What is the root cause of this in Jamaica?

[@SkilcoleCooks]

Yes, no matter what your circumstances are, never be a victim! Nobody owes us anything, nobody is going to hand us anything! No matter how poor you are, Never let anyone look down on you!.

[@LifewiddiJamFams]

Completely! It mentally diminishes people's ability to make a change in their own situation. It keeps people stuck going around the mountain of their problems but never seeing how they can create a way out. 💎💯

[@bempowereda1]

Well said! Please do some of these inspirational talks in schools. Reach them when they are young. Stay blessed

[@SkilcoleCooks]

@@bempowereda1 thank you! I wish I was home to do so!

[@LifewiddiJamFams]

Thanks @bempowereda1 Definitely open to that idea! 💯💎

[@LifewiddiJamFams]

@SkilcoleCooks Maybe it is worth exploring how you could do so when you are visiting or virtually 🤔

[@faithm2535]

@@SkilcoleCookshave you considered returning to live in Jamaica?

[@LifewiddiJamFams]

@faithm2535 Where are you watching from? 🤔

[@faithm2535]

There are many well intentioned topics like this out there with lots of generalize thought on how to improve, but rarely will we ever see any actual SPECIFIC and viable step identified that could be implemented within 1-3 years. So, I will list one or two and then allow the crickets to commence with chirping. 😀 1. Get rid of all PRIVATE schools (and the classism that comes with them). 2. Remove responsibility and resources for road and transportation infrastructure from under the control of all political parties (to remove conflict of interests), and create a non partisan agency to handle it.

[@LifewiddiJamFams]

Thanks for you response to the video. The suggestions you have given need further discussions. The non-partisan agency for infrastructure is definitely a great way forward. That will inevitably include increased costs for road tax and tolls etc to ensure roads are fixed and up to par. Nevertheless, it would probably be a necessary sacrifice in the short term for long term gains. 💎 Regarding the school, even in Finland where private school is almost non-existent, schools have some autonomy on the curriculum and parents are very involved through volunteering and supporting learning from home. Until we are at that stage of home school partnership for students' learning, there will always be a place for private schools. Although, most secondary schools are now state funded and most private schools are at preparatory level; which indicate some scope of success on the reduction of private schools. Ultimately, personal accountability is where society has the most change and greatest impact. Why is private school such a bad thing in your view? How will eliminating private school stop people from feeling disenfranchised or disempowered? 🤔🧐

[@faithm2535]

@ To clarify, I meant no private schools below the university level. Early childhood to very early adulthood are the most formative years of human life… the years during which all that we learn and experience will be most determinative in formulating our character and the self perception that we will carry with us for the rest of our lives. Having a national school system that promotes an “us” vs “them” myopic outlook during this stage of life, determines the level of empathy and understanding towards others that the adults they become will have the capacity to feel. School classism is the earliest and most direct way of telling children that they are not all equally valued or worthy of the opportunity to be safe, to learn, grow, or succeed, according to their own individual talents and efforts. As far as curriculum, these are the years to master the “three Rs”, with some general introduction to subjects for possible specialization later on. I’m not aware of anything that needs to be or should taught at the pre university level, that only some Ja children have need to know…. So no NEED for private schooling. Furthermore, I seen no need for the plethora of different uniform color and styles for each school, instead of the govt taking advantage of of economy of scale to purchase large volume of a few uniform material prints…have them all sewn in Ja factories(create jobs and control uniform price). Similarly for school lunch and breakfast… should be of a certain nutritional standard and prepared on site (and subsidized by public dollars). If we claim to want a level playing field, action and a sea change are needed, and the earlier in life the easier to digest.

[@LifewiddiJamFams]

@faithm2535 Fully understood! 💎 There are some breakfast programmes that are currently in schools in Jamaica. Many of the schools where that is provided in the UK, it tends to be funded by nonprofit organisations who are raising funds and funding the programmes. The demands on public dollars is significant and those coffers are over stretched if we are being honest. It's great that they are looking to offer those breakfast and lunch programmes currently. Hopefully it will be rolled out further afield. The uniform colours and styles in so many variety, especially for the girls, could have reduction for sure. Instead of government owned factories, there could be grants to dress makers and tailors who would want to set up these uniform manufacturing businesses. It would definitely build out other forms of manufacturing. The early years, especially up to 8 years old, are very imperative for children's development. Hence why parents who can afford it make the decision to send their children to independent schools. It's their way of giving their children that chance at formulate their character and self perception for years to come. Until that area of Jamaica's education in the state sector is offering what the private sector offers those children, all well intention parents who have the means (although many are making extensive sacrifice) will continue to opt to sending their children to private prep schools. Do you not believe that the focus should be on improving the quality of provision in the state system to the point where parents no longer feel the need to opt for something deemed better? Equally, how does that interfere with the rights of parents to provide for their children in a way they feel is for their best in those formative years of their lives? Could that be pushing on communist ideation and infringing on parents human rights? 💎🤔

[@faithm2535]

@@LifewiddiJamFams If only SOME (I presume poor)children are getting the ‘free’ breakfast, what about all the ones who are not, why are they less worthy or more disposable? If public funds are allocated according to highest priority…. Shouldn’t be too many things that ranks higher than the basic needs of children. Especially in a country that has laws mandating persons who have no resources or stable home environment to bring any and all pregnancies to term. Isn’t the current inefficient redundancies in school uniforms a reflection of how the private sector, who likely makes a nifty profit, wants it to be? The goal of private dollars will always, and rightly so, be to maximize profit. I dont lean communist at all, but I don’t believe that either education or healthcare should be run as for profit industries, especially in young developing nations where access to capital is based primarily on racism, classism, nepotism, and ‘links’. Prior to the teenage years, I presume that Ja students are not yet needing to be instructed in the intricacies of very complex scientific materials and such, so aside from name brand prestige and exclusivity, what type of basic education are private schools currently offering that couldn’t be gained from public schools if public schools had access to even a fraction of the funds that are now reserved for private schools only? And if it’s classes in art, theater, music, ballet, polo lessons, etc. I think those could be the extra curricular studies that are handled by private instructors and facilities. Parents have human rights, but they don’t live in a vacuum. What happened to patriotism? What happened to a rising tide lifts all boats? Or is it that most of who claim to want a better Jamaica, wants it to happen magically, or so long as it’s someone else who will make all the investments to make it better?

[@LifewiddiJamFams]

@faithm2535 These are some very great points you've raised and great final question. It's every individual's responsibility; a collective process. We all have different roles to play and are called to different purpose all with the same agenda of making Jamaica better. The breakfast programme that we are aware of are in schools with low socio-economic and disadvantaged population; which is a great start to addressing the problem. These programmes require funding and hence why on the previous response it was made clear how 'developed' countries 'with money' approach this very concept. Nonprofit organisation offer them in areas where they are most needed. Public funding in a country like Jamaica is limited to its tax collection and any other forms of earning and the demands that are on the tax collection or earning. With a population of approximately 3 million people, two thirds of which are 25 or above, many not paying tax, how much public funds do you believe is there to go around? Private companies contribute to charitable activities because it gives them publicity and in a positive way. It also means they get some tax reduction as a result. For this reason nonprofits exist; they address grass roots problem with funding they would not otherwise have access to, through people like yourself who are passionate about righting these injustices. We are all called to different purposes and this seems to be a part of yours. As bad as uniform cost seems, it has been researched in the UK, USA and Canada and found to be less expensive for family and reduce bullying related to poverty, help with identity and other factors. There are so many uniform business in the UK and although their colours are often grey or black bottoms with white tops, there are many different parts of uniform that builds on that basic which is rather costly. Parents are the ones given direct stewardship of their children and their learning, although there are national curriculum in countries to ensure equal opportunities for children going into the same global marketplace. If a parent believe that private school is their way of stewarding their children why deny them that right? The focus should be to implement programmes that improve the quality of public schools offering in those preparatory ages. That's what places like Finland, with a great public sector education and reduced private schools, did. They allowed the public sector to meet the needs that parents were seeking in private institution. That's the way to fix the problem, making private school obsolete! On your point about 'bringing any and all pregnancy to term', the best solution to focus on is prevention first and foremost; rather than needing a cure; people need to be more responsible and accountable. Of course there will be cases out of individuals control; those are the exception and not the norm. 🤔🧐

[@faithm2535]

Can you please elaborate on which group you are referring to a Bantoo and what sectors they are now dominating? Ty

[@LifewiddiJamFams]

@faithm2535 The Jamaicans that are Bantu (Israelite) are those referred to as Blacks or of African ancestry. African is a Continent with thousands of ethnic groups. There was a specific ethnic group that made up the majority of people shipped to the West. There are many of them in places and positions they didn't previously occupy other than entertainment and sports.

[@faithm2535]

@@LifewiddiJamFams ok…so Bantu meaning Jamaicans descended from enslaved Africans who were brought to Jamaica. I’m still not sure of any Jamaican sector of wealth or power where such persons dominate. But I realize that a few have made inroads, and largely those who demonstrate having taken the necessary steps to minimize their Bantu identity.

[@LifewiddiJamFams]

@faithm2535 We hear you! They are beginning to occupy spaces that before they weren't in. More in corporate executive roles in many spheres. Please clarify how they minimise their Bantu identity? What do you believe is the real reason more aren't making inroads? 🤔🧐

[@faithm2535]

@ After many, not all, Bantu lineage folks make social/ financial advancements, the first order of business is often to ensure that their children and grandchildren children will be racially ambigious, with less and Bantu lineage. When inroads don’t generate coat tails and/or reinvestment in communities, the persons in those positions are merely flavors of the month, hence the very slow pace of any real change to the status quo and stratification in the society.

[@LifewiddiJamFams]

@faithm2535 Thanks for the clarity. Many people who make it to those offices pay a tax to their family, left behind, for merely progressing there and over extended periods, reduce their level of progression as they keep up 'reinvestment in communities'. These intermarriages are not necessarily to become racially ambiguous; most of the time it is because they entered relationships with people of like minds so they can continue their growth and development for future generations. Look honestly at many of the people who go back into the village and marry someone who has not mentally emancipated. What more often than not happens to them? Most people who goes to high school want to marry someone who has been to high school or college and so on. It's progressiveness! People select from the individuals available. 🤔🧐