The Editor, Sir:

It is interesting to note the plans of both political parties for the education of the nation's children. Who will be able to deliver what one or the other manifesto is proposing? Not sure. My personal belief is that 'free education' should not be an issue as those who can should pay and some programme be put in place for those who cannot pay. My major concern however is what will happen to those children who will never access whatever 'free education' is being offered by the Government in power because the parents take away their rights.

Over the many years I have served as an educator in this country, I have noticed that the deterrent to a good education often lies with parents who

(a) refuse to send the children to school everyday;

(b) do not participate actively in school activities such as P.T.A. meetings;

(c) do not assist children in homework and other after-school activities;

(d) refuse to send their children to rural schools that are nearby their homes, thereby sending tired and sleepy students to classes out of their areas while also overcrowding urban schools;

(e) openly disrespect teachers in front of their children, not realising that children take back the rude comments to their teachers.

I long for the day when there are consequences for parents who refuse to send their children to school daily unless they have a valid excuse. Most times the excuse that, 'miss, me nuh have no lunch money fe gi him' does not hold water because the school (through fund-raising and begging) makes every effort to put in social programmes to assist. I have seen where we provide breakfast and lunch (dinner if needed); we meet with the parents and outline the programme and its benefits to the children's education and yet children are not at school regularly.

These same children become a part of the statistics of the percentage of non-mastery performers on the various literacy and numeracy tests. At the end of the day the same parents complain on the buses and on street corners that, 'nutten nah gwaan a da school deh'.

I am hoping that in promising free education to the nation and in the whole transformation of education that the issue of getting parents on board to comply and get involved is addressed.

I am, etc.,

GEORGIA HENRY

St. Andrew

Via Go-Jamaica

hengenus@yahoo.com