Rick Lowe
According to the PLP's , Progressive Young Liberal Chairman, the government needs to double spending on education.
Well he actually said "investments", but we all know that's a cute word for government spending. It doesn't sound as if there's a cost involved when you say your making an investment.
The leader of the PLP is reported to have agreed with this sentiment and said, "It's ambitious, but it's also necessary…"
As Nicholas Snow said in this recent article,
"We must abandon the fantasy that the state operates outside of constraints and scarcity. We must wake up to the reality, whether we like it or not, that prosperity is created by the desire of man to improve his own lot in life. And, in general, this requires personal responsibility."
Why aren't our leaders and aspiring leaders focusing on value for money for the hundreds of millions the country has spent on education to date? It's as if they believe they can continue the spending binge that's been ongoing for decades now without considering the burden they're placing on future generations.
Surely if we've been "investing" in education all these years there should be a return by now?
No matter how much money is spent, invested or wasted on education, as a rule children who do not want to learn or who dislike school will not be successful in any education system.. The problem is simple, children who lack basic self-esteem and positive attitudes have no self-respect.. The same is true in Washington, D.C., Delray Beach, Florida and Nassau, Bahamas.. Until the Ministry of Education addresses this problem of self-esteem development, the crisis in education will always be with us.. To throw more money into education is wasteful spending from a cost/benefit standpoint and the return on investment is marginal at best..
The example of the school system in Washington, D.C. is most telling.. They spend about three times the amount of money that we spend per student here in the Bahamas.. The resulting benefits of such spending has resulted in one of the worst school systems in the States.. Students have poor attitudes towards learning and most have little if any individual self-respect.. More spending is not the answer as it has not worked over the past twenty-five years of increased spending.. The lessons of experience are apparent, children who do not feel good about themselves have little interest in learning and personal self-development..
Programs in the Bahamas must be introduced on an ongoing basis to address these attitude issues which our children experience.. Positive attitudes and values must be taught and emphasized at the primary school level.. All primary school students must learn to feel good about themselves, learn the values of self-respect and individual respect for others.. Perhaps the government should consider introducing the “I’m Special” program into every primary school throughout the country.. It just might make the meaningful difference in the development of our children that we all hope for.. Maybe it is an idea whose time has come..