SHADEE Morrison’s painful experience of an administrator at her high school denying her the right to choose which university she wished to attend, has generated heated debate across social media platforms.

On Monday the Jamaica Observer reported that Morrison, a former head girl at Westwood High School, had problems getting her transcript from the school and as such was unable to successfuly apply for a scholarship to study abroad.

Many readers responding to the story said they had similar experiences with their high school and called for a system to standardise the issuing of transcripts.

Here are some of the responses.

Andrea Jackson-Forbes

There should be a standard transcript protocol to which all of the accredited high schools adhere. What is so difficult for that to be established? Whatever body that governs them should enact guidelines for them to follow. If they can’t keep up, maybe they should lose their ranking.

Dianna Rhooms

The MOE needs to set standards for simple things like this. I really hope she gets to pursue her studies cause with the passion she has, the health sector would’ve gained a gem! Delayed but not denied.

Sandy Brown

Shadee was my daughter’s head girl. I know her personally and they took so long to send her transcript when we moved overseas too. It’s just hurtful and sad. These are the types of things why we have so much mental problems; and then they are the same one that stigmatise people.

Desmond Unique Russell

This is what happens when people not as qualified get to determine the fate and future of Jamaica’s hope. This matter should be ventilated at the highest level. This is just unacceptable. Sadly, this situation is more common than not. I am so happy you highlighted this matter with such openness. You will go on to fulfil your dream, young lady, so stay focused.

Dixon Ang

Before I finished reading it, I felt the bad mind coming from the school administrator. I am glad you put it out there so others can be very much aware. I wish you continued blessings and success.

Marshawn Young

She should have taken it up with her local Ministry of Education office. It is a sad state and I do hope the MOE really takes this into account.

Karen Byfield

This school should be sued for making your life hell. I thought they would be proud when something good happens to and for their students, but I must say some of us bad mind and grudgeful.

Joan Ann Ellis-Dennis

I can relate to her story …Iona High did similar to my son. When the school abroad eventually got the transcript it was someone else’s who failed almost ever subject.

Maple Mcadam

Reading this beautiful, educated young lady’s story reminds me of two situations with my sons. You have some wicked people in the Jamaica school system. She was indeed robbed and someone needs to pay.

Megan Angus-Hylton

Sad, sad, sad. But young lady, you’re still breathing so there is yet hope. The MOE needs to probably standardise this part of the process re transcripts. Some admin persons don’t want others to dream big because either they had no dream or theirs was killed also. Don’t give up, young lady!

Keisha Jones

If this is true, the school needs to pay her tuition in full. Absolute rubbish!

People can’t suh bad mind. Is it that they truly don’t know how to prepare a transcript? Isn’t there a guideline which is used by all schools?

I don’t know this young lady but I am so upset at the injustice done to her.

Dawn Clarke

Such a sad situation. School administrators need to do better. The transcripts should have a set standard that all high schools in Jamaica use. Hope no other student from Westwood or any other institution will have to go through this. Wow! It ruff.

Racquel Coley

“Come gwaan a UWI”?? How dare this lady… there needs to be a standard of how transcripts are prepared, and some actions to be taken. These people can’t keep doing this. But all that admin person must be careful, ’cause life very funny.

Tamar Newman

It’s the very reason I see so many Jamaicans abroad doing GEDs or starting from scratch due to this very transcript inept process.

Chriseve Bancroft-Smith

Ah feel this story to my core! Why in the name of crab in a barrel backra maasa behaviour would you be so hostile to the personal desires and future of a hard-working, promising young person? Christ man! We need to get to the belly of this stinking issue. Everywhere you turn in this country is oppression.

Stacy Tracy

In 2000 I worked as a school-leaver HEART trainee at a particular high school. I had the task of preparing transcripts and can I tell you it was indeed a heavy task/messy task. After the transcripts are requested and money paid, the deadline would’ve been two weeks to mail out the transcripts. However, sometimes there was no urgency on the administrator’s path unless it was for popular students, family and friends.

After observing what was happening on a daily basis I would normally ask if there were any outstanding transcripts to prepare. Probably because I was young and had just left high school, I wanted the students to get what they requested and paid for.

The other problem was that sometimes when I would get the students’ files I just didn’t know where to start because the report cards on file were messed up. Sometimes I would see two report cards for the same semester with totally different grades or a lot of missing grades.

Also, in some cases report cards would be missing from the file. I would then ask the secretary what I should do and she would say, “The teachers mess up the reports on file and we have to work with what is there”, or “Do anything you want to do.” I would use the reports with the highest grades and where grades were missing, I would look at the previous term’s grades and either use the same or go higher. I don’t think that all the institutions are the same but that was my experience with preparing transcripts. The system can be very messy.

Deborah Gordon

This has been happening for years. I can’t believe that it is still happening in this time. Finally, someone brought it out in the light again. Don’t give up.

Auria Hakuna Matata Deslandes

Try getting a transcript from Mico Teachers’ [University] College. I shed tears…real tears. I now leave them off my resume.

Poochie Loo

I really think these school administrators are not equipped to do a transcript to meet the international marketplace. All they have been doing all their life is focusing on UWI and UTech. It’s the 21st century, options are rising all over the world in whatever category a person may choose. Why limit our kids when these schools in Jamaica are telling you that the sky is the limit? Shame on the school administrator.

Stephanie Lindsay

As a teacher of the education system now here in the USA, having spent 19 years at Campion College, I must say that the system here in the USA is prejudiced against ‘islanders’, as they call us.

It is hard to be given the appropriate credit for work done via the evaluation system here. I have been fighting and working with school districts here to get the correct evaluations for students coming to the USA with transcripts from Jamaica, in particular mathematics. I believe that there is not enough done in Jamaica to match the USA course standards with that of the USA.

I was fortunate to do my homework in this regard when my son entered school here after completing his years at Campion. Today, he is in medicine after much struggles with the system.

I do understand this student’s frustration and encourage others to do their due diligence when applying to schools here in the USA.

Lewis Lewis

Very unfortunate story. I believe that there should be a standard with which transcripts are prepared and presented. This standard would be in keeping with the desires of international universities. Furthermore, policy should be in place which one can use to hold schools and persons accountable who fail to adhere to these standards. These types of attitudes are unacceptable. Persons’ future endeavours [are] being crushed by unconscionable people.

Carmen Glover

The level of envy, malice and jealousy that inspires an educational administrator to thwart the ambitions of a former head girl, or any graduate from the school, is huge. Why deliberately make the life of a striving youngster hard?

Marcia Forbes

This story is gut-wrenching. Why people must do those kinds of things? Wickedness!

God’s Daughter

I sympathise with you. My daughter had similar experiences with the administrators there and each day I truly regret sending her there. I would never recommend this school to any parent. My daughter did well and it was because of her determination to succeed.

ThE AuNtY

It happens too often. She is one of the few to speak out. High schools need to do better when providing a transcript for students to further their education elsewhere. What that administrator did was wrong but my dear child, keep pressing. You’ll find another avenue.

CocaineDustBunny

This is a sad and tragic story that I imagine thousands of Jamaicans can relate to over the generations. Bad mind has permeated not only politics but the education system, stifling any chance of the people creating a better society. Sickening.

Eugenia W

I witnessed all that she had to go through. She worked in Montego Bay and took the bus several days out of the week to do classes in Kingston. It is a crime what Westwood did to her.

BrainDrainStanAcc

This is so heartbreaking. I believe every word. Some administrators do everything in their power to hold you back. This happened to me as well, but thankfully I ended up where I wanted. I really hope she gets the chance to follow her passion. It’s never too late.

Prudence

Many school administrators and administrations hold students back for reasons including plain bad mind.

Vaccinate Children 5 And Up

Reading this was really gut-wrenching. Aren’t schools supposed to want the best and provide the best for their students? But blocking someone’s chances just because you can? Sigh.

RoxanneToya

So spiteful of the school to do this. Imagine working so hard at school for some “jancrow” to derail the whole thing.