Serious disparities in the performance of hinterland and urban students

Jul 13, 2017 Letters

Dear Editor,
I listened quite attentively to the live broadcast and read the news reports that covered the National Grade Six Assessment (NGSA) results 2017 and it dawned on me that the gap between the students of the urban and hinterland regions needs addressing urgently. Before continuing, I would like to congratulate the students and teachers that gave of their best and were successful.
Without going into the details of the results, it must be alarming to know that for the Hinterland – Regions 1, 7, 8, and 9, only three (3) students attained places at the top 5 secondary schools. It would be interesting to note the total number of students that sat the exams from these regions.
This tells a story that needs addressing on many fronts but I would like to focus on the effect this level of performance will have on the people of these regions as a collective. It must be noted that this pathetic outcome has been taking place over an extended period of time. It is not a new trend.
The hinterland is endowed with natural resources and inhabited predominantly by the First Peoples of this country that many studies suggest are the most economically challenged, lack access to proper medical care and affected by a gamut of social issues that all factor in to have them in a state of poverty. Education is the tool that must be invested in to propel the inhabitants of these regions in order for them to shape their own destiny.
This will call for families and community leaders making demands on the policy makers to get it right. We live in a dynamic world where complex issues are discussed that affect the livelihoods of our people and all must be involved. Development must not take place in a vacuum where only a few are in the know and so benefit. We have seen in recent times the negative effects where agreements were inked without taking into considerations the welfare of the people – both government and multinational private companies. Our future engineers, lawyers, agricultural specialist and other technical personnel must be the outputs of our educational system. As it stands now it will be an uphill battle that can be achieved once we as a people are determined to make it happen.
I call on the National Toshaos’ Council, the Indigenous Peoples Commission and other Non-Governmental Organizations to form partnerships that will work towards achieving better educated Indigenous communities otherwise we will be doomed to a state of perpetual poverty. Lobbying must be made by hinterland residents on the system to demand what is a right. It is vitally important that steps are taken urgently to address this slide.
I will end with a quote from Eric Allenbaugh, “If you don’t take charge of shaping your own destiny, others will apply their agenda to you”
Dexter Glasgow

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