Jamaica’s state of education, particularly in terms of funding and resources, is quite dismal. The gravity of the situation becomes very clear when you witness children fighting over something as basic as a pencil. The fight is not over something trivial, like design or color; it’s a response to the reality of scarcity.
In the midst of such realities there exist low literacy rates, understaffed schools, large class sizes, limited use of technology, high drop-out rates and a low percentage of educators who hold advanced degrees in their field.
However, in contrast to all the disheartening challenges that such a system brings to its people, Jamaica does educate her children in a way that reaches far beyond any amount of funding. There is a connection, almost a sort of bond between the child and his/her environment. They do not act apart from the world, but rather within the world.
Amidst this relationship comes an awakening of the senses which can often times become clouded by artificial toys and trinkets and theories of how a 21st century child should play, learn and grow. This child learns through imaginative play. He feels the ground between his toes as he runs down the mountain, balancing a simple stick and wheel. He is in awe of a friend who climbs for a juicy, ripe mango high up in the tree.
Two school girls learn rhyme and rhythm as they sing, “…down by the banks with the hanky panky where the bullfrog jumps from bank to banky with a hip hop hip hop hop skiddle diddle turtle pop!”, while playing a popular hand game. A child learns of mathematics as he designs and builds a car made from twigs and string and bottle caps. And as she runs, the young girl understands the world around her. She is connected to the trees that bring her food and the streams that give her water and the mountain breeze that gives her reprieve from the Caribbean heat.
This education of the world and the connectedness we have with it is free. Not even a system of scarcity in school funding and resources can take that away. Yes, there must be increased support for schools in less-developed countries and this is not to make light of very harsh realities. But, Jamaica can teach us a lesson, not only of education, but, of life. Take your shoes off, be within the world, awaken your senses.
Matt Messing is serving in Jamaica with Passionist Volunteers International.
Learn more about Passionist Volunteers International at: http://www.passionistvolunteers.org.
Learn more about the Passionists in Jamaica at: http://www.thepassionists.org/Jamaica.html and http://www.passionistsisters.org/CCM.html
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