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Whither Are We Drifting? Primary Education Policy in Jamaica

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Whither Are We Drifting? Primary Education Policy in Jamaica Whither Are We Drifting? Primary Education Policy in Jamaica A dissertation presented to the faculty of the College of Education of Ohio University In partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree Doctor of Philosophy Winsome M. Chunnu June 2009 © 2009 Winsome M. Chunnu. All Rights Reserved. 2 This dissertation titled Whither Are We Drifting? Primary Education Policy in Jamaica by WINSOME M. CHUNNU has been approved for the Department of Educational Studies and the College of Education by Francis E. Godwyll Assistant Professor of Educational Studies Renée A. Middleton Dean, College of Education 3 ABSTRACT CHUNNU, WINSOME M., Ph.D., June 2009, Curriculum and Instruction, Cultural Studies Whither Are We Drifting? Primary Education Policy in Jamaica (305 pp.) Director of Dissertation: Francis E. Godwyll This study sought to understand the factors that influenced primary educational policy implementation between 1980 and 1985. Then Minister of Education Mavis Gilmour stated that 80 to 90% of the Jamaican population received no form of education beyond the primary level, and 52% of students who graduated from primary school were unable to read or write. She insisted that major changes had to take place at the primary level to improve the overall education system. This study examines the polices that were introduced to “fix” primary education in Jamaica. This was a qualitative study conducted in two Jamaican parishes; Kingston and St. Thomas. A case study design was utilized in order to gain indepth insight into the policy implementation process, using postcolonial and the political model as theoretical frameworks. Interviews and document analysis were used as the main sources of data. The study revealed that education officers in the ministry stated that policies were communicated, while the majority of teachers insisted that they were never informed by the ministry or education officers about these policies. Instead, they heard about them on television, the radio, or read them in the newspaper if they knew at all. Teachers also insisted that they were never provided with guidelines and policy goals were never communicated to them. 4 The majority of teachers were not aware of an evaluation process although the education officers and the ministry personnel all indicated that an evaluation process was in place. It was also evident that there was a high level of confusion among the implementation team. Lack of parental involvement, poverty and unemployment significantly influenced the consciousness of the value of education. These challenges are compounded by teenage mothers, absentee fathers, uneducated parents, and a low educational level as well as a low literacy level in communities, all of which influenced primary education. There needs to be significant improvement in communicating policies as well as in involving teachers in the consultation and implementation process. Providing policy implementation guidelines is also critical. Policy should be tailored to fix specific problems instead of the “cookie cutter” approach in use now. Approved: _____________________________________________________________ Francis E. Godwyll Assistant Professor of Educational Studies 5 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Many people have been instrumental in my success. I would like to thank the teachers at St. Patrick’s Primary and Merl Grove High Schools for their commitment to providing me with a sound educational foundation. To the staff at Franklyn D. Resort (FDR), especially Hilma Williams and Frank Rance, thank you for your support. Special thanks go to Cecil Cornwall and the Western Hospitality Institute for opening the doors to higher education. Thanks to everyone at Hocking College and Huston-Tillotson College for a quality undergraduate education. The support of my comrades Cort, Jim and Ann Addington and Cat Cuther kept me going in good times and bad. Dr. Lisa Aubrey opened the door to my graduate education; Bernard Frampton supported me during my undergraduate education, and the Adams family, in particular Regi Adams Jr., bolstered me throughout my masters program. Thanks to all my friends in Athens and the Ohio University community, namely, the staff at International Student and Faculty Services, Residence Life, and to Gerard Akindes, Denise Hughes and the Keesey family. All the staff at Friches Big Boy on Brice Road, Columbus Ohio, in particular India Murphy, Anna Sinkfeld and Connie Doust, deserve mention, as do Angela Davis and Linda Daniels for believing in me. Thank you, Patricia Palmer, Alicia Boards and Dr. Francine Childs, and Dr. Patricia Gunn for all your support. 6 To Dr. Rosalie Romano for all your love and dedication throughout this process, and to Dr. Francis Godwyll who took over and made the transition seamless, your guidance and love made this process a more enjoyable experience. Thank you To my former committee members Dr. Catherine Glascock, and Dr. Robin Muhammad, thank you. My committee members Dr. Rosalie Romano, Dr. Francis Godwyll, Dr. Dauda Abubakar, Dr. Peter Mather and Dr. Thomas Smucker deserve my special gratitude. Thank you for serving and listening, and for your suggestions and feedback. Thanks to the participants in my study. They all allowed me access to their homes and offices and I am grateful; thank you, Dalton, for making my St. Thomas experience a success, Shirlee Morgan and Dr. Hyacinth Evans for all your help. Thanks to Karl Vernon (Dippy) for your political perspective as well as Dr. Andrei Cooke for taking care of me when I was sick. To my dear friend Travis Boyce-“Boyce,” thank you for putting up with me. This process would have been twice as difficult without you. I cannot forget my family—parents Olive and Derrick Chunnu; sisters Sharlene Chunnu Brown, Kaysha Chunnu Peoples, Pauline Chunnu, and Maxine Chunnu Paul; my brothers Lincoln Bennett, Leighton Chunnu, Gary Chunnu, Detrone Peoples, Gifford Paul and Glenroy Brown. All my aunts, uncles and cousins, especially Tatsy who took up the mantle. My sister Chubby held our family together, and I thank you for being that rock. So many people have helped throughout my life. If you are not mentioned please know that I am grateful for all you do and have done. 7 DEDICATION I would like to dedicate this dissertation to my grandmothers, Claris Petersgill (Mother) and Veronica Campbell. All my nieces and nephews, this is the first step, the future is in your hands. 8 TABLE OF CONTENTS Page Abstract ............................................................................................................................... 3 Acknowledgments............................................................................................................... 5 Dedication ........................................................................................................................... 7 List of Tables .................................................................................................................... 16 Table of Figures ................................................................................................................ 17 Chapter 1: Introduction ..................................................................................................... 19 Background of the Study ............................................................................................ 20 School Feeding Program ....................................................................................... 22 Teacher Training ................................................................................................... 23 Compulsory Primary School Attendance .............................................................. 25 Classroom Furniture.............................................................................................. 25 Physical Units ....................................................................................................... 26 Statement of the Problem ............................................................................................ 27 Purpose of the Study ................................................................................................... 28 Significance of the Study ............................................................................................ 29 Delimitations ............................................................................................................... 31 Definitions of Terms ................................................................................................... 32 Organization of Study ................................................................................................. 33 Chapter 2: Literature Review ............................................................................................ 34 Introduction ................................................................................................................. 34 9 The Caribbean ............................................................................................................. 34 Jamaica .................................................................................................................. 35 The Negro Education Grant .................................................................................. 39 Jamaica School Commission ................................................................................ 40 Secondary Schools and the 70/30 Plan ................................................................. 41 The New Deal ......................................................................................................
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