Dear editor,
As a Dominican who has travelled and experienced the world, I write to you with a most-important concern for my country, the future of our Dominican people and the Caribbean by extension. It has to do with the outdated concept of our early educational system. I will be
brief. My intention is to create a discussion throughout Dominica and the Caribbean to change it.
Many of the problems we have in our country today, stem from our failure to educate our pre-schoolers in a proper manner. I say this because the concept of the system we have been using to educate our future adults, at the level of kindergarten, is wrong.
No child should have to learn anything related to academics before 6 to 7 years of age. They need to be taught good societal values. These include togetherness, teamwork, conformity etc., which are fundamentally important to their future and the society as a whole. Every great journey starts with small steps.
The subconscious of every person is 90% formed by these ages. Thus, we are missing the greatest opportunity for benefiting our children and our society. We are only destroying our children’s future and thus our society’s future. Most of Europe, Canada and England, etc. use such educational concepts for decades.
Another very important point is that there exists too much negative reinforcement at that early stage of a child’s mental development. People need to stop shouting at their children. This only reinforces negativity when they become adults. We need to use much more positive
reinforcement, at those tender ages. In other words, we need to praise our children every time they do anything remotely good and gently explain to them when they have done something wrong.
My questions are why are we still using a decades-old and outdated educational system? Why have our phycologists, educators and people in-the-know, allowed this system to continue to impact our people and society negatively, even in 2020. Although this is not my field of work, I am available to assist with this concept.
It is our job to investigate and rectify this outdated early educational system.
Regards
Dipl. Ing Jenner B M Armour, B,Sc
Great idea – let’s emulate the countries whose societies are falling apart because their youth have twisted values and morals. Let’s emulate the societies where sexual deviancy, weakness, laziness and entitlement are promoted. There’s no way that can go wrong.
i agree strongly with the point of view expressed in the two previous commentsm as well as the original arguments by Dr. Armour.
Whilst I agree with much of what has been said, I have often thought there are gaps in Dominican education which need to be filled, with particular reference to this island, which is vastly different to developed western nations. Here we have an emphasis on nature and our main sources of income have for many decades been dependant on agriculture, fishing and more recently tourism. So from an early age our children should be introduced to these things – sustainable methods of agriculture and fishing, and as our tourism industry focuses on the nature isle concept, nature walks should be a frequent occurrence, so they can begin to learn all about our wonderfully diverse fauna and flora. Also, with limited industry present, from mid senior school there should be an emphasis on entrepreneurial skills, so individuals do not feel daunted at the prospect of starting their own small businesses, for in a small society like ours there are many niches to be filled.
Our present education system puts too much emphasis on academics. It focuses much too much on recall. One should not be educated only to make a living but also for living. There are too many educated derelict in our society. Some have more degrees than a thermometer but are highly immoral, ultra selfish, hostile and troublesome.
The first two grades of primary school should be used to teach socials, instill virtues like love, kindness, empathy, caring, etcetera. I also believe that 99% of our children leaving the primary school should be reading at their grade level or above.
Every secondary school leaver should leave with a skill. It can be dancing, hair-braiding, carpentry, masonry, joinery, decorating, plumbing, barbering, baking, cooking etc.
There really needs to be a revolutionary change in the way our children are instructed at our learning institutions. Changes to the curriculum are necessary.
Outdated concepts are not limited to our early educational system, they are present at every stage of learning.
At every stage creative subjects are ignored in the misguided belief that only academic qualifications will get you somewhere in life.
Roger, I appreciate where you coming from and no it are not only academic qualifications that shape a person but they certainly help. If you have difficulties with formal education, say because you are dyslexic or have an attention disorder that is a real handicap but that should not be held against you. There are other ways in which one can excel just as there are plenty of morally defunct characters with doctorates. In the end we are all children of Creation and must live with one another with the attributes we are given, preferably in harmony and peace.