The Education Retardation or Revolution

There are many misconceptions that apply to the Government's policy of revolutionising the education system. Scholarships for students and teachers alike...new school buildings in the exact same colours all over the island...but allow me to pay attention to the 'No child shall be left behind' story.

I am not an educator...I am merely educated and an example of how the grace of God saved me from a system I will never understand.

But it would seem to me that if we are going to be sending every child that writes the Common Entrance exam straight to secondary school...we may as well do away with that process. How about adopting an evaluation-based exam that would assist in determining the reading, math and processing skills of a child? Something that would indicate what areas need to be focused on when that child is automatically placed in a secondary school.

Because, I can assure you that if the system remains the way it was when I was in secondary school (oh lord it is almost 10 years since)...the chances of our nation's children improving basic learning skills and strategies are rather slim. Especially since most of their families cannot afford private schools and after-school tutoring of quality standards.

As I said earlier, I am not certain how I made it through the system but it was not until university that I discovered, on my own, that I was a long-distance runner and not a sprinter like what the system wanted. I preferred to plan(train), write out everything I read (stretch), study(eat healthy nutritious foods) not CRAM (drink loads of coffee and red bull/be tempted to steal notes or a book even/mamaguy your fellow classmates as what topic you swear is coming for the exam/mamaguy yourself into thinking that no sleep is an ok state of existence/come to the exam looking like shit/conduct a postmortem on the paper and cuss out the person you phoned at three in the morning for the notes from Lecture # 5.

When is the new generation going to figure what kind of student they are? Will they ever or will they just hope to beat the system and not even remember what moves they made?

And the other classic feature of the Retardation process...dozens upon dozens of teachers with shit degrees in education...I swear the newspapers made a mint from the congrats to this and that teacher garbed in that horrendous blue robe (I wore it to...so I am damn well entitled to criticise it).

The Government is giving away degree costs and opportunities in a manner that can only be described as atrocious. More money is being spent I swear to buy out the votes of the educators of our country...the cost of teachers therefore increased because they have entered a new salary bracket (which is the reason most of them do the programme anyway) but the quality of education is stagnant. The dichotomy between the improvment on one side and the stillness on the other is petrifying to me.

Where are the specialist teachers...the ones that focus on math...reading...writing...spelling... pronounciation...grammar...general learning skills acquisition. Where are the ones that teach the foreign languges fluently bringing another culture alive...where are the ones that take you on field trips (not because both teacher and student are fed up of the classroom) but the ones that want to instill a sense of national pride and identity in the teaching of our history and social studies.

Rather, we are fostering a people that think it is acceptable to have an empty degree once you are a public servant (because you dare not try that madness in the private sector). If I see another library with ten books and three wooden tables or water tap project in the newspaper again...I will scream.

All these degrees in Education with Administration skills and other inapplicable areas are utter bullocks and blatthery...they make no impression on the system...on the child...they merely drain what we barely have for no return and the sad part is that the creator of the Retardation of the education process and the teachers;
(1) seem not to care
(2) seem to be unaware of the perpuation of ignorance
or my personal conviction
(3) are fervently hoping that no one catches on to the scheme.

Can we break the cycle?

I cannot claim complete originality in this piece although I was arguing the point with someone convinced that the only reason Haiti is so battered by the world and Mother Nature is because vodou is considered a national religion. (Research it...I am not applying a mere stereotypical bias).

http://www.spiceislandertalkshop.com/talkshop/messages/679987.html - Read Sir Hilary
Beckles article "The Hate and the Quake". If this link doesn't work... Google the article, it will pop up.

I can add only this to the thoughts on the issue - The inability of Haiti to assist itself is a reflection of many things....the reasons discussed by Sir Hilary speak for themselves but they do not weigh on my mind as much as the FAILURE of our Caribbean Civilisation to offer any tangible support over the years to a sister country spun from the same threads of slavery, economic dependency, colonialism, and the struggle for idenity as people. Shame on our leaders that would have read of Toussaint and quoted from his root/tree/struggle speech.

The Government gave a scholarship a couple years ago titled the "Toussaint L'Overture award"...what the hell have we done to warrant us...entitle us to use the name of that Revolutionary hero?

Can we give of our material selves...that may be challenging? But where are our voices...opinions and thoughts...

Where were our great orators when there were calls for reparations to be paid to Haiti by France...maybe they were championing the cause of Japan's whaling industry or the Cuban Five.

I am genuinely sympathetic towards Obama and his "Haiti we will not forsake you". He has inherited the culture of oppression of his predecessors and as a man with the blood of Africa running through his veins he has to possibly undertake to conduct himself with the same imperialistic mindset of "aiding with bread and water and medicine while we rape, ravage and exploit what meager resources they have. It cannot be easy to walk along that path in the name of national interest when you are aware prior concerns were based more on fears of Communism and the continuation of black oppression, especially since the Civil Rights movements were up and coming.

David Rudder sang 'Haiti, I'm sorry' over two decades...and we are still waiting to turn our heads and help restore the glory. Rather we are glued to the tube with Dr. Sanjay Gupta and Anderson Cooper.

BTW...did anyone think it strange how quickly these people were in Haiti...I think Gupta and Cooper were on the island the same night of the earthquake.

If you experience any of the following sympthoms...

For the people that have tried to put any chemical concoction in their hair or on their body...hopefully they would have read the sheet of paper usually has a paragraph about testing a sample on your forearm so as to ensure that there are no adverse allergic reactions to the product.

The Goebbels of the NDP aka E. G. Lnych thinks that we Vincentians should try out Eustace as a leader since Ralph is running the country to the ground - so say he, our local propaganda god. "Give him a try, nah,...see what he could do".

What the bloody hell, since when is leadership a trial run...the nation a guinea pig or an allergy test? I must have missed the rule that says pathetic comparison is the path to undertake...after all, meritocracy is a waste of time.

When are people going to stop creating tables of contrast and actually state what they are capable of doing for the country? Honestly, I may be naive and I seriously want to be educated on this...but what the hell does Arnhim Eustace do to earn a living? I heard he is a qualified economist and he comes from a strong educational background (J.P. Eustace and all that)...but what can he actually do to improve Saint Vincent and the Grenadines...what does he bring to the table per say?

We all know that half of the lawyers in SVG are wanna be politicians...the social awe and distaste that people hold them in propels them into the arena easily...you know - the Baptiste of Culture, the Phd with the big yellow building (that I think completely breaches building codes), the Friday from Northern Grenadines and of course Big Papa Ralph and most of them hold fast to some political entity.

But, at least we know they could talk...they could represent the interests of the nation on a local, regional and international level...have you really listened to the oratory skills of the PM...like him or not. Arnhim, no disrespect, always sounds as if he is about to lose his voice but I think it is his dentures threatening to fall out.

Let us be frank, Ivan has decent ideas but we are but subject to our fickle human nature - the man speaks like something is not connecting right in his cranium. Nuff said.

And apart from certain uncertain lists of candiates, it seems as if PPM not sure if they will remain a social entity with political interests or a political party with social interests.

And we are left with what...the tiring puppet master with his box of ventriloquist dummies, the balding individual who loves to host his own Parliament with his battalion of Judases-in-waiting, the gaunt two-man side show and the revolutionary gentleman who will introduce dashikis as Parliamentary garb and maybe bring about repatriation.

What a tangled web we weave.

In conclusion, if the redness, itching or swelling continues or grows worse over a period of twenty four hours, please seek immediate medical attention.

NB. THIS PRODUCT IS FOR EXTERNAL USE ONLY. DO NOT CONSUME.

Wasn't it grand

Well this was a year of a plethora of memories (I always wanted to use that word "plethora" - meaning - an overabundance...excess). Merely because it was memorable, the excess is actually appreciated, desired and my mental pot belly will be patted fondly in times to come.

Fondly I say because although we had some dark moments, it is hoped that we shall still rise (courtesy of Abeni).

I do not normally, make declarations on my personal life but I can say that for the first time, I am pleased with the assertive role I stuck to in an attempted relationship. I refused to accept treatment which was below standard. Boo-yah to me. Nevertheless, I know I struggle daily with the ability to express myself emotionally so I will take some responsibility for the failure.

Our nation underwent what can only be described as an intellectual furor - where passion for knowledge rode as hard as the zeal for ignorance...the Constitution Bill 2009 and all its side runners. I still do not know who won that race but I am not interested in a replay with the same horses.

The airwaves were hot...hot..hot with every variety of topic. I think if guest speakers were compensated in cash or kind....this would have been a fruitful one. I dare say that it will get more heated...but it is uncertain if the FM personalities will be willing to share a microphone with anyone but the usual names. Sad to say, but there is a unpleasant doubt that many forums will consist of a diversity of opinion.

I am making a call for a revolution in the nation when it comes to the social departments...there must be a policy-seeking investigation into the social lives of Vincentians. Too many minor issues that can be resolved with honest assistance flare up into domestic catastrophes. There must be something that can be done to tangibly improve the lives of our people...beyond academic scholarships and the occasional "Vision now".

I waiting for Aunt Jobe's to open on this side of the country...I fed up driving there just to get some decent soy milk. Sorry, I like my fried chicken homemade.

I am looking forward to being entertained by the politicians in 2010 while at the same time having my cynicism towards partisan politics further ingrained. Is this the mental process that socialists go through before they pick up arms?...uh oh...but interesting.

I was flu-ridden and missed the Starlift programme....Do I have to wait until next year?

I am not into resolutions...but if I accomplish anything new, great and exciting I may just document it here. 2010 here I am...by the way, I will be going to sleep after I come from Church.

farewell...see you on the morrow.

Call me Scrooge...or Grinch... I don't care. I am not a Christmas fan.

This forced atmosphere of cheer and giving is so flipping fake...I could count how many genuine giving that really takes place during this time. Get it straight...I am not hating on the reason for the season aka Silent Night aka baby Jesus in the hay, and I don't want to seem like the freaks that write and re-write these "letters to the editor" every single year about the loss of the true meaning of Christmas.

I am not a fan of Christmas the same way I am not a fan of anniversaries, birthdays, Valentines Day, and all the over blown commercialised highlights on the calendar that demand certain facial expressions, clothing, wastage of money that you will guaranteed regret spending in a month's time, and the inquires as to so what are the plans for....

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHH.....stop with the madness. I accompanied some friends in town last Sunday night...Saviour Divine...if u see ppl. My threat to not exit the vehicle as we approached the madhouse was adopted by all occupants including the one that demanded our presence to purchase some unknown thing.

The people in my office that are complaning of the lack of a bonus...(apparently private business getting none either) somehow are able to cram time and money into a gift exchange...and a mirage of items ranging from meat...to seasoning...to veggies...to fabric of varying colours and of serious weight mass, baskets, pillows...I took a glance at the lunch room and went out to eat simply because there was no seat or table surface in sight to consume a f-ing yorghot.

And the audacity of people to ask me what I am getting them and the appalled look of a family friend ringing a certain red bell under Singer...when I passed her with only a Good afternoon. What the hell....I gave to the one by Corea's. Am I supposed to have a pocket full of coins to avoid damning looks. Not to mention the unattended young boy by Courts who banged away at the actual kettle...where is your mother, dammit.

And the little children...the ones that just popped out of the womb...the ones that can barely walk...the ones that touch everything with filty hands...the ones that their parents hope can keep up with the pace even though the child is below everyone's knee joint...Can we charge them for neglect or something...it has to be borderline abuse.

I bought one gift and that was to maintain pleasant office relations by involuntarily participating in a gift exchange ( that by the way was done since August)...WTF. My family is getting theirs after Christmas and they told me what they wanted.

I am sleeping tmrw...and I am turning off my phone and leaving a particularly cynical message on my voice mail for the bastards who want to call on this joyous day when they never farted on my ass for most of the year.

Peace..this bitch is out

We are the ones that silence ourselves.

Granted I was out of state for most of the ULP 'reign' but if people feel as though Ralph is on his way out and they now have the 'voice' to make their opinions known...it seems to me as though another leader could very well remove their vocal chords sometime in the future.

Someone commented to me that the local socio-political comic strips would not have been as daring two years ago. Another person said that he knew of persons who made jokes about the PM and got phonecalls telling them not to crack that sort of humour or got a dismissal letter from work.

So, is it to say that NO ONE absolutely no one, without political motive and lacking a desire for public applause could have expressed the alleged wrongs on a public forum to demand that they be addressed.

Call me politically naive...socially distanced....but the silence that people are claiming to have broken free from since November 25th 2009 was based on the same desire for self-preservation had by the leaders that have brought our nation along this tumultuous path. We feared for ourselves, our way of life, more than we feared for the well-being of the nation.

But after all, we are not on the platforms with bright lights and PA systems...we don't have constituents and weekly press conferences...our names are not at household status...we do not have a propaganda Orc spewing verbal mess while we retain our image of wholesomeness... so somehow we believe that we are less liable...our responsibility is diminished.

But I say to this...do we not have families, communities...hopes of a future...dreams of a proud nation? The very presence of these elements in our daily lives should have been enough to fuel the screams of injustice...abuse...victimisation that we so readily cite today.

You see, I believe this is how our leaders want us to feel...powerless so they can be strengthened ...silent so they can voice the issues they want us to be concerned about and not they ones that we should address.

I laugh at those who think the story will revolutionize with NDP, PMC or Green Party...surely it will change...but they know that they can keep us overwhelmed with their voices so that ours will be silent...but we give them that power...shall we observe the burnt offering of verbal wit...eloquent dialogue and fluent anger after 2010-2011 elections....the masses have been placated yet again.

Silent cries of acceptance

The whole issue of violence against women has panned out on a local and international level within the last year...we have experienced as a nation gruesome acts of violence against the female gender that has created a unsettling fear among all of us - from Lokeisha to the Tokyo beheading to Rihanna to the spate of raping.

And I question the foundation of this phenomenon...I say foundation because it seems to be an erroneous but basic element to so many female/male relations in our society. I was blessed never to see abuse in my home and even in my immediate surrounding neighbourhood but I know this is not the experience of many.

I will never forget having a discussion at the Community College (now A'Level) several years ago among my peers. A 'good' guy friend of mind firmly stated that "every now and then, you have to pelt some blows under a woman...so she could know who run things". I was appalled but I pursued the conversation simply because I was curious to find out how the hell could physically exerting superiority over another human being become an acceptable mind-set. The last I checked that thought process was applied to slavery, indentureship and chauvnism.

The discussion led up to rape and when does sex turn into rape or vice versa. A guy I will call E said, "Well sometimes, the girls like to tease and not give up the sex...so you force them until they go silent and stop fighting." That stopped me in my tracks. In my virgin naviete (at the time) I thought sex was supposed to be a mutual thing between two consenting and horny people and rape or "forcing until they become silent" as E called it was an act of someone suffering from a mental defect.

So, how acceptable is this behaviour and who thinks it to be the norm? I fear it is too many...

I sat in my car on Friday and saw a group of secondary school girls pass me...laughing and swaying with the joy of youth. For a moment, I reflected on those carefree days. That nostalgia abruptly ended when a young man approached the group from the opposite direction and literally pulled one girl into a neck hold that was straight out of a MMA fight, with a smirk on his face. The girl managed to get out of hold but the guy held onto her hand and dragged her with him several feet away from her friends until she pulled away...with a pissed look. Then she flicked her hair and ran to catch up with her friends....laughing and the young man just strolled on his way.

(1) No one stopped him...not her friends...a passerby...a vendor...not even me. Not one of us outwardly expressed concern as to how the girl was being treated.

(2) She laughed it off...it was acceptable to be 'man-handled' and I wonder if her struggle was really a struggle at all.

(3) The guy said nothing to her...whatever familiarity existed between them did not even warrant words...affection was equalled to a wrestling move.

And I am here left with a mirage of thoughts - am I being too judgmental; I have played rough house with my guy friends before and still get into a tustle now and then.

This is one entry that has left me more confused than when I started...no usual clarity of thought...sadly no epiphany.