For years I've always wondered why is it that people 'praise' the students that pass to Hampton/Munro I agree It's awesome but dont the other kids that pass to Black River/Steths,BB Coke and Newell deserve some of this glory they've done good too as its not the school that you go to its what YOU do that makes you who you ARE... lawyers, doctors and teachers have blossomed from all these schools... I hope someone gets the message I'm trying to put out here.

I not only get it but agree with it. I just had this very conversation with a student yesterday who was not assigned to the school she wanted even though having the grade average.

I would like to congratulate all students who worked hard and did their best. Just going on to a higher level education from here is a great accomplishment which many did not even think about doing even up to 10 -15 years ago. Something worth celebrating here is the emphasis now placed on getting a good education and furthering your education which was not so prevelent several years ago when expectations were different.

The quote I used from my high school year book was: 'What you are is God's gift to you. What you become is your gift to God.' So as "Takies" said ". . . it's not the school that you go to its what YOU do that makes you who you ARE...".

Congratultions to all students for your individual accomplishments.

I had these same thoughts last night as I read the congratulations. I attended what was considered one of the "best" High Schools in Ja but that didn't make ME any different from the kids who went elsewhere. Different environments produce different outcome so not all of us will take the same path. I have seen, however, that it is what we do with those circumstances that determines our future. As a past student of Sandy Bank, I am proud to congratulate EVERYONE who is about to take the next step. After all, it's always the next step that matters most.

I would like to share my views on the matter of the schools that our children have passed their exams to attend. I am a graduate from BB Coke High School located in Junction St Elizabeth I was in the batch of the first students to pass the Common Entrance Exam in 1993 to start off the school as a High School. All I can say is that I am now a Nurse Practitioner here in Jamaica and the last time I checked most of my batch mates where either in Banking, Business Owners, Teachers, Nurses, Lawyers or in some other prominent jobs here in Jamaica and overseas. It is not the school that makes the child into what they will become but what ambitions that child has that will take them to the highest that they can achieve. So to all the boys and girls who didn't get to pass for Hampton and Munro you all did great just prepare yourself now for the road ahead and the sky is always the limit. GOOD LUCK.

I am sure we all know why the Hampton and Munro students gets the praise they do. Its a simple answer, to get to those schools they had to work extra hard and get really high grades. Its like getting in Harvard and Yale over a state or community college..... all are worthy of praise.

I also agree that all the kids should be congratulated for there hard work. Its a great accomplishment moving on to a higher education.

I must say though I think the system is not the best it can be. We need to get the none traditional high school level up to the traditional high schools so that stigma can go away about who is going to a better school and who is not.

Also not all of us were made to be scientist, Engineers, Accountants, Attorneys , Doctors etc. We also need good Mechanics, Electricians, Construction Builders, Wood workers, Culinary Chefs etc. We need to start identifying these kids from an early stage because not all kids can get 80% and 90% averages and that does not mean that the kids with the 50% and 60% average will not be just as successful in life or even more successful than the ones with the higher average.

The eduction system needs a revamped, from early childhood right up to CXC level, {edited by TBNet}.

Agreed Rob. Who is going to revamp the educators?

Maybe be the students. The current generation has been enabled to access what is appropriate and digest at their speed. A teacher raised in the school of parrotting and power over pickney, will disrupt the learning experience, talking from experience.

With wireless high speed internet, those able and who wish could design their own education and lower the current stresses many experience in a school environment.

Usually I refrain from quoting myself but please forgive me for making an exception with the following excerpt from an address I gave at the graduation exercise for Sandy Bank Primary on July 5, 2008:


Let's face the fact: There were shouts of joy when the word came that some of you had been placed at my old school, Munro, or at Hampton, and STETHS and, significantly these days, at Black River High as well.

The voices were probably more muted, however, when mention was made of those who would be going on to Newell High, or BB Coke, or Lacovia etc.

At one level, I understand the differences in these responses, but, fundamentally, it is wrong!

It is important for those who will be going on to these less favoured schools to understand that your future can be as bright, as positive and as prosperous as that of your colleagues.

Unlike the situation that existed up to a couple decades ago, there are no longer significant differences in the curriculum available at the traditional high schools as against that provided for students attending the upgraded schools. You will all be studying the same academic subjects. And, in five years time you will all be writing your CSEC exams for these same subjects.

So... when you walk through the doors of any of our universities and say to the administrators, "I wish to enroll at this university"; it will not matter which high school you attended. The only issue of relevance on that day will be whether you have passed the requisite number of subjects for entry into the university.

This is a far cry from the situation that faced your parents who attended Newell, for example, in the 1970's and 80's. In a sense, they faced discrimination from the moment they stepped out of Sandy Bank and entered that school.

Despite the fact that many of them were capable of doing the O'Level exams that we were being prepared for at Munro and Hampton and STETHS, they were mostly restricted to doing exams that were regarded as inferior - the JSC and the SSC.

These were exams that were not given the same level of recognition by the University of the West Indies and the major employers in the country.

And, so, essentially what the country was saying to thousands of its young people was that they were not good enough for certain positions in this, the country of their birth!

What is more, this view was often reinforced by their parents and other members of the community.

Yet, even in those circumstances, some of those students prevailed. They refused to accept that they were children of a lesser God. Some took extra lessons outside of the school curriculum and did the O'Levels and even the A'Levels and qualified for university on that basis.

As a consequence there are many lawyers, doctors, nurses, engineers and other professionals in this country and elsewhere in the world today who are products of what were called junior secondary and later simply the secondary schools.

Others went on to teachers college where they excelled and are today among the leading educators in the country. Ironically, some of them are valuable members of staff at even the traditional high school which spurned them in the first place!

They proved that being a student of a so-called secondary school did not mean that you were a second-class citizen, even if your own country meant you to be so!

There may still be some additional steps that you might have to take. You might have to ask your teachers to give you some extra pointers outside of regular class hours; perhaps you may also find it necessary sometimes to return to even your primary school teachers for a bit of guidance in some of these subjects, but I'm sure they won't mind!

Again, I say, some of you may think you are not leaving here on an equal footing, but you can arrive at the same destination as a consequence of what you do over the next few years.

You only need to look at what has happened at Black River High over the past 15 years to appreciate my point.

That transformation has been brought about by a team of dedicated teachers and a supportive community and, importantly, by pioneering students who believed in themselves.

Significantly, that process of transformation is being led by a principal who exemplifies best the indomitable spirit required for such formidable challenges.


What kind of future are you being prepared for?

I assert that the most important thing is for you, as young Jamaicans, to be prepared for Jamaican citizenship.

I cannot emphasise too much how crucial it is for Jamaica's young people to be taught the value of being Jamaican!

If each of us develops an understanding of how special our country is we will all work to make it better, and if each one does his part in making it better, then, ultimately, Jamaica will confirm its place as one of the greatest countries on earth.

If you are properly prepared for Jamaican citizenship then you will have been prepared to be a citizen of the world because Jamaicans have proved themselves to be among the best in the world.

Thanks so much Earl. I was sitting in the audience when you delivered that speech. So true then and even more true and appropriate now when Jamaica is celebrating her 50th.

Great speech Mr.Moxam (proud Munronian here as well). I truly hope it inspired the kids in 2008 and hope in a in a year or 2 we will have some of those who went to non traditional schools getting accepted in to the university of their choice.


I also think the parents and children should understand that GSAT was not designed to be a placement examamination, it's an achievement exam showing what the children have attained in primary or prep school for the 6 years they were there.

This is good because then the parents and teachers should be able to see from the exams what strengths and weaknesses they have and try to tailor a program or point then in a non academic role, cuz as much I am strong beleiver in being academically educated I am also not naive enough to know that not everyone will be that....so we must look out for those children as well.

Mr. Moxam, your 2008 speech is very pertinent today.

As I read your statement that "there are many lawyers, doctors, nurses, engineers and other professionals in this country and elsewhere in the world today who are products of what were called junior secondary and later simply the secondary schools", it occurred to me that the voices of these professionals (past students of the so called non-traditional high schools) need to make their voices heard nationally in support of their school.

Christine Marrett
Proprietor
Two Seasons Guest House
Treasure Beach, St. Elizabeth
Jamaica
Tel: 876-571-0818
www.2seasonsguesthouse.com
"Where the welcome is warm and the runnings cool"
South coast organizational finalist, 2010 Tourism Service Excellence Programme
Registered with the Jamaica Tourist Board
Member, Jamaica Association of Villas and Apartments

A long time ago, I was one of those students who did not reach the top of my class in primary school. I was not very motivated, I felt stupid compared to the smart kids, and my grades suffered. But a funny thing happened when I went on to an "inferior" high school. Suddenly I found myself nearer to the top of the class. I was encouraged by my teachers and started feeling more confident and motivated to excel. My whole attitude towards school changed and I graduated high school in the top 10 percent and went to university. Above all I learned that we are not all meant to achieve at the same level, and I have to give thanks to those teachers who saw my potential and encouraged me to succeed.

I was slated to become nothing. I had no sense, was probably a learning disabled--nervous and frightened of school, of some of the most horrible teachers one could encounter. I was barefoot and poor. I flunked the scholarship that would have gotten me to St Elizabeth Technical High School.

Then I went to a new school, and something short of a miracle happened. A teacher told me I was smart. I believed her. To make a long story short, I soared. Today I teach teachers to teach reading. I have a Doctorate in Literacy Education. A miracle indeed!

Two great testimonials! I hope those who are feeling discouraged at this time will rise up and see themselves as able to achieve and not as failures.

One thing I do know children who are focus can be high achievers regardless of the school they are placed. I attended the Sandy Bank Primary and the Newell High School and in a few weeks I will be completing my Masters Degree. I am almost sure that within the next year or two this school will be joining the list of those preferred high schools. I visited recently and I believe it is one of the most beautiful school environment I have ever seen.The level of discipline has improved drastically. This is one of the schools that usually receive the very low averages but even with this challenge they are able to excell.If they were not performing they could not have a six form. Give them some of the averages of eighty-ninty and no traditional high school would out do them. I am really proud of the performances of the students and guess what some of the seventy average are going to Newell High. Can you imaging how well these students can do at this school. Proud of you Sandy Bank. Proud of you Newell.

I am confused by your arguments, your second argument does not support your first argument.

Are any of our local schools twinned with any abroad? Exchange students learn much from each others culture. I'm in Britannia Beach BC helping settle godaughter and tribe. I'll ask about possibilities.