Inadequate resources disadvantaging boys in schools - Speid

 

Jamaica Teachers' Association (JTA) President Owen Speid has said the appearance that boys are at a disadvantage in schools is due to inadequate resources in the education system. 

 

He was responding to the Member of Parliament for St. James North West Dr. Horace Chang's claim that Jamaica has an education system designed to suppress boys.

 

Dr. Chang said this while he announced plans for the construction of a science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) school in Norwood, which is located in his constituency.

 

But Mr. Speid said if schools lack the necessary resources then they cannot produce the best results. 

 

"When you go into some of the labs, and you know that boys love to do some of these kinds of subjects, for example electrical engineering, mechanical, welding, all of these things.... But what you find is that in the school system, the labs are not adequately resourced in many instances.... So if you are not empowering the boys through their education at the high school level per se and maybe even lower down, then you're going to end up with the problems that we're facing and the crime rate will continue to spiral out of control," he insisted.