‘Fix it or die’

Opposition Senator and People’s National Party (PNP) spokesman on education, Damion Crawford, has issued a stark promise: if given the opportunity to lead the Ministry of Education, the system will either be fixed – or he will die.

In an interview with The Sunday Gleaner, Crawford expressed deep frustration with what he described as the long-standing failures of Jamaica’s education system. He said he is determined to take decisive action, not merely offer rhetoric.

“If I should have the opportunity to be the minister of education, it would either be fixed or I would die, but the two would not last. And whether or not it is fixed, the two cannot last. And I think that we have the answers.

“Of course, we will have greater engagement. Of course, we will have greater conversation when we have the power to do so. But in Opposition, we can only speak to the plans until the election is called … ,” he said.

Crawford has brought education to the centre of the general election campaign, just weeks away, arguing that political will is essential for genuine reform. He believes it will take a national commitment – resources, unified support, and a buy-in from all sectors – to address the crises in the sector. His plans target children at all stages of development, but especially the earliest years.

At the heart of his vision is addressing why children who show early signs of learning potential go on to struggle in primary and secondary school. He believes something systemic is undermining that potential.

A lot of us have shown early evidence of the ability to learn. That is at walking and talking. None of us born to talk. We learn to talk. None of us born to walk. We learn to walk. Something has happened systematically that caused our children bright at nine months to be dunce at 19 years old. What could have intervened other than systematic negatives from homes to school?” Crawford argued.

Primary focus

A primary focus will be on numeracy and literacy, particularly in grades one through four. He wants every child to be fully literate and numerate by the time they reach grade four, viewing this as the foundation for all other learning.

According to the 2024 Jamaica School Readiness Assessment (JSRA), only 54.4 per cent of the nearly 30,000 four-year-olds tested met key developmental milestones. Nearly 40 per cent required further screening, including a portion recommended for classroom monitoring. The figures paint a worrying picture of students already behind before entering primary school.

Crawford is also critical of the slow rollout of reforms outlined in the 2021 Reform of Education in Jamaica report by Professor Orlando Patterson and the Jamaica Education Transformation Commission (JETC). The report, which made 365 recommendations to be implemented between 2023 and 2031, is currently under the oversight of the Education Transformation Oversight Committee (ETOC). However, Crawford believes the process lacks urgency and cohesion.

He also highlighted the impact of language on learning outcomes, arguing that the failure to integrate Patois – the language of first exposure for many Jamaican children – into early education is hurting the most vulnerable.

“Patois is a foundation language. It’s the language of first exposure, especially for those who are failing. So, if you see that the language of first exposure for those who are succeeding is predominantly different from the language of first exposure for those who are failing, then there has to be a correction to how we teach those who are failing,” he argued.

The recent revelation of widespread literacy issues among grade seven students at hogh schools like Pembroke Hall and Holy Trinity has prompted a Ministry of Education directive making reading mandatory. But Crawford said such action should have been taken long ago, and that reading must be treated as central to the entire learning process.

“So, reading is currently only in the content area and there is no general reading because if reading is to be mandatory, of course, the whole education process is reading for me. So, if you can’t read, you’re already defeated. So, what they do is that they term the reading activity as language arts. So, within language arts, there is reading, word recognition, pronunciation, comprehension. But she (Education Minister Dr Dana Morris Dixon) hasn’t indicated that that would lead to greater hours of reading,” he stated, noting that many students in grade seven are at pre-primary levels of comprehension.

He also questioned the effectiveness of testing at grade six when results arrive two weeks before the academic year ends, asking what meaningful intervention can occur in such a short time frame.

Crawford pointed to data showing that in 2015, literacy stood at 85 per cent. Today it is down to 64 per cent. Numeracy has remained stagnant at 65 perc ent. He acknowledged the disruption of COVID-19, but said the data does not fully support it as the sole cause.

He identified absenteeism as a major contributor to learning loss, noting that Jamaica considers a 22 per cent absentee rate a return to “normal” post-COVID, despite research showing that at 20 percent absence, students tend to perform as if they never attended school.

This problem, he said, is even more acute in rural areas, where students also face additional challenges such as food insecurity – affecting more than half of Jamaican households – lack of academic support at home, low motivation, poor discipline, and the misallocation of teaching staff.

Teaching methods

Crawford said literacy and numeracy must be prioritized by the end of grade three, and reiterated that Patois as a language of first exposure must be respected in teaching methods.

In addition to core curriculum changes, Crawford intends to push for an overhaul of vocational education. He emphasised that vocational training is not for “slow” students, but for those who learn differently. His proposal involves a $15 billion investment over five years to establish vocational labs in high schools, supported by the HEART/NSTA Trust. These labs would serve students during school hours and adults in the evening.

Each high school would be outfitted with four labs aligned to vocational clusters relevant to the surrounding community. Students from grades 10 to 13 would be eligible for HEART certification levels one through four, transforming the high school experience into a complete vocational education pipeline.

“So, that would be a transformational thing, but that’s going to take some time … ,” he said.

Crawford’s wider plans include student loan forgiveness tied to years of national employment, a pause on repayments until employment is secured, internet support for teachers, solar installations to cut school electricity costs, and an increase in National Housing Trust thresholds for teachers. He also called for a closer review of the Jamaica Teaching Council Bill to ensure teachers are better supported.

erica.virtue@gleanerjm.com