Satiricus was stumped at the NGSA results, and it showed in his furrowed brow as he meandered to the Back Street Bar. While he was very happy at the first time perfect score, one obviously bright child had achieved, that that child was a girl and most of the other top performers were girls gave him pause.
It wasn’t that he had anything against girls – since his daughter was the apple of his eye and had done very well at academics, thank you! – but he wondered what was going on.
“So what you fellas think is behind this poor performance by boys?” asked Satiricus. “In our days, boys were on top!!”
“Budday, ah de same t’ing wha’ mek country pickney a do betta nowadays,” said Bungi. “Lang time, dem neva get de chance!”
“But girls always had to go to school with us,” pointed out Satiricus. “And yet we did better!”
“Me bin t’ink ‘bout dis problem, evah since me son nah do suh good when ‘e write Camman Entrance,” said Cappo. “Me t’ink a beca’se dem na gat maan teacha na mo’ in dem school.”
“So you think it’s because there are no role models for taking education in the schools?” asked Hari.
“Budday, me na know ‘bout all dem fancy word,” replied Cappo. “But me son bin tell me book wuk a wan gyaalie t’ing.”
“And na only da,” said Bungi. “Bai pickney like fuh run aroun’ and t’ing. But fuh do good, dem gat fuh siddong and lissen all de time!”
“That’s a good point,” said Satiricus. “So maybe the Ministry should change the way how they deliver the education curriculum.”
“If yuh seh suh!” said Cappo. “But dem bai pickney nag uh buss dem head, if dem nah get wuk w’en dem done school.”
“Dem a get dem educa-shan when dem leff school,” agreed Bungi. “Nah everything big man know he l’arn fram teachah!!”
“I understand now,” said Satiricus. “I will tell my leader Nagga Man. If they get male teachers, get more action in the classrooms and provide jobs, boys will perform better in school!”
