Ah going Community college

It was like ah barrel full ah fresh air watching Dr Jewel War-he-can being interviewed by Zinga Greaves on de Guv-ah-mint API television program. Ah never hear bout de gentleman but he’s de new Director at de Community College, but not ah new kid on de (education) block. People who know him say he got vision and it’s an honour to have him home to lend support to de Education Rev-all-yuh-shun, especially at dis critical juncture, de timing is I-deal foh War-he-can tek control ah de battle field.{{more}}

Ah particularly liked his response when Zinga asked him way he got to offer, “I am happy to mek ah difference,” he said. Dat’s it, to mek ah Difference yuh got to be Different. De gentleman is not talking high-foh-low-ting language. He thinks dat de Community College doors closing too early at 5:00 p.m. and feels dat to adequately serve de needs foh de kind ah Education he envisaged, 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m is ah more realistic opening period. This will allow foh candidates young and ole who didn’t gain entry to full-time day classes to return and catch up.

De future Graduates will be well rounded in de use ah de English Language, ah ha! He even catering foh me, Lie-Za and Minister Bug-in. Also, dey must be versed in de academics as well as other skills. Ah beg to second de motion, A-level students, most ah dem, graduating basically to get into Universities, imagine kids completing school, attaining de highest level ah Education de nation has to offer locally, and can’t bake ah cake, can’t fix ah fuse, don’t have ah skill dat de limited job market demands. Under War-he-can, dat will change! De College will offer short courses to help any and everybody, skilled artisans will be trained, examined and certified at de various levels, getting dem CSME ready. No one will be turned away. Most importantly our students must know and understand Vincentian Culture, dey will have to hire 2-Cool Kris and Ice-man and dem to lecture in dat subject. What is important is dat Dr Jewel is not ah Johnny come lately to Education, he comes here wid ah wealth ah knowledge and experience in his field, ah specialist. He promises to undertake dis bold venture step by step, no hurry-hurry fly by night thing like how de Rev-all-yuh-shun was thrown on de Ministry Officials.

Dis vision foh de College is exactly way de Doctor order. Nothing about it is over ambitious, but my biggest fear is dat Dr War-he-can will run into ah lot ah nigger-thief forces, de doubting Thomas and dem only waiting to block his I-dare and chop him down to Vincy size. Ah could just hear some ah de members on de Board ah Governors saying: “Ah nice vision, BUT, way are we getting all ah dis money from to finance such ah noble program”. My sins-here hope is dat one ah de conditions under which Dr War-he-can will function, is dat he will give de Board ah Governors direction, and not de other way around, otherwise Craw-poe smoke we pipe. Lie-Za say she give him six months, ah will be more generous, one year foh ah War-he-can win.

GOOD PASSES IN DE BETTER SUBJECTS

Congrats to all successful students and schools in dis year’s CXC and CAPE results. Those who didn’t mek it dis time, don’t give up, try again, remember de race is not only foh de fast runners, but foh those who will run to de finish. Lie-Za bigging up GHS, she say she is ah ole girl but can’t remember de Headmistress’s name. She tell me GHS holding back in de 90’s till 2011 when de school celebrate its centenary, look out foh de 100 % den. De principal Stephens and staff of Belair Sec deserve honorable mention wid 59 percent foh ah first attempt. And remember dat Belair started out wid not a single student who did pass the common entrance. Imagine starting ah school wid !00% failures. What ah wicked system.

Ah want to big-up St. Joseph’s Convent Marriaqua wid 100% passes in de Agric Science Double Award. De teacher in dat program is Mr “Bashie” Cumberbatch from Green Hill. He’s first ah Farmer, preacher, van driver den ah Teacher, Bashie produces some ah de best grade ah Ginger and Eddoes in SVG. Ah hope some ah dem successful Agric Students got de good cents to sign up foh assistance from de money Guv-ah-mint going share out give de Marie Warner Farmers to do alternative crops. Ah hope also, dey will tek up de offer Dr War-he-can planning foh dem to use dey skills (Farm de lands) and get into de certification program at de College. By de way when all ah de’s kids pass in Agric Sci, how many ah dem does get called to wuk wid de Min. of Agric. If fact is dey ah program at de Ministry to absorb young Agriculturalist. Ah think ah better stop, dem fellars digging ting say all ah does do is bash de Guv-ah-mint. De Big Man does give he-self nuff Big-up in de “Letters to de Editor” section, Maybe dey should pull me on board de Grave-he train. And wid dat is gone ah gone again.

One Love Bassy

Bassy Alexander is a land surveyor, folklorist and social commentator.