New Year Education Challenges

The first week of September marks one of the most significant periods in our national calendar. This is the start of the new school year, an occasion that has become much more significant especially over the last two decades with the launch by the ULP administration of its Education Revolution. Whatever the shortcomings, there is no doubt that the government has invested significant state funding in this priority area, from early childhood right up to tertiary education.

It is therefore no surprise that the beginning of the new school year should generate such significant activity.

Naturally there is the economic aspect with all the expenses involved in outfitting, equipping and sustaining the educational effort, no mean task in a country like ours. Even with the significant state support, cash-strapped parents, many of whom are themselves cash-strapped if not cash-starved, this is a formidable undertaking. The intervention of individuals, businesses, foundations and other entities which offer scholarships and bursaries to students must therefore be acknowledged as a most welcome and needed undertaking in lessening the burdens for many parents.

Beginning the educational journey in September is but a start, maintaining it over the year is another. The year just passed also provided us with another experience, a reminder of an annual threat. We started the 2024/25 year facing the devastating effects of Hurricane Beryl. Despite all the formidable problems confronting us and the gloomy prognostications from some quarters, we can say that we have not at all done poorly in weathering that storm. But Beryl is only one of an annual procession, predicted to worsen as the deadly global climate crisis continues. The serious issues of finding suitable emergency shelters to avoid disruptions to the educational system are still before us.

One aspect of this we must not overlook is the early education and preparation of our young children for such emergencies. It must be a very traumatic experience for them when they are affected by hurricanes, flooding or volcanic eruption, especially to note the apparent helplessness of family in the circumstances. How do we begin to prepare them from early, to build in climate change awareness and our responses as part of the educational process?

Then there is the need for ever closer cooperation between the main actors involved in education alongside the government – the teachers and their union, the Ministry of Education, Parents and Parent/teacher organizations and, in this case of disaster threats, a significant inclusion of NEMO in the education effort.

We can go further. Government has over the years tried to ensure that unemployed and under-employed young parents are included in temporary employment programmes such as road-cleaning, and that they are paid in time to help to provide their children with at least some of their needs as they start their educational journey.

Commendable as that is, these parents, mainly women, constitute a potential force for much more. They can be trained for more permanent and sustainable employment, included in continuing educational programmes – no mean feat to accomplish one must admit- and assisted in child-rearing and community education programmes. A major challenge, however, remains; that of involving fathers in these efforts. Much as has been accomplished we, cannot rest on our laurels. This is a long-term effort which must be made sustainable. The upcoming election campaign, no doubt is sure to present difficulties, but this is a temporary period. Our long-term commitment must not only remain but continue and intensify.