I do not think performance or behaviour is the best criterion on which to assess teachers performance. I think the education system needs to be audited.

Currently, teaching practices vary from school to school and the marking practices vary from teacher to teacher. I think a standard needs to be developed, based on the findings of an audit.

This audit needs to be analysed by members of both the education arena and experts at the university in education and psychology.

Based on the findings, a common standard of teaching practices should be followed in every school. A report should be done by each teacher at the end of each term outlining the procedures they followed to correct weak students while improving the satisfactory ones.

Based on this, we can quantitatively determine that the school and its teachers have done all they could to ensure the child's improvement.

I say split the criteria three ways - 50 per cent procedure (standards)-based; 25 per cent grades obtained and 25 per cent for behaviour. This way, if someone did not follow the proper teaching or marking procedures and their grades are not up, then we have a case to say the teacher did not do all that they could for the child.

- Kevin M.A. Jackson

kevinjackson61@hotmail.com

Values of Jesus

Claude B. Manning's letter, 'Jamaica needs Jesus, not guns', published on Friday, February 6, listed four 'advantages' of Jesus over guns, which are quite misleading.

The name of Jesus has fallen into the wrong hands and can accidentally (and intentionally) harm the innocent. See the crusades, the Spanish Inquisition, the transatlantic slave trade and countless other atrocities committed in the name of Jesus, or while using his name and the Christian religion.

While we are all pleased that the writer has survived his encounters with armed criminals, what about the others who died at the hands of criminals while calling Jesus' name? Perhaps a licensed firearm would have been more effective in staying alive.

I must concede that it would serve the nation well to return to the values advocated by Jesus. However, we must consider the fact that all Jamaicans are not Christians and all religions share the basic core values of Jesus.

These values should be promoted but without the banner of one religion, messiah or prophet, so as to include all Jamaicans.

- Daniel St. Martin

peter.dstm.wright@gmail.com