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Poverty to Prosperity
Budget Presentation
Gordon House March 19, 2015
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This means children from higher income households are far more likely to get
better places and eventually better life chances and continue the cycle.
We have not measured the psycho-social impact on self-esteem and social
outlook of the thousands of Jamaicans each year who don‟t make it to the
“good school”. Using GSAT as a placement mechanism reinforces rather than
transforms inequality in our society. Much of our social and economic problem
stems back to the education system not being the catalyst and vehicle for
social transformation and mobility it should be. Our slowness to address the
issue of failing schools, condemns the students in those schools to poor life
chances, wastes potential inherent in those children to the economy, and ends
up costing the country in national security, social welfare and health
expenditure.
I know many are saying to themselves, I am dreaming to even think that all
schools in Jamaica can perform to high standards. It‟s not a dream, Singapore
managed to accomplish this. Their education system, in particular their
teaching of mathematics, is one of the highest ranked in the world. They
started at the same place like us, if not worse considering they had three
languages and ethnic differences to overcome, however they viewed
education as a critical condition for growth and over 40 years ago they
mandated English as the language of instruction and ensured their population