We must learn about calypso and maths

With regard to music criticism there is now the controversy over Chalkdust’s (Dr Hollis Liverpool) 2017 calypso, Learn from Arithmetic.

Dr Errol Benjamin, former university lecturer; Barry Padarath, Princes Town MP; Dr Indira Rampersad, columnist; Nirvan Maharaj, head of the All Trinidad General Workers Trade Union; Sat Maharaj, secretary-general of the Sanatan Dharma Maha Sabha, and a Newsday editorial have all critiqued the calypso.

Chalkdust was incensed. He thinks he was savaged. He said, “If they do not understand calypsoes that is their business. Calypso is for intelligent people.” In other words, all of them are stupid.

But that wasn’t nice. That is not the point or maybe that is the point. All our art, all our music should be placed under the scrutiny of our people, whether they are considered intelligent or not.

My concern is that from the outset the media, who are the prime opinion makers in this country, do not have a consistent approach to analysing our arts.

If that lapse is remedied by dedicated commentators the public would be guided to merits or flaws in our creative works.

But on the other hand the name of the calypso, Learn from Arithmetic, tells us a story. On Ash Wednesday I wrote on Facebook: “I saw a very significant You- Tube video yesterday, Carnival Tuesday, I think educators and the general public in TT should see it. Please google ‘9-year old banned from math subject test.’ “It speaks about a case of discrimination in assessment. And it also speaks about mathematics education.

The parent in this case, Adolphus Daniel, an experienced maths teacher, has clearly gained the upper hand where mathematics education is concerned.

“His son, Adolphus Noel Daniel, is an articulate youth and his passes at CXC math show an accomplishment that goes above what we are hearing about the state of mathematics education in the Caribbean. Passes in mathematics (and English) are abysmally low and as the Minister of Education said recently, remedial action needs to be taken based on data from the 2016 Secondary Entrance Assessment Examination.

“Students from 56 schools in the seven education districts were assessed. The results revealed a total of 2,478 students with English language deficits, 2,619 with mathematics deficits and 1,794 with both English language and mathematics deficits.” But I go further. If we look at the CXC results for mathematics in TT . There was a 50 percent failure rate at last year’s exams. In other words, after the failures at SE A we have become worse off.

We have to learn from arithmetic.

We have to learn from mathematics.

We have to learn about our music and musicians, calypso and calypsonians.

Aiyegoro Ome Mt Lambert