Educational Policy I think falls short when we look at monitoring and evaluating. In simple terms, frameworks exist but nothing is being done to ensure that things go according to plan. Take the Task Force on Educational Reform (2004). One of the achievements which the author was rather proud to report was:
"The provision of a space in public primary level schools for every Jamaican child 6-11 years, as well as a space at the secondary level for more than 70% of children 12-16 years."
I am not sure I would be so quick to brag about such an "achievement". All children might be afforded a space at the primary level but if that space is not such that the child can benefit from it then what is the point. Schools are over crowded, grossly over crowded. What this leads to is an environment where children are not physically comfortable. There aren’t enough tables and chairs for all the children to utilize. To make matters worst there aren’t enough resources to go around; not enough books for children to use and definitely not enough teachers to attend to the amount of children placed within the schools. So this leads to is a school full of children who are not learning. How can there be no checks and balances for this sort of injustice? Children are at a disadvantage entering Public schools. There is no limit to the amount of children per teacher and no limit to the amount of resources per child. These children go to through the entire Primary School system knowing little or nothing. How does this even happen. I am sure they sit countless amounts of tests and examinations which they fail miserably. They are still allowed to progress to the next level. This cannot be acceptable. There needs to be a way to fix this problem. It cannot continue. Education is too important for this to be allowed to go on.