by Joan Thompson (http://www.weblogbahamas.com)
In his recent speech to the government school teachers and education bureaucracy Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham said:
“I believe it is noteworthy that, like health, education has been one of the largest recipients of government funding in every budget cycle since before independence.”
In spite of vast sums of money poured into education, increasing the compulsory attendance from 14 to 16, the level of achievement could hardly be worse. In fact it is a National embarrassment.
Words are cheap, and none are cheaper than those coming out of the mouths of politicians. They are so caught up in self-adulation that the true and unadulterated MEANING of their words is obscured by the emotive style of their delivery.
A different more constructive solution by the PM, might have gone something like this:-
“My government regrets it has been unable to raise the level of literacy and numeracy and can no longer countenance spending vast sums of tax-payer money for a system that is a proven failure.
“As a consequence, we are privatizing the education system.
“Teachers will be gradually released from the government payroll as the current system is phased out over a Five Year period. The money heretofore provided as salaries will be reserved in a loan fund for teachers. Access to capital from the fund at a low interest rate becomes available on presentation of a Business Plan. Loans will be renewable annually and availability guaranteed for Five Years. The fund will also be a source of capital for advertising and promotional purposes.
“Teachers wishing to continue their profession as teachers should apply for a business license to open their own school. The Minister of Education Mr. Carl Bethel and Ms. Elma Garraway and their staff will direct all their efforts toward helping educators establish centers for learning in what will become a private school network.
“For the first time in the history of the Bahamas choice in education at affordable fees reality."
You get the idea, Radical? Yes. But to continue doing the same thing year on year and expecting a different outcome is, well...stupid.
