The Editor, Sir:

I believe that there are some basic things that we can do to improve education in Jamaica. These things do not require large sums of money. They require the political will, strong leadership, determination, perseverance and a return of authority to principals in schools and teachers in the classrooms.

Teachers should be able to instruct students to pick up garbage that they throw everywhere else except in garbage bins, and not have parents complaining about this. Some students and parents feel that the ancillary workers at the school are obliged to pick up after them, and that they are doing workers a favour by providing garbage for them to pick up so they can be employed.

Cower in fear

What obtains now is untenable. Many schools are strewn with garbage and graffiti. The students are obviously in charge. Teachers cower in fear of students and their parents, while pressure is being brought to bear on teachers to perform. Students are busy defending their right to be recalcitrant, and everyone knows how best to deal with the problems in education, using remote control.

What can we do now? The first order of business is to see to it that each student has a name tag that is worn on the school compound at all times during school hours. This will make it easier for teachers and workers on the school compound to identify students, and for students to identify each other. Students get away with too much because they know they are not easily identified. I would have no objections to teachers and all workers at each school being asked to wear name tags as well.

The next urgent thing to do is to clean up the school plants. We need a national clean-up day for schools. The 'Gully Side versus Gaza war' is being waged in our schools. The walls bear testimony to this. No meaningful lesson can be taught in some of these dirty, garbage-strewn places called schools. Let us clean them up and make sure that they remain clean. We need to act NOW. Who will take the lead?

I am, etc.,

WINNIE ANDERSON-BROWN

winab@cwjamaica.com

Bagatelle District

Ashley PA

Clarendon