Jamaica, a First World Country?

Jamaica is a country loved by many, the people are so relaxed and happy, they just go about their daily business with no care in the world, if you want to see a firsthand manifestation of the carefree attitude, just take an early morning journey to one on the government offices, you will get the real Jamaican experience.

 Customers are often early and waiting to be served, they are many times at the doors of the especially the tax offices long before they are opened. They stand patiently, waiting for the door to be opened, some in a line and those who do not want to wait in a bundle. The security would open the door at the specified time, then, with a great push the bundle all rush to get to the front of the line, disregarding who came before them, only to wait for another 10 to 20 minutes to be served as the attendants take their own jolly little time, behaving as though they are super early and dear you say anything, as that might just frustrate you a little longer to wait as though you have nothing to do.  

I often wonder who are these workers accountable to? They reach work whenever they feel, late most times and leave quite early, they even take extended lunchtime and constantly use their cellphones and have a friendly conversation with no regards for the customers standing in front of them. They even take extended breaks with a jam-packed lobby. How can this country ever get to a first-world status if the government worker behaves the way they do especially for tax collection?  Why is the time for tax collection shorter than the regular work hours of 9 to 5?

First world status by 2030 is only a paper dream, without a reform of the government workforce, the first-world status for Jamaica will never be a reality. We talk about a reform of security, education, and taxes, we have many policies and strategies that need to be used, ideas on paper are just words, we need action. Policies fix nothing, what does is an action of the policies, not politics.   

The Value of Education

Education is said to be the key to unlock poverty, which had believed for most of my life. After seeking a higher level of education I start to reevaluate that statement. I was also told that education unlocks endless possibilities and presents many opportunities. Again life had led me to rethink these statements. Presently there are many persons who were not qualified to get a job, they made the sacrifice and attend university, took student loans which amass to huge expenses to repay, with the hope of landing the ideal job in their field of study, but sad to say the reality is not as they saying. The story changes after graduation, you are too qualified, we can’t pay you, or you need to have experience for the position.

This practice is so frustrating, at one point you were not qualified, after school you are too qualified, what then? what to do? fully qualified without a job, unable to repay the student loan, which may lead to you been blocked from travelling or doing any business because of delinquency. Education place you in a worst place than you were before school. So sad, it is just the reality of what can happen. All this leave me to wonder if education has a real value. What is the true value of education?

 

Missed doping test?

By. George A. Gillespie

It really puzzles me to see the vast number of professional athletes who are facing possible lifetime bans for a missed drug test. I am sure that these athletes are very much aware of the strict guidelines there is for testing. They are aware that they have to give up much of their own private life to ensure that they can be found and be tested, in an effort to ensure that they are not drug cheats. For an athlete to miss three random tests, somehow seem irresponsible on their part. However, I will not cast the blame totally at the feet of these athletes, because there might be other variables to consider.

All over the world professional athletes have missed all three random tests, this happens in many different sporting disciplines. This unfortunate situation leaves one to wonder if the drug testers are all at fault. I am now wondering, did they visit these athletes in the specified times given by the Athletes and their managers? In one instance it was reported, that because of the geographic location of some athletes in Jamaica, the fact that some of the addresses given have no gate numbers then it has been a mammoth task to find the athlete.

The inability of some testers to find the athletes base on the above statement is a poor excuse, then, what else can be put in place? sadly it has damaged many world-class athletes. It leaves one to wonder about the integrity of these drug testing bodies, and what do they really have in place to locate these athletes, it is a disgrace I believe the system must be fixed.

My suggestion is, if a tester is unable to find an athlete because of their specific address, then give them a call. Not much can be done at that time to influence the results of a drug test. But it seems too drastic and senseless to me, for an athlete to lose out because of one’s inability to find them in the specified time. It is unfair that the athlete is to suffer from that surprise visit. It seems malicious to me as if they are on a mission to destroy the reputation of many great athletes. What do you think?

Exercise and Jamaica

October 30, 2018.

George A. Gillespie M.Ed.

Jamaicans are fun-loving, food eating people, they love their music and dance and not to mention their jerk chicken and goat soup. Over the years many of the fun gatherings are getting less, because of the high crime rate, persons are scared of being a victim of crime, they will stay home and leave just for the main essentials. Each new year there is an upsurge of exercises classes and new gym memberships, especially in the corporate area. There are also overcrowded parks and walking trails as persons want to start the new year right, so they start a weight loss programme or just to get fit something new for the new year.

Lack of physical activity is one of the four major risk factors for Non-Communicable Diseases (NCD) worldwide. Seven out of ten (7/10) Jamaican died from an NCD each year. According to the WHO (2017), NCDs accounts for over 17 million deaths worldwide each year. We have a serious crisis on our hands and doing the regular physical activity can help to fight against NCDs such as heart disease, respiratory problems, diabetes and heart disease and some cancers, therefore, it is our primary responsibility to make our health our responsibility.

The Jamaica Health and Lifestyle Survey (JHLS) 2017 has some crazy revelation in regards to obesity and exercise. It has revealed that 82%  of Jamaicans are physically active at a low-intensity level, this is not enough for health benefits. Another 16% at moderate intensity and only 2% do any activity at high intensity, a wapping 52% reported that they will make no attempt to increase their activity level.  The World Health Organization’s (WHO) recommendation for Physical Activity is 30 minutes of physical activity daily for five days each week for some health benefits, 60 minutes for weight loss and 90 minutes for weight loss and maintenance of a healthy weight. The WHO also recommended that you can break the exercises in 10 minutes bouts to get the same benefits if you have an issue with time.

Above I gave a breakdown in the percentage for physical activity levels in Jamaica in regards to the JHLS (2017). In order to assess the intensity of an activity, there are a few steps one can take. You can find your exercise intensity by using the talk test, the type of activity, or your target heart rate. Use the method that is best for you. The talk test is an easy way to check your exercise intensity. You are getting moderate aerobic activity if you can talk but cannot sing while doing an activity such as doing brisk walking or taking the stairs. As activity increases your body temperature will also increase so it is important that you hydrate yourself properly as you get active.

As for the case of overweight and obesity, the JHLS (2017) revealed that over 577,300 Jamaicans are obese, and 1 out of 2 Jamaicans are overweight, this has been a growing trend over the years based on the report. Physical inactivity and the consumption of high-calorie foods are said to be two of the main contributing factors. Calories are the energy you get from the food you eat, the calories, if not used up, will be stored as fat under the skin leading to weight gain. Scientific studies have shown that regular physical activity, which increases the heart rate and causes an increase in body temperature can aid in the burning of calories with may delay weight gain.

The fact that many persons are trying to make exercise a part of their daily routine is good, but if it is not done at the required level there is still a problem. There are many strollers, however, the intensity at which they move is too low, there is no way one can be exercising and talking to another person for the entire 30 minutes walk. Fitness is individual, please note that each person is at a different level of fitness. Therefore, exercise is more of an individual approach than a group approach. The group is good for encouragement, but there comes a time in the exercise when an individual has to be selfish in order to get the maximum benefit of their workout. The more weight a person has may in some instances hold them back, therefore, a lighter person may move much fastest as they will use less effort for movement. For a better quality of life “Let’s Get Moving” Your health is depending on you!!! “Love Your Body Treat Your Body Right”

 

 

CRIES FOR JUSTICE: ISSUES AND RECOMMENDATIONS TO STEM THE TIDE OF GLOBAL STRIKES BY LECTURERS

Background:

September 2018 has been a month to remember with both Lecturers of the University of Technology in Jamaica and those at the prominent Leicester University in England staging strike action; these lecturers are not alone. A surging tide of job dissatisfaction seems to be sweeping the globe. Lecturers at York University in Canada as well as prominent Nigerian Universities have all taken some form of industrial action this year, some lasting for many months. The unavoidable consequence is the deterioration of the quality of education offered to students (Mohammed & Gbenu, 2007). The gravamen of the complaints levelled against University administration surrounds the issues of the inequity of salary, job insecurity, inadequate contractual terms and a plan for compulsory redundancy.

 

 

At the University of Technology (UTech), all major Jamaican news outlets reported that Lecturers had staged a sit-in to protest about a longstanding salary adjustment issue that had been agreed in 2015-2017. Nebert Langley, President of UTech Academic Staff Union indicated that the issue had been discussed for eight years prior to the agreement, and despite meetings and promises in 2018 leading up to the strike action, they received no further communication from the Government nor the university management. Another area of the grievance was confirmed by the Minister of Education Senator Reid that funding arrangements for the University of the West Indies Uwi) were different from those for UTech, attempting to rationalize the disparity in salary paid to both sets of Lecturers (Rjrnewsonline.com). This is the premise on which UTech Lecturers are echoing ‘cries for justice’ and to fight for what, they believe is their rights.

We will explore the underlying elements that constitute job satisfaction and the impact in the UTech situation. We will also pursue a solution based approach to the UTech debacle to extract lessons that higher education managers can clear to gradually change the industrial climate from one of chaos and hostility to one of productivity and order.

General principle -Job satisfaction theory:

Whether in higher education or generally, employees desire to have a level of satisfaction on the job. In this regard, job satisfaction theory represents the overarching theoretical principle that affects how employees feel and respond daily in their work environment. Bozeman & Gaughan, (2011) recognize that there is a theory that underpins how employees feel and perform in the work environment. What workers want and need to feel satisfied with the job is something that we can all relate to. In this regard, Bozeman and Gaughan (2011) confirmed that numerous studies indicate that four central elements work together to result in job satisfaction. The four elements listed in order of relevance to this discussion are: firstly, what is perceived to be fair pay; recognition received from supervisors and colleagues; leisure and family time and work autonomy. Within the UTech) scenario, Lecturers staged a sit-in and refused to attend classes because of salary inequity between them and Uwi lecturers. The rationale of the argument is that both groups of lecturers have comparable training and experience relatively yet Uwi continues to enjoy significantly higher compensation. This is the root of the cry for Justice.    The source of the dissatisfaction was not just a demand for more pay but that the increase must bring them in alignment with their colleagues and neighbours.  It is the fairness of the pay in relative terms that is the issue and not a pay hike by itself (Rynes, Gerhart & Minette, 2004).

The burning issue among Utech staff is that fact that they have identified what they believe to be a glaring inequity. They have assessed the fairness of their salary by comparing their own ratio of input (effort and skills) and outcomes (pay, recognition) to that of lecturers at another University (Uwi). This comparison has caused them to arrive at the conclusion that an inequity exists, but does it? Is a case of comparing apples and bananas?

 

Let us conduct a comparison. Uwi is a strong research and teaching and institution with institutional accreditation meeting and surpassing all the global indicators of what a higher education institution should be. Also buttressed by which positioned the UWI within the top 5% Best Universities in the world.

UTech, on the other hand, has not ranked and has their primary focus on teaching. Similarly, UTech, currently has program rather than institutional accreditation, while Uwi has enjoyed for the latter for many years. It seems, based on the indicators outlined, that UTech is not on equal footing with Uwi. Without sounding bias, we can balance the competing arguments of staff comparability and compensation by using staff performance and appraisal indicators to determine if, in fact, we are comparing the institutions on the same scale. Notwithstanding these arguments, UTech lecturers are standing up for their rights in the face of glaring inequity and inequality. Advocacy for remedying this inequity has been persistent recently and had culminated in strike action. They have done what international reggae icon Bob Marley suggest to do in these situations of injustice. ‘Now they see the light (What you gonna do?) We gonna stand up for our rights’ (Bob Marley).

Solutions and recommendations:

We will take two approaches when looking at possible short and long-term solutions to this problem. The first approach is a reactive one that discusses immediate steps such as a negotiated settlement agreement which would include a salary adjustment, and job security that an institution like UTech must implement when in the throes of industrial action. The second approach will be proactive in which steps such as proper recruitment and training, performance management and staff motivation can be taken to ensure that staff remains satisfied on the job beginning from the very first day of employment.

Approach 1- (Reactive)

Compensation:

Approach one involves taking immediate steps to stop the industrial action and return Lecturers to work in the shortest possible time. This is with the aim to minimize the fallout for students and soften the negative reflection on the institution that industrial action causes. The issue of compensation is the one that must be immediately addressed. The Government in the case of Utech intervened and made the necessary commitments to align salaries. This agreement had the immediate impact of causing staff to return to work. Arrangements such as incremental increase over months are a possible solution if the immediate budgetary allocation does not allow for an immediate increase. In these circumstances, it is important to make realistic promises and stick with them. We would not want to give staff the impression that every time there is a disagreement, the way to get their desired outcome is to strike. Also, those who participated in the strike action may be fearful because of potential for victimization of those who ‘stood up’ for their rights. It is therefore important in a climate of conciliation that job security is reassured in the short term until performance management and appraisal interventions are made in the medium term in order to prevent a reoccurrence.

Approach 2- Proactive

Recruitment and selection:

 

 

At this stage, Managers can seek to appoint staff that they believe reflect the institutions’ objectives and mission. Here, managers can take the time to ensure that the necessary soft skills such as being a team player and wiliness to grow and develop in the organization can be matched with the available pool of applicants. Also, active recruitment may be pursued in order to find the ‘right fit’ for the organization matching skill set and experience with salary. What this means in our context is that we must ensure as managers that we have our fingers on the pulse of our team members and can avert disquiet early and effectively to prevent a spark of dissatisfaction to transform into a firestorm of striking workers.

Training and Development:

Another very important aspect of job satisfaction is ensuring that academic staff continues learning and increasing knowledge. Once this is facilitated by the personnel management, alignment with the overarching institutional human resource strategy which facilitates and supports staff (Webb, 1996)

 

Staff motivation:

Motivation gives staff a reason to want to perform at their best and excel. Theoretically, Hertzberg’s theory about how to develop positive motivation and avoid demotivation. The two factors that exist are hygiene factors and positive motivation.  Hygiene factors cause staff to disengage and encourage negative feelings.  Looking at the foregoing examples of industrial action, staff in all of these situations believed, to various degrees, that management was not listening and communication with them. To counterbalance this, managers must focus their attention on motivators such as achievement and recognition. So, Utech, human resource manager must nurture positive motivation such as staff development and minimize the negative or hygiene factors that cause negative motivation and allows seeds of discord and dissatisfaction to germinate and begin to grow

 

Performance management and appraisal

This approach anticipates and prepares for future staff dissatisfaction and mitigates against it. Performance management is an important tool that personnel managers must continuously utilize in order to reinforce the organizations’ objectives with the staff that are tasked with the responsibility of carrying them out (Armstrong, 2001). In order for Utech or any other higher educational institution to be effective, performance management must be a critical component. In this regard, we must identify standards of performance and understand where our staff is located across the range from poor performance (A) to excellent performance (Z). Utech will, therefore, need to undertake this exercise continually in order to ensure that the institution’s and staff needs are met. The standards formulated by the institution must be communicated. These weaknesses will cause staff to feel disconnected from the institution and this creates a scenario for growing discord.

In conclusion, although academics are well within their rights to strike for what they believe in, the disruptive and negative impact must be prevented from as early as the recruitment stage. Transparency, clear communication and monitoring are the critical tools that must be used to secure, as must as possible, harmony within the work environment.

References:

Armstrong, M.(2001) Changing the Culture; Rewarding and developing staff in Higher Education. Improving Performance Management in Higher Education Conference, Capita, London.

Bozeman, B. & Gaughan, M. (2011) Job Satisfaction. Journal of Higher Education. Retrieved http://web.b.ebscohost.com.rproxy.uwimona.edu.jm/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=1&sid=3b2158ec-5c4e-4530-bff3-2abd71e763d8%40pdc-v-sessmgr01

McCaffery, P.(2004) The Higher Education Manager’s Handbook. RoutledgeFalmer

Mohammed, M.O. & Gbenu, J.P. (2007) Public Universities on the brink of collapse in Nigeria: private sector participation as a way out.

Rynes, S. L., Gerhart, B., & Minette, K. A. (2004). The importance of pay in employee motivation: Discrepancies between what people say and what they do. Human Resource Management, 43, 381–394. Retrieved from http://www.utm.edu/staff/mikem/documents/Payasamotivator.pdf

UTech Lecturers on sickout (2018, September 11). Rjrnewsonline.

 

 

Higher Education Value for Money or simply ‘Big Business’ An Avalanche is coming

Veronica writes

‘AN AVALANCHE IS COMING’ claims Donnelly, Barber and Rizvi (2013) That will sweep way the system of higher education as we now know it unless the necessary adjustments are made in the required time frame. Donnelly, Barber and Rizvi (2013) posits that if the parties concerned act boldly now the next 50 ( fifty ) years could be a golden era for higher education but if they do not act in required time frame -higher education system as we know it will have been swept away by the avalanche of changes heightened by globalization.

What is education? What qualities should anyone look for in an educated man? Allan Bloom the philosopher said of education ‘ it is the movement from darkness to light’ Education can be viewed as action or the process of the acquisition of knowledge and the ensuing development resulting from this process. Education is not, however, the same as training, even though training may be one of the ingredients of education. A person who has been taught to repair a car or play football can be said to have received training, but such training is not education. Likewise, learning is a necessary ingredient of education, not all forms of learning lead to education Animals can be trained but they lack the intelligence that according to Mohanan, (2010) is essential for the kind of learning that makes a person educated An educated person, therefore, is one who has undergone a process of learning that results in enhanced mental capability to function effectively in familiar and novel situations in personal and intellectual life (Mohanan, 2010). An educated person as presented would have acquired :the knowledge deemed to be general thinking abilities to build knowledge , the language for critiquing, the ability to communicate clearly, precisely, for epistemic purposes, the capability for independent learning, the capability to engage in rational modes of inquiry, and, crucially ,the mindset that facilitates all the qualities mentioned above ( Mohanan 2010) In essence the educated man should be able to learn, apply, unlearn and relearn. ‘Educatedness’ is acquired via a channel of formal education. However formal education according to Zib, (1987) is offered in a systematic, organized education model, structured and administered according to a given set of laws and norms, presenting a rather rigid curriculum as regards objectives, content and methodology In contrast Zib, (1987) , argues that non-formal education characteristics are found when the adopted strategy does not require student attendance, decreasing the contacts between teacher and student and most activities take place outside the institution as for instance, home reading and paperwork. Endowed with flexible curricula and methodology, capable of adapting to the needs and interests of students, and is contingent upon the student’s work pace. Non-formal education seems better to meet the individual needs of students (

‘Educatedness’ is acquired via a channel of formal education. However formal education according to Zib, (1987) is offered in a systematic, organized education model, structured and administered according to a given set of laws and norms, presenting a rather rigid curriculum as regards objectives, content and methodology In contrast Zib, (1987) , argues that non-formal education characteristics are found when the adopted strategy does not require student attendance, decreasing the contacts between teacher and student and most activities take place outside the institution as for instance, home reading and paperwork. Endowed with flexible curricula and methodology, capable of adapting to the needs and interests of students, and is contingent upon the student’s work pace. Non-formal education seems better to meet the individual needs of students

An educated person, therefore, is one who has undergone a process of learning that results in enhanced mental capability to function effectively in familiar and novel situations in personal and intellectual life (Mohanan, 2010). An educated person as presented would have acquired :the knowledge deemed to be general thinking abilities to build knowledge , the language for critiquing, the ability to communicate clearly, precisely, for epistemic purposes, the capability for independent learning, the capability to engage in rational modes of inquiry, and, crucially ,the mindset that facilitates all the qualities mentioned above ( Mohanan 2010) In essence the educated man should be able to learn, apply, unlearn and relearn. ‘

‘Educatedness’ is acquired via a channel of formal education. However formal education according to Zib, (1987) is offered in a systematic, organized education model, structured and administered according to a given set of laws and norms, presenting a rather rigid curriculum as regards objectives, content and methodology In contrast Zib, (1987) , argues that non-formal education characteristics are found when the adopted strategy does not require student attendance, decreasing the contacts between teacher and student and most activities take place outside the institution as for instance, home reading and paperwork. Endowed with flexible curricula and methodology, capable of adapting to the needs and interests of students, and is contingent upon the student’s work pace. Non-formal education seems better to meet the individual needs of students    (Ward, Sawyer .McKinney & Dettoni ,1974)

Barnett,(2007) however argues that the concept of education is in itself a part of the concept of Higher education Since higher education refers to a personal level of individual development above that that is connoted by the term ‘ education ’. It includes all the activities a given country deems to be higher education – not only those that take place within ordinary universities and graduate schools, but shorter term education and training courses (polytechnics, junior colleges, and various forms of technical specialty schools) that are 2-3( two to three) years in length, and even correspondence courses that make use of information technology and are targeted at a broad population of students Martin Luther King Jnr .had said ‘ intelligence plus character that is the true goal of education However this level of personal development although attractive has been becoming increasingly burdensome as the funding of higher education has been thrust more on the individual. While the value added by a first degree is being eroded it seems daily. The traditional university, government regulated and nationalistic in nature is now facing the challenges that globalization ensued. This process of interaction and integration among people.

While the value added by a first degree is being eroded it seems daily. The traditional university, government regulated and nationalistic in nature is now facing the challenges that globalization ensued. This process of interaction and integration among people companies, governments of different nations that is driven by international trade and investments is also aided by information technology. Thus globalization has impacted culture, political systems, environment, economic and human development and prosperity and well-being around the world. Globalization it has also affected higher education. More access to higher education aided by Massive Open Online Courses ( MOOCS). Students are shopping locally as well as internationally. Reduced public funding globally and increased private funding through loans or direct payments has made higher education increasingly costly

The questions of value are becoming sharper as the cost of getting a degree rises. This year, the National Center for Education Statistics in the US pointed out: ‘Between 2000/01 and 2010/11, prices for undergraduate tuition, room, and board at public institutions rose 42%, and prices at private, not-for-profit institutions rose 31% after adjustment for inflation.’ According to the Wall Street Journal on February 28, 2013, total student debt in the US is up 51 percent from 2008–2012 and now totals nearly $1 trillion. Moreover, 35 percent of students under 30 with debt are delinquent (90 days or more behind with their payments), compared to just 21 percent in 2004. The cost pressures on public universities in England were a major reason why the British government created the new student fee regime in 2010 and introduced it in 2012 In Jamaica data as cited by Dergisi & Eğitimi (2010) revealed that the two main institutions of UTECH and UWI in November 2010 had 5898 beneficiaries in arrears, owing an amount of over J$947M This represented 64% of the loan made available to students in 2010. UWI students owed at that time 2010 -J$610.91M or 64% of the amount, while UTECH students owed J$337.39M or 36%. A level of delinquency that the researcher said would restrict the ability of the Student Loan Bureau (SLB) to respond to the needs of future students.

Loan Bureau (SLB) to respond to the needs of future students.
Students need guidance to focus on not only learning and becoming educated but on being strategic players in the marketplace. Students should study to suit job markets. More should pursue careers in STEM STEM is an acronym for the fields of science, technology, engineering, and math. Discussion of STEM-related programs had become a presidential priority for the previous President Obama because too few college students are pursuing degrees in these fields. The U.S. Department of Labor expects that there will be 1.2 million job openings in STEM-related fields by 2018, but there won’t be enough qualified graduates to fill them.
Christensen. & Eyring (2011) argues that as the cost of higher education rises to students. The university has to adjust. The researcher through an examination of ‘ Harvard’ and’ BYU-Idaho’ as well as other stories of innovation in higher education suggested new ways forward. New ways to deal with curriculum, faculty issues, enrollment, retention, graduation rates, campus facility usage, and a host of other urgent issues in higher education and presented a strategic model to ensure economic vitality at the traditional university

Christensen. & Eyring (2011 ) argues that there is a remorseless increase in cost is driven by the ‘bigger-and-better tendency’. Each university is striving to become Harvard, but the basic point is surely undeniable. The problem from the point of view of the undergraduate student is that much of the cost base of a traditional university is irrelevant to their experience and sometimes. as highly-paid expert research professors avoid undergraduate teaching responsibilities (Barton & Yun ( 2012) Simon & Ensign (2013 ) and Christensen & Eyring 2011) The quality higher education marketed is not the quality experienced. Unemployment awaits and heavy student loan debts is often the end results ‘An avalanche is coming’:, as the price charged to the student is not matching quality outcomes Students tend to equate cost with quality thus think additional cost is directly correlated with higher quality.

While graduates are less likely to be unemployed much depends on the nature of the degree and employers often question the skills a degree provides. Richard D Stephens, senior vice president for human resources and management claimed a recent study in the US showed a significant difference in the risk of unemployment among recent university graduates depending on their major. Those that majored in the liberal arts and non-technical subjects had some of the highest rates of unemployment (around 11 percent), while those with more technical expertise had significantly lower rates. Another study a recent survey from the National Association of College Employers found similar results. In average, earnings by Engineering major was the highest, at $75,000, while psychology, social work, and education had the lowest, at $42,000. ‘An avalanche is coming (Barber, Donnelly and Rizvi,2013) ’,

‘An avalanche is coming (Barber, Donnelly and Rizvi,2013) ’. The number of graduates in the world is increasing rapidly, partly due to the growing proportion of each age group going to university in developed countries,(Barber, Donnelly & Rizvi, 2013). By 2020, China alone will account for 29 percent of all the university graduates in the world aged 25–34., there will be as many Chinese graduates in that age group as in the entire US labour force. In addition to this. The prized first class honors are being devalued as the number of graduates gaining first class honors in the UK has more than doubled in the past decade. In just four years, the number has increased by 45 per cent. This trending matter alongside the changing demands of the global labour market drives the questions about the likely value of a traditional degree
The talk of the university as the agent of personal development that creates a finished good the educated man. A desirous outcome doubtlessly as one forms; social capital bridges that form linkages connecting people or groups further up or lower down the social ladder. The potential benefits of friends and families being able to help us emotionally, socially and economically Bourdieu, (1986)  Social capital has value, doubtlessly. Intellectual capital /personal capital the- Knowledge and competencies residing within the person. Financial capital who knows you know what you know… Familiar terms being used. However, Higher Education Institutions has some adjustments to make now, students too and all stakeholders. Or, An Avalanche is coming that will erode higher education as we know it.

Conclusion

Education, to be meaningful. must become the innovative, relevant, safe and reasonable solutions to the challenges that face us all nationally and globally Lecturers and students need to become partners that will drive this change. The government, Civil Society, Private sector and Philanthropists should work together to support the work of the drivers of change or an avalanche is coming. As Martin Luther King Jnr. said ‘ Intelligence plus character that is the true goal of education” it is the character that will ensure all comes together for the greater good of humanity.

References
Barnett R , (1997) The idea of higher education Buckingham SRHE & OUP

Barber M., Donnelly K and Rizvi S. (2013) An avalanche is coming.Higher education         and the revolution ahead. Retrieved from http://www.avalancheiscoming.com/             April 5,2017.

Bourdieu, P. (1986) The forms of capital. In J. Richardson (Ed.) Handbook of Theory          and Research for the Sociology of Education (New York, Greenwood), 241-258.

Christensen. C & Eyring H (2011) The Innovative University: Changing the DNA of             Higher Education from the Inside Out Retrieved from
https://net.educause.edu/ir/library/pdf/ff1207s.pdf April 5, 2017

Eğitimi O & Dergisi E. Journal of Teacher Education and Educators Retrieved from
http://www.jtee.org/document/issue3/MAK5.pdf April 5, 2017

Mohanan K .P Who is an educated person? .Ingredients of Educatedness Retrieved           from http://www.iiserpune.ac.in/~mohanan/educated/who.htm April 5,2017

Ward T.W, Sawyer F.D, .McKinney L., &. Dettoni I.,(1974) “Effective Learning: Lessons        To Be Learned From Schooling, in “Effective learning in Non-Formal Education”,        Michigan State University,

Using Simulation Technologies to Teach Nursing at HEIs in Jamaica

 

What is Simulation? Simulation is essentially an imitation of what is real. Gaba (2007) defined simulation as a technique which replaces or amplifies real experiences with guided experiences. These situations replicate substantial aspects of the real world in an interactive fashion. A simulator is the device used for simulation. Is the use of simulation new in teaching nursing one may ask…the simple answer would be ‘NO.’ Traditionally in teaching nurses, simulation has always been used. Examples of these would be the practice of demonstrating skills in a lab and having students return the demonstration; the many role plays that are used to concretize concepts; using case studies and problem-based scenarios are all forms of simulated learning.  However, many senior nurses may well remember practicing giving an injection on oranges…and of course on patients hospitalised to be cared for. ‘Am I in the muscle?’

Nursing is both a science and an art which requires both the theoretical knowledge and clinical expertise. Jamaica has consistently educated nurses who are highly sought after around the world with many nurses migrating to North America. The challenges that have arisen for some years now are the expansions of nursing programmes and the large numbers of students being admitted since nursing is being taught in the university settings. At the University of Technology, Jamaica, where I teach, for example, there is usually 100 students accepted in year one on the Kingston campus and another 50 at the Montego Bay campus. At the same time the University of the West Indies School of Nursing would be accepting even more than 100 students on their Kingston campus, with additional numbers at their Western campus and at franchised institutions in some of the Community Colleges in Kingston and other parishes; Northern Caribbean University also accepts very large numbers of students. Are you getting the picture? With so many students to be trained and all of them using the same clinical facilities, the overcrowding is inevitable. This results in students not being able to get ample clinical practice for the skills that they need. This is also occurring in a setting where so many nurses are migrating to other countries. In 2015, the Nurses Association President, Mrs. Janet Farr, raised the alarm that migration and resignation of specialist nurses from the public health system in 2014 resulted in extreme shortages and contributed to an increase in workload (Porter, 2015). This trend has continued steadily and in 2016, Minister of Health Christopher Tufton was reported as saying that migration of nurses has creating a health care crisis (The Jamaica Observer, 2016).

Why Simulation?

The use of patients to teach and practice within the clinical setting will always be relevant in nursing and cannot be fully replaced. However, patient safety must be paramount. Patient safety is a major reason to use simulation in teaching nursing or any other health discipline for that matter. McGaghie, Issenburg, Cohen, Barsuk and Wayne (2011), reported that for the field of medicine a growing body of evidence supports improved patient care practices and better patient outcomes when clinical skills are acquired in medical simulation laboratory settings.

From left are Sacred Heart University nursing faculty member Pennie Sessler-Branden and nursing students Christina Sepe and Meaghan Gallagher. Photo by Tracy Deer-Mirek 9/26/14

Other reasons, in addition to the changes in the clinical environment outlined above; are to facilitate deliberate practice and assessment; team training; research, improved technology as well as being more effective; facilitates immediate feedback; allows deliberate practice; curriculum integration; outcome measurement; skill acquisition and maintenance; transfer to practice among others. Simulation is also fun while learning! You can “kill” the patient without suffering terrible consequences (Gaba, 2007; McGaghie, Issenburg, Petrusa and Ross, 2010).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rAXptP1Reqw

How much is the simulation technologies used to teach nursing in Jamaica. The three major universities have a variety of simulators used to assist nursing students to learn. At UTech there are a mix of regular mannequins, medium fidelity simulators and high fidelity simulators. The simulators can be programmed to replicate many human responses such as crying, groaning, coughing; students can take vital signs, pass naso-gastric tubes, pass urinary catheters, set up intravenous lines; simulators can display illnesses such as asthma, heart failure etc. These abilities can allow the students to practice and become proficient in a safe place. The big BUT is do the institutions have all the human and material resources needed to fully utilize these simulators? Are there dedicated simulation labs that would replicate a hospital setting? These are challenges that the institutions face. Much more resources need to be put into this…more staff is needed and to be trained in simulation; more space is needed to create the proper environment and the nursing curriculum importantly must be revised to reflect the changes in teaching methodologies.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tr70-Ho-cQU

Examples of the simulators available in the simulation learning environment in Jamaica are:

Medium Fidelity Simulators

          

High Fidelity Simulators Including a Pregnant Woman, SimMan & an ICU SimMan

Norman (2012) sums up at that time what the literature indicated on simulation in nursing education; the simulation learning environment proves that knowledge, skills, safety, communication and confidence is improved, however, there is a gap in literature on transfer of these outcomes to the clinical setting. In Jamaica, the simulation learning environment is still taking ‘baby steps’ and therefore will not yield the type of results that is seen in some countries. In addition the research is sparse and must be undertaken so that evidence can be used to support the use of simulation technologies to teach nursing in Jamaica. I fully support the use of simulation technologies to teach nursing in HEIs in Jamaica!

 

References

Gaba, D.M. (2007) The future vision of simulation in healthcare. Simul Health c, 2, 126-135.

Porter, R. (2015). Public health sector lost 200 nurses last year- NAJ. The Jamaica Observer. http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/news/Public-health-sector-lost-200-nurses-last-year—NAJ_19219817

McGaghie, W.C., Issenburg, S. B., Cohen, E. R., Barsuk, J.H., & Wayne, D.B. (2011). Does simulation-based medical education with deliberate practice yield better results than traditional clinical education? A meta-analytic comparative review of the evidence. Academic Medicine, vol. 86 (6), pp. 1-6.

McGaghie, W.C., Issenburg, S. B., Petrusa, E.R, & Scalese, R. J. (2010). A critical review of simulation-based medical education research: 2003-2009. Medical Education; 44: 50-63

Migration of nurses creating health care crisis – Tufton. (2016, January 26). The Jamaica Observer.  http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/news/Migration-of-nurses-creating-health-crisis—Tufton

Norman, J. (2012). Systematic review of the literature on nursing education. The ABNF Journal; Spring 2012: pp. 24-28.

By: Keron Jones-Fraser

Mental Health and Higher Education

Bet you didn’t know that you may have mental health issues.

Well you could, that is 80% of higher education students are mentally ill (Smith, 2016).

Surprised

Well have you been yelling or fighting with family and friends, having unexplained aches and pains, feeling helpless or hopeless, smoking, drinking, or using drugs more than usual, feeling unusually confused, forgetful, on edge, angry, upset, worried, or scared and even thinking about harming yourself or others? (Smith, 2016).

According to the psychologist, your mental wellbeing is questionable. Today’s young adults in higher education, increasingly need adequate mental health support and services. There is an increasing need for such services mainly because of the level of stress and emotional difficulties that come with studying at a post-secondary institution. Going to university is never easy. Therefore, this discussion will look at what is mental health, signs associated with the disorder, causes of mental disorder in higher education students, students’ academic performance and mental health services available at higher education institutions.

University students are one of the most sensitive strata of society, many of whom will become the future’s managers and planners, and the mental health of the society is contingent upon their mental health. One of the characteristics of a normal personality is having full mental health (Bostani, Nadri, & Nasab, 2014). It is said that one in four young adults between the ages of 18 and 24 have a diagnosable mental illness. (National Alliance on Mental Illness , 2015)

Wow!!!!!! Am I one in four?

So, I decided to read deeper on the topic. This is what I found, mental health is a state of emotional, psychological, and social well-being in which every individual realizes his or her own potential, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and is able to make a contribution to her or his community (WHO, 2014). I exhaled! So, let’s find out if you the reader is. Depression, anxiety and stress are mental disorders that affect college students on a daily basis and majority of these students suffer from both depression and anxiety. A student who suffers from clinical depression will experience feelings of hopelessness, pessimism, guilt, worthlessness, helplessness, loss of interest or pleasure in hobbies and activities, decreased energy, fatigue, difficulty concentrating, remembering, making decisions and difficulty sleeping, early-morning awakening, or oversleeping daily.

Can you imagine a student who also become easily irritable and has difficulty concentrating or having their minds go blank?

A survey conducted in 2009 suggested that 85% of college students reported experiencing stress daily (University of Florida, 2016).  Please note that the contributors to stress are academic demands, financial responsibilities and social pressures and expectations.

 

About one in 10 higher education students have experienced “suicidal thoughts”, according to a survey on mental health carried out at universities in the UK (Grove, 2013). In UK universities, more than a quarter of students (27%) report having a mental health problem of one type or another (Aronin & Smith, 2016). More than 25 percent of college students have been diagnosed or treated by a professional for a mental health condition within the past year. Freshmen accounted for more than one-third of undergraduate deaths with 40% due to suicide, and half of all deaths were due to falls from windows, balconies, and rooftops usually related to drug and alcohol abuse (Hernandez, 2006).

This is unbelievable, I could be walking past, sitting beside one of those persons. Why are higher education students suffering from this illness?

College students have difficulty adapting to college life, competing, and handling their new-found freedom with minimal adult supervision. As they transition from high school to college, anxiety increases as they leave behind the support of family, friends, and familiar surroundings which may place them at risk for academic, personal, and social difficulties. (Hernandez, 2006). They are also coping with academic pressure and others are dealing with numerous work and family responsibilities.

Mental illnesses may interfere with post-secondary student’s ability to function at a tertiary institution. It can affect students’ ability to attend classes, focus on academic material, and learn effectively, which may lead to a decline in academic performance, that may discourage students and add to their mental vulnerability. Mental disorders may hinder motivation and/or induce feelings of discouragement and hopelessness  (University of Florida, 2016), for example, depression is a significant predictor of lower GPA and higher probability of dropping out, even after controlling for symptoms of anxiety and eating disorders, prior academic performance, and other covariates (Eisenberg & Ezra Golberstein, 2009).

Almost 73 percent of students living with a mental health condition experienced a mental health crisis on campus (National Alliance on Mental Illness , 2015). At higher education institution, the state of mental health is a growing crisis. Unfortunately, many college campuses are not equipped to offer adequate services to students with mental health issues. According to the National Mental Health Association (2010), consistent access to mental health intervention eludes many college students. Lack of financial resources, the difficulty of service delivery, stigmatization, and societal misconceptions of the mentally ill have been cited as reasons for the mental health services deficiency present in many college counseling centers (National Mental Health Association, 2010).  However, it is recorded that in general, post-secondary students are not seeking help, although in some colleges it is available. 40 percent of students with diagnosable mental health conditions did not seek help (National Alliance on Mental Illness , 2015). The number one reason for them not asking for help is the stigma that goes with it, although they are aware of the mental health services their university provides. Three-quarters of students were aware of counseling service provided by the institution.

The number of college students with mental disorders has increased and therefore calls into question not only their mental health, but its impact on higher education as it relates to policies that address incidences of violence, aggression, suicide, and disruptive behavior  are the higher education institution putting in place programmes or services to eliminate or lessen the occurrences of these mental health issues on their campuses (Hernandez, 2006). A programme that helps to prevent Suicide, training Peers to be able to identify the sign of mental illness and have the technique to defuse and help the student and distribute mental health information during, orientation, campus-wide events (carnival) are a good way to help those students suffering from this disorder.

From research done significant relations were found between educational performance and mental health and some of its components, such as depression and anxiety. Students with better mental health status have a better educational performance.

Should these students attend higher education institutions?

If the institution does not take them in, will they have the cohort to hold classes.

Do all of us has a few mental health issues.?

Are lecturers immune?

Food for thought.

Are we all crazy!!!!!!!!!!

 

References
Aronin, S., & Smith, M. (2016, August 8). One in four students suffer from mental health problems. Retrieved from YouGov Website: https://yougov.co.uk/news/2016/08/09/quarter-britains-students-are-afflicted-mental-hea/

Bostani, M., Nadri, A., & Nasab, A. R. (2014, February 21). A Study of the Relation between Mental health and Academic Performance of Students of the Islamic Azad University Ahvaz Branch. Science Direct, 116, 163-165.

Eisenberg, D., & Ezra Golberstein, J. H. (2009, September). 11. B.E. Journal of Economic Analysis & Policy, 9(1).

Grove, J. (2013, May 20). Students’ mental health problems highlighted. Retrieved from The World University Ranking Website: https://www.timeshighereducation.com/news/students-mental-health-problems-highlighted/2003957.article

Hernandez, N. E. (2006, November 17-18). The Mental Health of College Students: Challenges, Obstacles, and Solutions . Retrieved from New York Univerity Faculty Resource Website: https://www.nyu.edu/frn/publications/millennial.student/Mental-Health-Hernandez.html

National Alliance on Mental Illness . (2015, January). College Student Mental Health Statistics. Retrieved from Chadron State College Website: http://www.csc.edu/bit/resources/statistics/

Smith, J. (2016, March 2). Student mental health: a new model for universities . Retrieved from The Hugher Education Network: The Guardian: https://www.theguardian.com/higher-education-network/2016/mar/02/student-mental-health-a-new-model-for-universities

University of Florida. (2016, September). Understanding Mental Health and Academics. Retrieved from University of Florida Counseling and Wellness Center Website: http://www.counseling.ufl.edu/cwc/understanding-mental-health-and-academics

WHO. (2014, August 31). Mental health: a state of well-being. Retrieved from World Health Organization Website: http://www.who.int/features/factfiles/mental_health/en/

LIBRARIES BECOMING EXTINCT IN A TECHNOLOGICAL AGE

Libraries are portals to all of the world’s knowledge and librarians make sure that knowledge continues to be recorded and saved for the future.  The way of preserving and accessing this information has changed over the years as technology continues to play a vital role in accessing information. While developments in technology have made it easier for students in higher education to access materials for their researches as this can be done virtually, will the digital age mean that libraries are becoming extinct?

Griffith (2015) posits that as information becomes more digitized and omnipresent the space of the library may no longer be needed and asks how can a librarian measure against a  back-drop of increase in limited funding? Simple, libraries have to become creative and face these challenges head on. The challenges are enormous however,Spiro and Henry (2010) and Nelson and Haines (2010) postulates that equally important, and deemed one of the biggest barriers to online resources in universities has been a lack of academic content and when you do find materials for courses they are very pricy “for publishers to set up and maintain infrastructures for both electronic and print books”(Spiro & Henry, 2010).

Although this may be true, we see that funding plays a vital part.In fact, libraries “predate books, and in their modern form, libraries of all kinds – public libraries, research libraries, school libraries” to name a few “typically stand at the heart of the communities they serve, and digitization creates new challenges and opportunities, hence, forcing libraries to take on new roles, and perform traditional roles in new ways”even with funding being a concern.   

Challenges and Solutions
Of course, librarians have become creative to align themselves with the growing e-resources and the lack of funding among others. Ubogu and Okiy (2011) agrees and states that “the importance of funding in providing quality library service cannot be overemphasized. It is the glue that holds the building, collection and staff together and allows the library to attain its goals. As such, money can be considered the soul of the library. As a result, inadequate funds impede the effectiveness of any library.” Therefore, libraries not only in Jamaica but globally have to dig deep and come up with strategies to stay afloat in this technological age to meet the needs of the users.

Now, in a third world country like Jamaica the University of the West Indies Libraries remain competitive. Mention must be made of their West Indies and Special Collection, (WISC), (Mona) that has earned several accolades over the years from persons locally and internationally for their unique Caribbean collection which houses-: Rare Books, Manuscripts, West Indian Creative Writings, Microforms, Maps, and Audio–visuals to name a few. This collection is one of their way of remaing competitive – then congratulations are in order. In addition, there is also the Edward Seaga’s Collection,
P.J. Patterson’s Collection and Rex Nettleford’s Collection among other notable gifts. These collections consist of items both in print and digitization and the content is quite valuable and persons globally come to Jamaica to consult these “prized” materials.

Notably, there are also e-books and e-journals that the library has to acquire regardless that they may also have the printed copy, and these are extremely expensive and take a chunk out of the libraries budget. Another challenge is vendor stipulations whereas libraries cannot buy some books as they would a print and have multiple users as the publisher would not profit so it creates another “roadblock” for academic libraries. Notwithstanding, academic libraries have to be marketable, they have to attract their users no matter the challenges faced.

Also there is the task of sufficient computers and these computers have to be equipped with programs and software that is current. Libraries wrestle with the “longevity of technologies and devise back-up plans before making large investments.” So yes, “libraries are likely to remain important for years to come” and “will still purchase print books even though “space over time is in conflict with space for users” (Renwick & Peltier-Davis, 2007).

The University of the West Indies (UWI) Library for example, carries several e-books,
e-journals, electronic databases which includes their Mona Online and Research Database (MORD), EBSCOhost Online Research Database, JSTOR, EmeraldinSight, and ProQuest Central to name a few. These are some of the databases that are shared on an interface platform so that students in Jamaica (Open Campus and Mona) and from the sister campuses (Cave Hill in Barbados and St. Augustine in Trinidad and Tobago) can also have access.The sharing of resources helps to offset some of the costs for all the stakeholders hence, giving students access across disciplines, across campuses in real time. As well, the library at Mona offers several other services to stay abreast of technology and make themselves more marketable for example, students that are visually challenged can still have access using – :

Assistive Technology – Visually Impaired Students’ Technology Assisted Services (VISTAS) was established in 1997. It provides visually challenged students with assistive (adaptive) technologies that aid in their learning process

Kurzweil – visually impaired users with access to printed and electronic material.

Printed documents (after being scanned) and digital files such as eBooks or email are converted from text to speech and read aloud

Jaws for Windows – This software provides speech technology that works with your computer’s operating system to provide access to popular software applications and the Internet for visually impaired students.

Braille Embosser – This machine converts text to Braille

Victor Reader – This is a sophisticated digital talking book with an audio and mp3 CD player that allows visually impaired students to read from the printed pages.
As a result, several students with challenges have been able to leave the University with a degree in higher education. The library created access, equity and equality in a technologically driven time. They prepare these students for life-long learning with the necessary tools. The library should be considered the hub of any university and with this digital explosion over the years they have to be impressive. No wonder libraries have to step forward and embrace tele-education especially since there is a demand for online education (Wright, 2000). Does this make them on the road to extinction? I think not. It’s called reinvention and remaining relevant so that there is equal access. 

Speaking of access, who speaks for the person who cannot afford the online resources or just prefer the book instead of virtual resources? THE LIBRARY!!! Students need options. Some students need someone that is approachable, personable, can ask open-ended questions to assist them in becoming competent and adept to finding their own information – facilitating them to find, analyse and use.

So while the library tries to stay afloat in this technological age which is sometimes too impersonal for a lot of library users, there are some persons who are stuck in the era where books are supreme and their voice must also be heard, their needs must also be met (Sharma, 2012).They want to mark and feel their books, they want to curl up privately and read not thinking about the down time of the Wi-Fi or issues with their smart phone or laptop and just unwind.

Technology plays an “important role in advancing the availability of higher education for the under-represented student populations”, while ensuring “accessibility of web materials” for the physically and visually challenged but what about persons who are not ‘tech savvy,’ where is the equity? Libraries play a vital role even in this world of technology and materials being digitized, and have to cater for diverse users to show equity.Students and faculty need options if they find it difficult to maneuver the databases or catalogue. Furthermore, some students love to sit with a librarian who can give them personalized attention and facilitate their production of the best research papers they can (Peltier-Davis, (2011). So no, there is a place for both the library and technology even amidst the unyielding challenges. Libraries will continue to reinvent themselves to meet the needs of not some of their users, but all their users – both technologically inclined and otherwise.

References

Griffith, J. (2015, September 2). Emerging trends and the implications for libraries. In The Library and Information Association. Retrieved March 18, 2017, from
https://www.cilip.org.uk/blog/emerging-trends-implications-libraries

Harris, S. (2016). “Trends and issues in Jamaican academic libraries 2010-2016”. New Library  World, 117(11), 721-745.

https://www.mona.uwi.edu/library/special-students-0

Nelson, M.R. and Haines, E. (2010), “E-books in higher education: are we there yet?”, ECAR Research Bulletin 2, available at: http://net.educause.edu/ir/library/pdf/ERB1002.pdf

Peltier-Davis, Cheryl. “Overview of library services in the English-speaking Caribbean –

Management, innovative services and resource sharing.” International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions, 2011, https://www.ifla.org/past-wlic/2011/81-davis-en.pdf. Accessed 18 Mar. 2017.

Renwick, S., & Peltier-Davis, C. (Eds.). (2007). Caribbean libraries in the 21st century:      changes, challenges, and choices. Medford, NJ: Information Today Inc.

Sharma, R. N. (2012). Libraries in the early 21st century: An international perspective. Berlin:
De Gruyter Saur.

Spiro, L., & Henry, G. (2010). Can research library be all digital? The idea of order
transforming research collections for 21st century scholarship (pp. 5-80). Washington DC: Council of Libraries and Information Resources.

“The future of libraries in the digital age.” The Ohio State University, 2017, Columbus. Address.

Ubogu, J., & Okiy, R. (2011). Sources of funds in academic libraries in Delta State, Nigeria. Library Philosophy and Practice. Retrieved from University of Nebraska (1522-0222).

Wright, C. (2000). Issues in education and technology: policy guidelines and strategies for
Commonwealth countries. London, United Kingdom: Commonwealth Secretariat.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Student Activism in Jamaica: Dead or Alive?

Korea’s Ewha-Park-Choi Scandal

Just last week the president of South Korea, Park Geun-hye, was removed from office as the constitutional court voted in favor of an impeachment that was previously set in motion in December of 2016. The impeachment and ruling were rooted in the discovery of a scandal that revealed that Park was involved in string of corrupt activities through her friend and close associate Choi Soon-sil. The Associated Press (2017) explains that Investigations revealed that Choi, who was not a government worker, may have been privy to very sensitive state information and used her connection to the president to pressure businesses into ‘donating’ over $70 million US, some of which was for her personal use, to two non-profit organizations that she controlled. But how was the scandal uncovered? Reports indicate that it all started with student protests at Ewha Womans University, one of South Korea’s most prestigious higher education institutions.

In the summer of 2016, the Associated Press (2017) explains, students at Ewha, protested against the school’s administration to create a new degree programme. The programme was withdrawn from the all-female university, but disgruntled students continued protests, this time to have the president of the school submit her resignation. The persistence of the students led to the revelation that the school was extending favoritism to Choi’s daughter who was enrolled at Ewha. This rippled into an investigation on Choi which ultimately formed into the tsunami that toppled Park’s presidency.

Although the students at Ewha were praised for their activism, as it was the seed that sprout into uncovering of the national scandal, they were not met with open arms during the times they were protesting. Afterall, who likes protestors to begin with? In fact, the student protestors, who were numbered at about 200, were met by some 1600 officers during one of their demonstrations which took the form of occupying a building. Yet despite the push back, the Ewha Students persisted, and now their university is free of a corrupt president and South Korea is free of a corrupt President Park.

The Golden Age

If one were to take a look at several decades ago, it would be quite clear that student activism has not been something new. In fact it has not been uncommon that student activism would, whether directly or indirectly, shift the foundations of national politics as the students at Ewha did in Korea. There are many documented student protests, some even as early as the “May fourth” protests in China, that took place in 1919 over students disagreement with China granting Shadong Territory to Japan, and led to China refusing to sign the World War One Treaty of Versailles which would have sanctioned the handing over of the territory.

However, the 1960s, and 70s, are considered by some to be the Golden Age of student activism because of the major impact student protests had on their country and the world, and not to mention the brutality and bloodshed, among other challenges, that the student activists had to endure. For example there was the Vietnam protests in the 1966-1970, where approximately 4 million students from 450 different institutions rose up against the Vietnam War and contributed to President Nixon withdrawing the American troops some years later (Finan, 2013; Saucedo, n.d.); also in the 60s, students were key in the spearheading of the civil rights movement in the US and led the fights against segregation through their Student’ Non-Violent Coordination Committee (Gupta, 2016); in France there was the ‘Protests of May’ during 1968 where students who were disgruntled with the outdated nature of  educational system as well as the lack of job opportunities took to the streets to and held week long protests that eventually led to the reformation of the education bill as well as better wages (Mukherjee, 2016); and in 1976, there was the Soweto Uprisings in South Africa where thousands of students left their schools and rallied at the Orlando Stadium as a protest against the Apartheid and would ripple into the fall of the regime and the freedom of Nelson Mandela (Saucedo, n.d; Finan, 2013; Mukherjee, 2016).

Caribbean students were no strangers to the student activist movement of the 1960s and 70s. For example, Caribbean students at the then Sir George Williams University, now called the Concordia University, held the largest student occupation in Canadian history when they occupied the school’s computer lab from January 29 to February 11 in 1969. Dubbed the Computer Riots or Sir George William Affair, the protest led to more student centered reforms at the university and paved the way for similar reforms in other higher education institutions (the guardian, 2014).

Right in Jamaica, there were also the Walter Rodney Riots of 1968. Westmaas (2008) explains that the riots were in response to Walter Rodney, a Guyanese Pan-Africanist, political activist and scholar who lectured at the then University College of the West Indies (UCWI), being banned from entering the country because of his communist views. The riots in Jamaica inspired similar student protests across the Caribbean Region. Students protested at the UCWI Campuses in Trinidad and Barbados and demanded that the Barbadian and Trinidadian Governments take action against the Jamaican Government. In Guyana some 300 students marched to the Prime Minister’s residence to demand that the Guyanese Government also take action (Westmaas, 2008).

Student Activism Today

Today student activism is still alive in many countries around the world. For example in the US alone there were approximately 160 protests on college campuses in the 2014 fall semester alone. There have been the student led #BlackLivesMatter walkouts and “die-ins,”  as well as protests on a spectrum of other issues, including high tuition costs, university divestment, and campus sexual assault (Zhou & Green, 2015). Also in North America, approximately 250, 000 students from several student unions protested in Quebec, Canada over hikes in tuition fees in college and forced the government to put a freeze on tuition fees (Mukherjee, 2016). There have also been major protests in countries such as Egypt, Greece, Chile, Mexico, South Africa, India and Mayanmar to name a few (Zhou & Green, 2015).

However, can it be said that student activism is still alive in Jamaica? Sure, the ‘Golden Age’ of student protesting may have passed with the 60’s and 70s and it is not expected that students would necessarily protest the same way as their predecessors did. However many feel that in Jamaica, the students unlike their counterparts at Ewha, generally lack the political will, strength and concern to take part in ongoing protests to fix the ills in their own institutions.

Despite there being a few protests here and there, and now and again, there have not been protests on the magnitude as there once were or addressing large scale issues that were once addressed. Also, it is felt by many that students across Jamaica are distracted, and in some ways lack a real concern for societal issues that their predecessors had. Think about it, when last has there been a national protest of students? Several questions come to mind when thinking about the current situation: Is it that the students are really distracted or they lack concern or is it that there aren’t any issues worth protesting against? Is it that the world today is ‘A OK’, and students are comfortable and do not feel that the current ills are minor? Or is it that unlike the predecessors, students today are scared, less aggressive and aren’t willing to march in the face of arrests and even death for a cause?

Some are of the opinion protesting across the world has witnessed a rebirth of some sort with the era of social media where the ‘articulate minority’ voice their concerns and air their growls on digital mediums such as Facebook, twitter, Instagram and YouTube. However, some believe that this very ‘rebirth’ is indeed the death of real student activism and have termed social media protests as ‘Slacktivism” because though part of the social justice conversation, social media activism rarely effects change and social media users rarely go the step further to act upon the very issue they were ‘protesting’ about (Robertson, 2014). The use of social media has been a popular medium among the ‘articulate minority’ of Jamaica and many students who want to voice their concerns about society. Yet despite popular outcry by many, the lack of change begs the question about if these persons have taken the next step to participate in intensified action.

Maybe it is a case where protesting has become outdated in Jamaica and students at Jamaican higher education institutions have found more effective ways of addressing institutional and national issues. Or is it? Who knows. Maybe it is a case where student activism is dead and students in Jamaica need to take a page out of their Ewha counterparts. If Walter Rodney, who was a staunch student activist were alive, he would do what he did back in his day and fuel students to taking more active stances against ills. Maybe he is rolling in his grave today.

 

References

Finan, V. (2013, December 11). A brief history of student protest: From ‘no women at      Cambridge’ in 1897 to ‘cops off campus’ in 2013. Retrieved from   http://www.independent.co.uk/student/news/a-brief-history-of-student-protest-from-no-women-at-cambridge-in-1897-to-cops-off-campus-in-2013-8997569.html.