Changing society through education

Apr 01, 2016 Editorial, Features / Columnists

Over the years, Guyanese have prided themselves on being a highly literate and educated society. This was due largely to the high standards of its education system which it inherited from Britain and nourished in the early post-independence period.
While in recent times the nation constantly boasts about its students’ academic achievements, the performances in several key subject areas have often fallen well below the regional average.
This is a burning issue that needs to be addressed by the government and all stakeholders. The nation cannot sit idly by and continue to be consumers of meaningless sensationalism that adds little or no value to education or society.
As a nation, Guyana must maintain its status as an educated society in the Caribbean and the world. Anything less will be worthy of criticism.
Be that as it may, it is time for the citizens, teachers and educators to change the narrative in the education system to face the many issues in society that are affecting children and their ability to learn.
The government has to stop pretending that the economy is performing well and as a result the schools are doing a tremendous job in educating students as well as charting a practical way forward that will motivate them to learn and thus reduce school drop-outs.
While parents and students may view education through different lenses than teachers and educators, they must come together to resolve the problems and overcome the challenges that are facing our schools.
There are numerous reports about high school and university graduates who are severely challenged with regard to their writing and research skills. The Ministry of Education should revise the current educational system, especially the existing early childhood care and primary and secondary curriculum for the public schools.
It should implement a more practical curriculum to help students cope with the real issues in their communities and society at large. Moreover, the Ministry needs to move beyond the structured process of teaching in the classrooms and embark on a well thought-out, targeted and strategic approach to improve teaching, learning and to motivate students.
If education is to be viewed as a process of learning and development both at the regional and at the national level, then changes must be made to the current system. Even though school access, certification, and high-stakes assessment have their challenges, they are essential to learning and understanding the basic problems in society.
Education is not only about schooling, learning and cramming to pass exams. To be educated is to gain knowledge, which is a transformative experience aimed at producing citizens who are able to be productive, satisfy their personal and family needs and contribute to the development, prosperity and well-being of the people and the country. Schooling in itself is insufficient to realize this outcome. This is not to say that schooling is not important; it is, because it reduces illiteracy and creates a better society.
Whether or not educational opportunities will translate into meaningful development for students or for society will ultimately depend on whether people actually learn as a result of those opportunities, and apply the knowledge, ability, skills and values they have gained over the years. The focus on education in the primary and secondary levels must be on actual learning, acquisition and outcome, rather than exclusively upon participation, passing examinations and completion of certification requirements.
A focus on schooling and certification, while necessary, is not sufficient to address the practical needs of society. It is time for all Guyanese to talk about what they really want as a society and the role of education in achieving that outcome. Education can change society, so let the change begin.

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