August 21, 2002

Dear Sir,

We are in a "State of Emergency" concerning education!

The public education system is in a dismal state where we have students leaving high school who cannot read nor write.

These same students will then assume that they are eligible for a job that pays them six figures.

I hear stories every day about young black males in this predicament. Look at this equation: Lack of Education + Lack of parental support + Drugs = Westgate Correctional Facilities

(You can apply this formula anywhere in the world and the results will be the same.)

If our education system was a business, it would have filed for bankruptcy decades ago.

However, those who sit at Point Finger Road believe that there is nothing wrong with the system.

Isn't it apparent that we need a technical school?!

Not every child will become a lawyer, doctor, or insurance broker.

Why not turn the new Berkeley into a technical school so these same children who don't excel in academic subjects enter the ‘real world' with a ‘real chance'!

Wouldn't that cut the number of boys who hang out on the walls drastically if they had something to do that they enjoyed?!

I can hear all the ex-Berkeleyites cringing with the thought of this idea.

Dellwood Middle School: From its conception has been a project that has been destined for failure.

The teachers have had to deal with some terrible things while the first phase of the construction of the school was being completed.

Add to this, students with below level reading and math skills and you definitely have a recipe for disaster.

Dellwood has now gone through two government administrations with promises to complete the school.

Cedarbridge Academy was the first excuse as to why Dellwood was not completed four years ago and today well, you know, the new Berkeley is the current excuse.

To this day, Dellwood does not have a gymnasium and is still awaiting the Science lab that was promised some four years ago.

Most students who attend Dellwood come from what the people at Point Finger Road call “At Risk Students”.

When it rains, the students are kept inside the Cafetorium (a cafeteria and an Auditorium) and are made to sit and act in an adult manner for their lunch period.

Sounds ridiculous right!?

We are talking about children!

If you could get a child to sit for five minutes, you have accomplished a lot.

I have to commend the teachers and students at Dellwood for keeping hope alive.

In the US, this type of scenario would definitely not be allowed.

Are the “powers that be” in tune with the real world?

They continue to preach that men are needed to take up the gauntlet and become educators.

Why?

I see nothing that would make me want to become a teacher.

Are there any current programmes in place to assist and guide the men who are currently in the system to become principals?

I do know that that there are a few men left who are yearning for that extra push, but as a failing business, their strengths are yet to be identified.

Poor leadership at the top results in poor leaders at the bottom!

I realise that these issues are not new to many of your readers, but I think it is time something is done and a real leader whether it be our Premier or Minister of Education, step forward and rescue our education system?

A wise person once told me: Why wash “dirty dishes” with “dirty water”.

We need to remove the people with the old ideas and give new leaders with new ideas a chance to improve the education system.

EVERY CHILD A WINNER?

Warwick

Ps. Next time you poll the public on a particular topic, ask them whether they would send their child to a public or private school.

In fact, ask those at Point Finger Road the same question.

The results may shock you.