Dear Editor,
There has been much uproar as it pertains to discipline in our schools. Many of us remember the wild cane and the thick ruler being present in the school system from nursery through secondary. We also remember very well which teachers were the strictest and which students got into most trouble. Disciplinary system ranged from being verbally corrected and warned in a gradual progression that led to the use of the wild cane. Depending on the bad act, you could be quickly moved up the scale to detention, or lashes from the Headmaster/Headmistress, followed by the teacher meeting with the parents.
This respected part of the British disciplinary system of the past had worked well for many decades in Guyana, and continues to work well in countries like Singapore, where the strictest part of the disciplinary process has been extended to the courts and penal system. Just recently, I had a conversation with some friends from China, and we were discussing the resurgence of COVID in their country. Their President had been criticised by the West over how strict and restrictive his policies were, and as a result of this criticism, and internal protests, he relaxed the policies. The result was a severe outbreak that overconsumed the capacity of their hospitals. Many Chinese citizens lost their lives. I mention this because a leader must know the culture of those who are being led, and do what he/she knows would work best.
A possible solution to the current impasse between our school system and some parents may be for the Ministry of Education to make it very clear what the public school system’s disciplinary process is, and will continue to be. This will give parents the option to exclude themselves and their children from the public school system if it does not align with their personal beliefs.
The current impression is that the unruly children have unruly parents, who lack respect for teachers and would resort to violence to resolve their differences.
An example of a poorly raised adult poorly raising their offspring. Many would argue that a lack of discipline in the upbringing of those violent parents has brought the current uproar in our school system. Home schooling is always another option that they can pursue.
We must also remember that drugs and weapons are being found in some of our schools. This has to be corrected, and students must know that they are expected to follow the rules. If the rules are not being followed, the consequences must also be clear from the onset.
Our school system should not be allowed to be weakened because of the unruly few among us. Guyana’s school system has always been very strict, and should continue to be this way going forward. We aren’t in the business of raising criminals and juvenile delinquents. Students must receive a clear message that they must accept correction at home and at school, or experience the harsh reality outside of those controlled environments. This is what we were also taught when we were young, and if the parent or teacher is trying to cross the line into what would be classified as abuse of a minor, then the child has a right to call the Police or notify someone who would help to quickly end it.
I encourage those parents that do not like the Guyanese school system’s way of helping to raise their children to please make constructive suggestions on how to improve the system without losing the level of self-discipline expected from our students and their parents. You are the most important example of behaviour that your child would follow.
With concern,
Jamil Changlee
