then can we be be satisfied that the persons so selected are fit and proper to “Protect and Serve?” On several occasions I have seen comments in our newspapers from people who complain that in many instances our policemen seem disposed to behave in a manner quite counter to their motto. The fact is that those who manage to spell the words may not even know their meaning. Even more alarming is the statement by a senior government official that they were selecting “the cream of the crop.” If there is any cream there, then it must be the cream of the crumbs. Existing first world technology will render our dictation entrants very much out of their depth. Is it any wonder that the “massive assault on crime” turns out to be a vehicle de-tinting exercise with a brothel raided for good measure. I saw some persons charged for “lewd dancing,” but every night on Cable TV you can see much worse. So where is the consistency? Criminals can certainly take comfort in all of this as they continue to  be always one step ahead of the police.

Surely we are making it easy for them to thrive in their criminality. These SRP’s may well prove to we be a major embarrassment to the nation in years to come.As a nation aspiring to first world status by the year 2020 we must take action now that will set us on that path of performance and excellence. And this is where we become discouraged by this vision 2020 ambition: when those who must take us there do not seem to have a proper appreciation of what is required. I fear that we be may well be stalemated at 1818. I suggest that it is time that we place a standard on the entry level in the Police Service of at least 5 CXC passes which must include Maths and English. Additionally, we need an entry examination that will identify qualities such as comprehension skills, reasoning ability, knowledge of current events, social studies, psychological disposition, computer literacy.
During the colonial days it was okay to hire policemen who were well endowed physically and barely literate. This time has long passed. We be must look at the long term. I humbly submit that we need policemen who can function in this era of high and ever increasing technology. I dare say, we need high school and university graduates as police officers.

Ray Ramdeen
San Fernando