“For all the advances we have made, and are making in education, we still every year allow thousands more children to join an educational underclass – they are the lost souls our school system has failed. It is from that underclass that gangs draw their recruits, young offenders institutions find their inmates and prisons replenish their jails. These are young people who, whatever the material circumstances which surround them, grow up in the direst poverty – with a poverty of ambition, a poverty of discipline, a poverty of soul.”
These words could have been uttered by someone in T&T about our education system here. In fact, this is the opinion of the Rt Hon Michael Gove, Secretary of State for Education in England. His warning was published in the UK’s Daily Mail on Sept 1. He was speaking at Durand Academy in south London.
While he condemned the “slow and sustained erosion of legitimate adult authority” he said that it was time to “challenge the culture of low expectations.” My mantra to teachers has always been: “Expectation creates roles for teachers and students. If you expect little from your students, the result could very well be a self fulfilling prophecy.”
He also called for tougher action on “inadequate parents.” He said: “Children should not have to be brought up in conditions of squalor, should not have to endure abuse, should not have to witness domestic violence, should not be left to vegetate in front of the television while alcoholic or drug-addicted parents ignore their needs. There is an ironclad link between illiteracy, disruption, truancy, exclusion and crime which we need to break.”
I wished he had gone further and included the need for ethics, morals and values to be part of the nurturing process both at home and in schools. How else will we form the consciences and build the character of our people? Too many have moved away from God. Moral relativism promotes selfishness and creates the illusion that one can do whatever one wants – if it feels good, do it – and there will be no consequences for our actions.
I recall Prof Ramesh Deosaran saying in 2003: “I would like to be an advocate for spirituality as a fundamental solution to crime and violence…Without the principle and awareness of spirituality and people attaching themselves to an awareness of the Almighty, there will always be crime and violence.”
Situational ImpotenceMost men face failure of erection only in some situations e.g. on their wedding night or in an unknown place. sildenafil 10mg ED buying this viagra without prescription usa medications will often be found as last on the list, no matter what the man and his spouse may still find themselves with the same issues that were persisted. Remember generic cialis overnight there are numerous pills readily available for different difficulties. The capsules are most effective in the blood levitra ordering and allow the individual indulging into the love-game. What kind of individual and society do we wish to build? I mulled over this question in July when a supermarket in Arima was destroyed by fire and the premises were looted. I watched in amazement as TV reporters interviewed some of the looters. On July15, Newsday, in a report entitled: “Looting as a right?” stated:
“Looting, the taking of someone’s goods from their premises, whether or not the premises are destroyed, damaged, or in good condition, is an act of lawlessness, and is simply theft…As purported ‘regular customers’ of the business, they claimed entitlement to take what they could, while admitting that looting neighbouring premises was ‘crossing the line’.”
During the riots in the UK, some of the looters claimed that they looted for “fun”. The most horrendous material is being posted on social networks such as Facebook and Twitter for “fun”.
During this time of crisis in T&T, let us reflect on the vision we have for our beloved country. We are now entering our 50th year of Independence. Our watchwords are still: Discipline, Tolerance and Production. Our schools have recently re-opened and it is hoped that these watchwords will inform the teaching and learning process. I urge all readers to access the Teachers’ Notes and the Values and Virtues Students’ Workbook on CCSJ’s website. They are of use to parents and the wider community also. As Archbishop Gilbert said in 2007:
“We must begin trying to reclaim the nation. The first step in the reclaiming process is to concentrate on values and recommit to virtuous living…The good people have to work hard together to build a society on values/virtuous living. They must give to the young an experience of living with values and virtues.”
One of the recommendations made by a group of key stakeholders who attended a Breakfast meeting organised by CCSJ with the Archbishop in 2003, states: “Faith communities should redouble their efforts to promote moral and spiritual values and play their part in addressing T&T’s social ills.”
Nation-building is a shared responsibility. Let’s play our part.
