New president wants equal treatment for private schools
Newly elected president of the Jamaica Independent Schools Association (JISA), Donovan Isaacs, is calling on the Ministry of Education to “level the playing field” and allow independent schools similar benefits to those enjoyed by government-run schools.
Isaacs told the Observer last Thursday during the association’s annual general meeting at the University of the West Indies that the ministry offers no recognition when students from independently run institutions excel in national and external examinations, and even goes to the extent of barring such schools from certain national competitions.
“One of the things we hope to achieve this year is to create some sort of level playing field through negotiations with the ministry for them to recognise independent schools,” said Isaacs. “You can’t send students to a school (through GSAT and GNAP placement) and then students at that school don’t have the same opportunities like those in public schools.
“I am speaking public or private, they are our children; Jamaican children, so there shouldn’t be any line of demarcation between them,” he said.
Isaacs, who was elected at the day-long meeting, expressed displeasure at the disdain with which private schools are treated and cited an incident in which a student from a private school was refused an award in a national poster competition put on by the Ministry of Education on the basis that it was open only to students of public institutions.
“About three years ago, we sent up a student for a poster competition. When we went there to find out what was happening, someone told us we had the best poster but we would only be getting a consolation prize because the competition was only for public schools,” he shared with the Observer.
In another case, Isaacs, who heads the Institute of Higher Learning and the St Andrew College, said his school was denied subscription to the government’s Tourism Action Club. He said as one of the nine schools in Jamaica selected to be part of the Expanded Secondary Programme, the institution should have rights to join the club in order to fulfil the stipulation of joining clubs and societies. He said, however, that they were refused entry on the basis that the programme was only for students from the public school system.
Isaacs also lamented that last year when a student from an independent high school received the highest national grade in Office Procedures at the CSEC level, no mention of it was made by the ministry.
“We were acknowledged by the CXC office because they placed the names on a list,” he said. “We have no problem with that, but what we’re saying is that the ministry should also recognise us. Since we got the highest grade, at least the people from the ministry could have said ‘congratulations’, and I’m saying that if we were a public school, you would have heard about it.”
He was quick to add, however, that the ministry does give some support to independent educational institutions. “I’m not saying they don’t help, because they do give us book rental and we are part of the empowerment scheme… but if the government is talking about improving education, then [they] should see to it that they have a level playing field,” he said.
“If I am having so much difficulty (and my school takes in GSAT and GNAP students), imagine those who have no affiliation with public schools,” he added with a tinge of frustration.
Contacted for comment, the education ministry’s chief education officer, Jasper Lawrence, told the Observer that all top achievers in the CSEC examinations were recognised, and if it was not done in a manner acceptable to the principal, then he would have no difficulty sending a letter to that effect.
“I have no problem writing a letter to say ‘congrats’, if that’s what they want, and the honourable minister and the permanent secretary would too,” said Lawrence. “I know every year a programme is put on for top achievers, and the Registrar of Independent Schools congratulates the independent schools on behalf of the honourable minister and the ministry.”
Lawrence added that the minister, Maxine Henry-Wilson, did extend congratulations to all students who did well and encouraged them to continue doing well.
He noted, however, that: “…one or two students may have been left out, especially if [the achievement] was not brought to our attention. If that is the case, we would apologise profusely to the students, because achievement must be recognised whether it’s in public or private institutions.”
Lawrence said the ministry has an “excellent” relationship with independent schools and does lend support to independent schools because it realises the ultimate benefit to be enjoyed by the country.
“We are always willing to offer whatever means of assistance we can within the range of what is fair and honest,” said Lawrence. “Private schools are businesses, so we couldn’t take the funds we have to buy equipment for public schools to buy equipment for private schools, but we do help in terms of specialised training and making the curriculum available.”
Regarding Isaacs’ claim of being barred from national competitions, Lawrence said that he would have to get the specific details, including the list of criteria furnished by the sponsors/donors, and whether the decision was taken by a panel of judges, before he could give an informed reply.
Other than striving to strike a balance between the public and private school systems, president Isaacs said targets for the year include increasing the number of schools registered with JISA as well as with the education ministry, and encouraging teachers to become qualified in the area of school management.
“I feel that numbers are very important, so the more we have registered, the more powerful we are,” he said. “I also want to encourage the principals to do a certificate or degree in School Management and Leadership because while many of them have first and second degrees, it’s not in school management and leadership, and it is crucial.”
There are in excess of 400 independent schools in Jamaica but only 190 are registered members of JISA.
Speaking with the Observer about the contributions the independent school body has been making to the country, JISA immediate past president Kenneth Lightbody said the association represents some 4,000 students who either don’t have a place in the public school system or who prefer the environment offered by private schools.
“The quality of what we offer is of a higher standard in terms of presentation and the involvement of the teacher,” said Lightbody. “We are able to provide better facilities than some public schools can. We [also] tend to have smaller classes so students get better attention from individual teachers.”
Regarding performance, Lightbody said, “in most cases we are doing as well as or better than public schools… Most of our schools have performed way above the 50 per cent average and this is in spite of the fact that we do not get the most brilliant students from the primary level.”
Guest presenters at the meeting of heads of learning institutions were acting vice-president for academic administration at Northern Caribbean University (NCU), Dr Beverly Cameron; chair of the Department of Behavioural Sciences at NCU and president of the Jamaica Association of Guidance Counsellors Dr Grace Kelly; Permanent secretary in the Ministry of Education and Youth, Maria Antoinette Jones; and principal and founder of Liberty Academy, Suzanne Williams.
Dr Cameron spoke on moral & spiritual leadership; Dr Kelly addressed human resource development; Jones touched on administration & finance, while Williams centred her discourse on curriculum development.
At the end of the day, the newly elected executive of JISA was revealed as follows:
President: Donovan Isaacs (Institute of Higher Learning)
President-elect: Renee Rattray (St Andrew Prep)
Vice-president: Pauline Beaumont (Genesis Academy)
Treasurer: Trudy Hardy (Lannaman’s Prep)
Asst Treasurer: Ellamae Walker (Calvary Prep)
Secretary: Jacqueline Gordon (West Avenue Institute)
Asst Secretary: Carol Blanchard (St Cecilia Prep).