School: Immaculate Conception High School

Address: 152c Constant Spring Road, St Andrew

Population: 1,700

Founded: 1858

Motto: Ad Astra Per Aspera (Through Difficulty to Excellence)

AT 18 years old, Micheala Salkey exudes a powerful positive personality that pulls you in and makes conversation easy. She is humble, energetic and ready to lead at any level, she says, as long as it is God’s will. She currently serves as head girl of Immaculate Conception High School’s all-girl population of 1,700. With the repute of the institution she leads well noted, Salkey shares her views on Jamaica’s education system and issues thereof.

DOB: February 05, 1997

NOTABLES:

· Fifth in Jamaica, CSEC Human and Social Biology, 2014

· Fifth in Jamaica, CSEC English Language, 2014

· Eighth in Jamaica, CSEC Biology, 2014

· Secretary, Portmore Church of Christ Youth Fellowship

C&E: Describe Micheala Salkey

MS: I am very down-to-earth, very amicable, very determined, very patient, and very hardworking. I take my relationship with God very seriously.

C&E: In what ways do you think these traits contributed to you being chosen as head girl?

MS: I think people on a whole value a leader who is approachable. Being determined, for me, means not being afraid to put in 100 per cent and work to establish something; this has also helped in terms of my personal work ethic. In being patient, I am willing to listen to students’ concerns and also to deal with different personalities.

C&E: Listen to students’ concerns? Isn’t that the role of the students’ council, not the head girl?

MS: Yes, it is the job of the students’ council to speak on behalf of the students; but as head girl, I cannot ignore the concerns. I am also approached with issues and in this position, I can use it to try and make things better. It’s not a clear-cut distinction for me, as any head girl or boy should be willing to hear what the students have to say.

C&E: What do you think is the biggest challenge facing the Jamaican education system?

MS: The lack of equity in the education system. The educational experience is not the same as some schools do not have all the necessary resources, but everyone is being measured by the same rule; they’re being given the same exams. This makes me feel very privileged to attend this school because, at Immaculate, we are provided with most of the things we need to perform at an optimal level.

I know that some schools have very strong support from alumni and parent teacher’s associations that help to provide some of these resources, but this is not the same for all schools and the Government can do so much and no more. These are not the only factors, but [is] one of the major reasons why there is a disparity.

C&E: What can be done on a national level to help remedy the disparity?

MS: What really needs to happen is simply that the Government just needs to invest more in education, as it is the key for many of the problems that we have in Jamaica. They could also provide incentives for the private sector to invest in the education system.

C&E: How can we ensure that these investments are not wasted?

MS: The Government would have to hold school leaders accountable. They could carry out audits at periods they see fit so that school leaders are held accountable.

C&E: What do you think is the place of religion in schools, if any at all?

MS: I can only speak about Christianity since that is the one I am a part of. Now, school is never really about academics; it is about developing well-rounded individuals — individuals of good character. It is one of those places where you are socialised as a human being. Christianity teaches you how to love, respect, cooperate with and treat others, and that is extremely essential.

C&E: There is a view that schools are wasting time teaching morals and values when, really, it is the home and church that are supposed to do that (at least according to sociological theory). What are your views?

MS: School is where you spend most of your time and also one of the places where you are socialised, so it can’t be that the school is “wasting time” teaching morals and values. You can’t rely on the church because not everyone goes to church; you can’t rely on the home because it is not in every home that morals and values are taught. So the school is the institution that would help to introduce these things in the lives of the students; the time is not being wasted.

C&E: Which leader inspires you most?

MS: Martin Luther King Jr. He is profound man of God who was able to impact so many people in such a way that was unimaginable. I really admire him because of what he believed, and that he stood up for that and was able to encourage people to believe that we can become a better version of ourselves for a better world.

— Aldane Walters