Like most 11-year-olds, Stephan is entering GSAT year. A daunting time for anyone facing the pressures of this exam, yet for Stephan the task ahead is almost impossible. His mother admits sadly, "Him can't even really read." She goes on to explain that she taught him how to write his name but, "Dem say him slow, and when him try to work all he does is cry."

We took Stephan to be assessed only to have confirmed what his mother and his school already knew; he was at a pre-grade 1 level. He is an 11-year-old whose academic capability is that of a four-year-old; despite having attended school diligently for the last six years or more. The assessment found weaknesses in most areas and recommended that he needed special education with the hope he could be functionally literate and numerate within four to five years. The assessment also made mention of the emotional effects of a child who has consistently been left behind in his class, his particular coping skill is to keep quiet, very quiet.

No space at hope

His mother went dutifully to the School of Hope, who advised her that there was no space in the special needs school in his area, and that she should send Stephan back to his original school. Another hopeless year of school uniforms, school books and Stephan sitting day in and day out through classes that he cannot possibly comprehend. Another year of Stephan feeling like a failure, another year that the education system will fail Stephan.

In my outrage, I questioned professionals in the field and their response to me was that Stephan is not alone. Dr. Marigold Thorburn of 3D Projects wrote in an unrelated proposal, "Many basic school teachers do not recognise children with learning and disability problems. If they do, they do not know better methods of facilitating their development and learning. Such problems are extremely common in the Jamaican population, making up between 17 and 30 per cent of children in primary school. These problems are being addressed inadequately at the present time."

The emphasis of the previous administration seemed to be placed on the physical facilities. There was no doubt that the conditions of our schools were deplorable, yet a new desk, and even free tuition is not going to help Stephan, nor is it going to help the 30 per cent of students like him. Yet, our nation is filled with people who achieve without having excelled academically, and one might argue that academic success is not everything. But if 30 per cent of our students are being subjected to consistent blows to their self-esteem throughout a school career in which they simply only fall further and further behind, what long-term effect does that have on them?

Not receiving education

Low self-esteem has been linked to violence, sexual assault and use of drugs. Surely, with the rate of academic failure our students are experiencing in our schools, we have simply created a breeding ground for a lack of confidence. While some of our students have attained academic excellence and thrived in a very competitive system, the majority are being left behind and, as a nation, we need to address the simple fact that the majority of our students are not receiving an education, even if they are going to school.

We can argue about the cost to our productivity when our young adults, having entered the working world, spend their evenings in night classes resitting their 'subjects' when they should be at least aspiring for a tertiary education. We can see the social effects of an uneducated population and the frustration of the limited opportunities that come with it, we can see the power it has over an electorate, yet I do not need any of that to inspire my call for a better education because tonight, as Stephan opens his books to do his homework, and as his caregiver implores him to do his work and is frustrated when he can't even read the question, Stephan is going to cry, just like he did last night.