QUESTION

QUESTION

Read the argument below and answer the question that follows.

We must do better with public healthcare

By Garth Rattray

Published in the Jamaica Gleaner on Sunday, February 23, 2025

1.     Let me begin by categorically declaring that I never set out to bash any government official whenever I criticise our public healthcare system. I have no ulterior motives. I am [simply] extremely concerned for the welfare of hundreds of thousands of my fellow Jamaicans who have no choice but to access our public healthcare system. Even as a physician in private practice since 1983, I have seen innumerable cases of the failure of our public healthcare facilities that lead to severe sickness and premature death.

2.     Just recently, a 40-something-year-old man was struck from behind by a motor vehicle as he walked on the sidewalk in his community. The impact threw him into the air, and he was rendered unconscious. When he regained consciousness, he was in a public hospital and in a lot of pain. He was told that his right leg was badly fractured and required internal fixation to realign and stabilise the bones so that they could heal properly. They put on a plaster cast and gave him a prescription for the hardware needed to do the surgery.

3.     He has been unable to work since the crash and he is from a poor family. None of them can afford the hardware. He has been on crutches and the last X-rays reveal that the bones are very badly misaligned and attempting to heal in that position. This will eventually leave him with a shortened and very deformed lower limb – all because he is poor, and our ‘no-user-fee’ system is unable to supply the hardware to repair his fracture.

4.     Last year, a patient who was seeing me for over 30 years fell and broke one of his hips. He was in his early 60’s and, being poor, he went to one of our public hospitals. He was seen, investigated, and admitted pending surgery for the broken hip. But there was a big problem, neither he nor his family could afford the hardware needed to replace the broken hip. Consequently, he was placed on a bed and left on traction. After six weeks of this, he developed hospital-acquired pneumonia and died.

5.     He died because he was poor. He died because, despite Jamaica being an upper-middle-class income country, our ‘no-user-fee’ system could not afford to supply the hardware to replace his hip. The family was given a prescription for the hardware, but they could not raise the money since their combined income can barely keep body and soul together. That is a disgrace, but the optics emanating from the relevant ministry portray an alternate reality.

 6.     Then there is the very recent case of a gentleman in his early seventies who was admitted to one of our public hospitals. On admission he was severely dehydrated and malnourished. He had had several falls and loss of consciousness. He was placed on a bed on a ward with regular drip infusion… sometimes. He had no appetite, was weak and unable to feed himself. Yet, as confirmed by neighbouring patients, the hospital staff always brought meals and set them down beside him. He was only able to take one or two forks, then collapse back into the bed. The remaining portions of the meals were dutifully removed. This went on for several weeks. Consequently, this gentleman lay in a bed and became weaker and weaker while admitted into one of our public hospitals. His relative was confined to restrictive visiting hours and was not able to ‘spoon feed’ him regularly. His relative (a son) was also unable to bathe him regularly. Towels, rags, and some clothing left for him became community property and vanished repeatedly.

7.     The medical staff requested a badly needed CT scan, but this major public hospital outsourced the investigation. His relatives could not come up with the money. This Jamaican citizen remained, withering away on a bed in one of our public hospitals. No one attempted to tube feed him or supply nutrients intravenously. No one would meet with his relatives to explain his situation. The visiting times and the times when doctors did their rounds did not coincide. On one occasion, I was lucky to speak with the nursing staff on the ward by telephone, but the group consulted among themselves and told me that they could not give the attending physician(s) my telephone number so that I may speak with any of them about my patient. After many weeks of slow and painful deterioration on a bed in one of our public hospitals, this gentleman developed hospital-acquired pneumonia and gave up the ghost. Just prior to his demise, his son was called for a ‘family meeting’– the badly needed communication was far too little and far too late.

8.     I do not understand this ‘no-user-fee’ system. We are told that it does not pay for some investigations, no matter how basic, urgent, or lifesaving they may be. We were made to believe that there were arrangements with some private facilities to provide expensive investigations. We were told that new scanners were here. We were told of the Ministry of Health and Wellness compassionate fund; but then, why are citizens suffering and dying in our public hospitals for lack of needed surgical hardware and investigations?

 9.     I don’t want any defensive or deflective responses to my concerns, I just want us to do much better for our poor and ‘ordinary’ citizens. They are as human as the rich and connected among us. Poverty should not carry a possible death sentence.

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Garth Rattray is a medical doctor with family practice, and author of ‘The Long and Short of Thick and Thin’.

i. Statistical 

ii. Facts 

iii. Anecdotal 

iv. Documentary 

v. Expert testimony 

vi. Historical

We must do better with public healthcare

By Garth Rattray

Published in the Jamaica Gleaner on Sunday, February 23, 2025

1.     Let me begin by categorically declaring that I never set out to bash any government official whenever I criticise our public healthcare system. I have no ulterior motives. I am [simply] extremely concerned for the welfare of hundreds of thousands of my fellow Jamaicans who have no choice but to access our public healthcare system. Even as a physician in private practice since 1983, I have seen innumerable cases of the failure of our public healthcare facilities that lead to severe sickness and premature death.

2.     Just recently, a 40-something-year-old man was struck from behind by a motor vehicle as he walked on the sidewalk in his community. The impact threw him into the air, and he was rendered unconscious. When he regained consciousness, he was in a public hospital and in a lot of pain. He was told that his right leg was badly fractured and required internal fixation to realign and stabilise the bones so that they could heal properly. They put on a plaster cast and gave him a prescription for the hardware needed to do the surgery.

3.     He has been unable to work since the crash and he is from a poor family. None of them can afford the hardware. He has been on crutches and the last X-rays reveal that the bones are very badly misaligned and attempting to heal in that position. This will eventually leave him with a shortened and very deformed lower limb – all because he is poor, and our ‘no-user-fee’ system is unable to supply the hardware to repair his fracture.

4.     Last year, a patient who was seeing me for over 30 years fell and broke one of his hips. He was in his early 60’s and, being poor, he went to one of our public hospitals. He was seen, investigated, and admitted pending surgery for the broken hip. But there was a big problem, neither he nor his family could afford the hardware needed to replace the broken hip. Consequently, he was placed on a bed and left on traction. After six weeks of this, he developed hospital-acquired pneumonia and died.

5.     He died because he was poor. He died because, despite Jamaica being an upper-middle-class income country, our ‘no-user-fee’ system could not afford to supply the hardware to replace his hip. The family was given a prescription for the hardware, but they could not raise the money since their combined income can barely keep body and soul together. That is a disgrace, but the optics emanating from the relevant ministry portray an alternate reality.

 6.     Then there is the very recent case of a gentleman in his early seventies who was admitted to one of our public hospitals. On admission he was severely dehydrated and malnourished. He had had several falls and loss of consciousness. He was placed on a bed on a ward with regular drip infusion… sometimes. He had no appetite, was weak and unable to feed himself. Yet, as confirmed by neighbouring patients, the hospital staff always brought meals and set them down beside him. He was only able to take one or two forks, then collapse back into the bed. The remaining portions of the meals were dutifully removed. This went on for several weeks. Consequently, this gentleman lay in a bed and became weaker and weaker while admitted into one of our public hospitals. His relative was confined to restrictive visiting hours and was not able to ‘spoon feed’ him regularly. His relative (a son) was also unable to bathe him regularly. Towels, rags, and some clothing left for him became community property and vanished repeatedly.

7.     The medical staff requested a badly needed CT scan, but this major public hospital outsourced the investigation. His relatives could not come up with the money. This Jamaican citizen remained, withering away on a bed in one of our public hospitals. No one attempted to tube feed him or supply nutrients intravenously. No one would meet with his relatives to explain his situation. The visiting times and the times when doctors did their rounds did not coincide. On one occasion, I was lucky to speak with the nursing staff on the ward by telephone, but the group consulted among themselves and told me that they could not give the attending physician(s) my telephone number so that I may speak with any of them about my patient. After many weeks of slow and painful deterioration on a bed in one of our public hospitals, this gentleman developed hospital-acquired pneumonia and gave up the ghost. Just prior to his demise, his son was called for a ‘family meeting’– the badly needed communication was far too little and far too late.

8.     I do not understand this ‘no-user-fee’ system. We are told that it does not pay for some investigations, no matter how basic, urgent, or lifesaving they may be. We were made to believe that there were arrangements with some private facilities to provide expensive investigations. We were told that new scanners were here. We were told of the Ministry of Health and Wellness compassionate fund; but then, why are citizens suffering and dying in our public hospitals for lack of needed surgical hardware and investigations?

 9.     I don’t want any defensive or deflective responses to my concerns, I just want us to do much better for our poor and ‘ordinary’ citizens. They are as human as the rich and connected among us. Poverty should not carry a possible death sentence.

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Garth Rattray is a medical doctor with family practice, and author of ‘The Long and Short of Thick and Thin’.

Which of the statements below BEST captures the writer's main claim in the passage?

We must do better with public healthcare

By Garth Rattray

Published in the Jamaica Gleaner on Sunday, February 23, 2025

1.     Let me begin by categorically declaring that I never set out to bash any government official whenever I criticise our public healthcare system. I have no ulterior motives. I am [simply] extremely concerned for the welfare of hundreds of thousands of my fellow Jamaicans who have no choice but to access our public healthcare system. Even as a physician in private practice since 1983, I have seen innumerable cases of the failure of our public healthcare facilities that lead to severe sickness and premature death.

2.     Just recently, a 40-something-year-old man was struck from behind by a motor vehicle as he walked on the sidewalk in his community. The impact threw him into the air, and he was rendered unconscious. When he regained consciousness, he was in a public hospital and in a lot of pain. He was told that his right leg was badly fractured and required internal fixation to realign and stabilise the bones so that they could heal properly. They put on a plaster cast and gave him a prescription for the hardware needed to do the surgery.

3.     He has been unable to work since the crash and he is from a poor family. None of them can afford the hardware. He has been on crutches and the last X-rays reveal that the bones are very badly misaligned and attempting to heal in that position. This will eventually leave him with a shortened and very deformed lower limb – all because he is poor, and our ‘no-user-fee’ system is unable to supply the hardware to repair his fracture.

4.     Last year, a patient who was seeing me for over 30 years fell and broke one of his hips. He was in his early 60’s and, being poor, he went to one of our public hospitals. He was seen, investigated, and admitted pending surgery for the broken hip. But there was a big problem, neither he nor his family could afford the hardware needed to replace the broken hip. Consequently, he was placed on a bed and left on traction. After six weeks of this, he developed hospital-acquired pneumonia and died.

5.     He died because he was poor. He died because, despite Jamaica being an upper-middle-class income country, our ‘no-user-fee’ system could not afford to supply the hardware to replace his hip. The family was given a prescription for the hardware, but they could not raise the money since their combined income can barely keep body and soul together. That is a disgrace, but the optics emanating from the relevant ministry portray an alternate reality.

 6.     Then there is the very recent case of a gentleman in his early seventies who was admitted to one of our public hospitals. On admission he was severely dehydrated and malnourished. He had had several falls and loss of consciousness. He was placed on a bed on a ward with regular drip infusion… sometimes. He had no appetite, was weak and unable to feed himself. Yet, as confirmed by neighbouring patients, the hospital staff always brought meals and set them down beside him. He was only able to take one or two forks, then collapse back into the bed. The remaining portions of the meals were dutifully removed. This went on for several weeks. Consequently, this gentleman lay in a bed and became weaker and weaker while admitted into one of our public hospitals. His relative was confined to restrictive visiting hours and was not able to ‘spoon feed’ him regularly. His relative (a son) was also unable to bathe him regularly. Towels, rags, and some clothing left for him became community property and vanished repeatedly.

7.     The medical staff requested a badly needed CT scan, but this major public hospital outsourced the investigation. His relatives could not come up with the money. This Jamaican citizen remained, withering away on a bed in one of our public hospitals. No one attempted to tube feed him or supply nutrients intravenously. No one would meet with his relatives to explain his situation. The visiting times and the times when doctors did their rounds did not coincide. On one occasion, I was lucky to speak with the nursing staff on the ward by telephone, but the group consulted among themselves and told me that they could not give the attending physician(s) my telephone number so that I may speak with any of them about my patient. After many weeks of slow and painful deterioration on a bed in one of our public hospitals, this gentleman developed hospital-acquired pneumonia and gave up the ghost. Just prior to his demise, his son was called for a ‘family meeting’– the badly needed communication was far too little and far too late.

8.     I do not understand this ‘no-user-fee’ system. We are told that it does not pay for some investigations, no matter how basic, urgent, or lifesaving they may be. We were made to believe that there were arrangements with some private facilities to provide expensive investigations. We were told that new scanners were here. We were told of the Ministry of Health and Wellness compassionate fund; but then, why are citizens suffering and dying in our public hospitals for lack of needed surgical hardware and investigations?

 9.     I don’t want any defensive or deflective responses to my concerns, I just want us to do much better for our poor and ‘ordinary’ citizens. They are as human as the rich and connected among us. Poverty should not carry a possible death sentence.

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Garth Rattray is a medical doctor with family practice, and author of ‘The Long and Short of Thick and Thin’.

Which fallacy is most evident in the writer's overall argument?

Read the argument below and answer the question that follows.

 Adapted from Technology: The Solution to Poor Academic Outcomes

By Tyane Robinson

Published in The Jamaica Observer, September 19, 2024

1. With the Primary Exit Profile (PEP) and Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC) results out of the way and celebration or disappointment spanning families to those at the head of the system, it is time we again engage in the discourse of our stagnant or, better yet, staggering education system. It is as if the declines and dismal passes in these examinations have not opened our eyes to the constant deficiencies within the education system. What we have been doing for years is prolonging the discussions with little to no meaningful solutions.

2. So, yes, we have recognised the inefficiencies, now what? Are we still going to continue the archaic, traditional approaches and strategies that have been informing our teaching and learning, or are we going to admit that the system needs a drastic upgrade, including policies that require our teachers to upgrade their skills too? When are we going to admit that technology in education is a gateway to better performance from our students?

3. Technology in education will unequivocally position the Jamaican education sector for better results and, by extension, boost the nation’s development.The dismal Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) passes and need for improvement in PEP performance and syllabus cannot continue to be a nine-day wonder year after year. In 2022, Jamaica reported a 75 per cent pass rate in CSEC and Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination (CAPE), which was a decline from the previous year, particularly in maths and English.

INTEGRATING TECHNOLOGY

4. In 2021, a popular newspaper headline read, ‘JTA president not surprised by decline in CXC maths and English’. Even though reports from CXC rejoiced over the slight increase in CSEC passes in 2023, the marginal percentage increase — just 0.55 per cent compared to the previous year- was hardly something to celebrate. It seems as though we are not taking these decisive examinations seriously. What is really happening? It is time we look seriously at integrating technology in the classrooms; our students could be benefitting significantly from it. It would appear that the pandemic did not teach us what the world has been doing in relation to advancing education for global development. It seems we are deliberately turning a blind eye to obvious solutions.

5. A recent study done by German strategist and market researcher Jannik Lindner ‘Unlocking the Potential: How Technology Transforms Classrooms and Enhances Learning for Educators and Students’ found that 86 per cent of teachers believe technology helps students achieve better educational outcomes; 76 per cent use technology to promote collaborative learning among students; and 97 per cent of teachers believe that technology has positively impacted their ability to access content. Therefore, why are we continuing with the same old teaching strategies and approaches in our classroom that yield the same results every time?

6. Commenting on the CXC results in an interview a month ago, Velonique Bowen, chief executive officer of Get Aced Academic Services, lamented, “While society is advancing…the teaching styles are remaining the same.” She suggested that diversification and technological advancement — beyond PowerPoint — must inform our teaching and learning styles. A critical question to ask is: How many of our teachers are reaching for that olive branch extended by technology? We continue to hear that technology is harmful and destroying the children’s brains. While I will admit that certain aspects of technology can affect us neurologically and psychologically, we cannot deny that it has made other aspects of our lives easier.

GLOBAL TRENDS

7. However, we cannot cast the blame solely on the teachers, especially those who have been in the system for decades; they are overwhelmed with the advances of technology, and it becomes daunting when they are expected to implement technology and there is no training or support. And for many schools, no proper infrastructure is in place. Why aren’t we taking technology in education seriously? After COVID-19 we should have implemented several upgrades. It is full time we align ourselves with global trends. As a nation that is big on education and has produced world-class leaders, we should have been pioneers in educational growth and development. Instead, we are fighting to keep up. While a handful of teachers have found the time to understand and acquaint themselves with learning management systems and stay updated with trending applications and software, the majority are still struggling to manoeuvre a simple processing unit.

8. I understand that these applications and programmes come with a level of complexity, but it is no excuse for teachers and administrators to avoid becoming acquainted with them. We must implement programmes and workshops that will assist with learning them, because the benefits are considerable. On the flip side, many students are more au fait with these applications and programmes than the teachers themselves. A lot of them have moved past the classroom teacher in both knowledge and application. It is not a good look at all.

9. Finally, consider artificial intelligence and how fast it is moving. The good thing is that our students are moving with it, but some of our teachers and administrators are putting up strong resistance. What are we waiting on?  Notwithstanding, there are sincere concerns about dependency and possible overuse of technology, however, although technology is the way forward for our education system, we must first address the issues of access, resources, training, and acceptance.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Tyane Robinson is a lecturer at Sam Sharpe Teachers’ College. 

QUESTION

Which of the statements below BEST captures the writer's main claim in the passage?

Examine the image below and answer the question that follows.

QUESTION

Which of the following BEST evaluates the effectiveness of the image in making its claim?

Read the argument below and answer the question that follows.

 Adapted from Technology: The Solution to Poor Academic Outcomes

By Tyane Robinson

Published in The Jamaica Observer, September 19, 2024

1. With the Primary Exit Profile (PEP) and Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC) results out of the way and celebration or disappointment spanning families to those at the head of the system, it is time we again engage in the discourse of our stagnant or, better yet, staggering education system. It is as if the declines and dismal passes in these examinations have not opened our eyes to the constant deficiencies within the education system. What we have been doing for years is prolonging the discussions with little to no meaningful solutions.

2. So, yes, we have recognised the inefficiencies, now what? Are we still going to continue the archaic, traditional approaches and strategies that have been informing our teaching and learning, or are we going to admit that the system needs a drastic upgrade, including policies that require our teachers to upgrade their skills too? When are we going to admit that technology in education is a gateway to better performance from our students?

3. Technology in education will unequivocally position the Jamaican education sector for better results and, by extension, boost the nation’s development.The dismal Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) passes and need for improvement in PEP performance and syllabus cannot continue to be a nine-day wonder year after year. In 2022, Jamaica reported a 75 per cent pass rate in CSEC and Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination (CAPE), which was a decline from the previous year, particularly in maths and English.

INTEGRATING TECHNOLOGY

4. In 2021, a popular newspaper headline read, ‘JTA president not surprised by decline in CXC maths and English’. Even though reports from CXC rejoiced over the slight increase in CSEC passes in 2023, the marginal percentage increase — just 0.55 per cent compared to the previous year- was hardly something to celebrate. It seems as though we are not taking these decisive examinations seriously. What is really happening? It is time we look seriously at integrating technology in the classrooms; our students could be benefitting significantly from it. It would appear that the pandemic did not teach us what the world has been doing in relation to advancing education for global development. It seems we are deliberately turning a blind eye to obvious solutions.

5. A recent study done by German strategist and market researcher Jannik Lindner ‘Unlocking the Potential: How Technology Transforms Classrooms and Enhances Learning for Educators and Students’ found that 86 per cent of teachers believe technology helps students achieve better educational outcomes; 76 per cent use technology to promote collaborative learning among students; and 97 per cent of teachers believe that technology has positively impacted their ability to access content. Therefore, why are we continuing with the same old teaching strategies and approaches in our classroom that yield the same results every time?

6. Commenting on the CXC results in an interview a month ago, Velonique Bowen, chief executive officer of Get Aced Academic Services, lamented, “While society is advancing…the teaching styles are remaining the same.” She suggested that diversification and technological advancement — beyond PowerPoint — must inform our teaching and learning styles. A critical question to ask is: How many of our teachers are reaching for that olive branch extended by technology? We continue to hear that technology is harmful and destroying the children’s brains. While I will admit that certain aspects of technology can affect us neurologically and psychologically, we cannot deny that it has made other aspects of our lives easier.

GLOBAL TRENDS

7. However, we cannot cast the blame solely on the teachers, especially those who have been in the system for decades; they are overwhelmed with the advances of technology, and it becomes daunting when they are expected to implement technology and there is no training or support. And for many schools, no proper infrastructure is in place. Why aren’t we taking technology in education seriously? After COVID-19 we should have implemented several upgrades. It is full time we align ourselves with global trends. As a nation that is big on education and has produced world-class leaders, we should have been pioneers in educational growth and development. Instead, we are fighting to keep up. While a handful of teachers have found the time to understand and acquaint themselves with learning management systems and stay updated with trending applications and software, the majority are still struggling to manoeuvre a simple processing unit.

8. I understand that these applications and programmes come with a level of complexity, but it is no excuse for teachers and administrators to avoid becoming acquainted with them. We must implement programmes and workshops that will assist with learning them, because the benefits are considerable. On the flip side, many students are more au fait with these applications and programmes than the teachers themselves. A lot of them have moved past the classroom teacher in both knowledge and application. It is not a good look at all.

9. Finally, consider artificial intelligence and how fast it is moving. The good thing is that our students are moving with it, but some of our teachers and administrators are putting up strong resistance. What are we waiting on?  Notwithstanding, there are sincere concerns about dependency and possible overuse of technology, however, although technology is the way forward for our education system, we must first address the issues of access, resources, training, and acceptance.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Tyane Robinson is a lecturer at Sam Sharpe Teachers’ College. 

QUESTION

Who is the LEAST LIKELY intended audience of this article?

Read the argument below and answer the question that follows.

 Adapted from Technology: The Solution to Poor Academic Outcomes

By Tyane Robinson

Published in The Jamaica Observer, September 19, 2024

1. With the Primary Exit Profile (PEP) and Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC) results out of the way and celebration or disappointment spanning families to those at the head of the system, it is time we again engage in the discourse of our stagnant or, better yet, staggering education system. It is as if the declines and dismal passes in these examinations have not opened our eyes to the constant deficiencies within the education system. What we have been doing for years is prolonging the discussions with little to no meaningful solutions.

2. So, yes, we have recognised the inefficiencies, now what? Are we still going to continue the archaic, traditional approaches and strategies that have been informing our teaching and learning, or are we going to admit that the system needs a drastic upgrade, including policies that require our teachers to upgrade their skills too? When are we going to admit that technology in education is a gateway to better performance from our students?

3. Technology in education will unequivocally position the Jamaican education sector for better results and, by extension, boost the nation’s development.The dismal Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) passes and need for improvement in PEP performance and syllabus cannot continue to be a nine-day wonder year after year. In 2022, Jamaica reported a 75 per cent pass rate in CSEC and Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination (CAPE), which was a decline from the previous year, particularly in maths and English.

INTEGRATING TECHNOLOGY

4. In 2021, a popular newspaper headline read, ‘JTA president not surprised by decline in CXC maths and English’. Even though reports from CXC rejoiced over the slight increase in CSEC passes in 2023, the marginal percentage increase — just 0.55 per cent compared to the previous year- was hardly something to celebrate. It seems as though we are not taking these decisive examinations seriously. What is really happening? It is time we look seriously at integrating technology in the classrooms; our students could be benefitting significantly from it. It would appear that the pandemic did not teach us what the world has been doing in relation to advancing education for global development. It seems we are deliberately turning a blind eye to obvious solutions.

5. A recent study done by German strategist and market researcher Jannik Lindner ‘Unlocking the Potential: How Technology Transforms Classrooms and Enhances Learning for Educators and Students’ found that 86 per cent of teachers believe technology helps students achieve better educational outcomes; 76 per cent use technology to promote collaborative learning among students; and 97 per cent of teachers believe that technology has positively impacted their ability to access content. Therefore, why are we continuing with the same old teaching strategies and approaches in our classroom that yield the same results every time?

6. Commenting on the CXC results in an interview a month ago, Velonique Bowen, chief executive officer of Get Aced Academic Services, lamented, “While society is advancing…the teaching styles are remaining the same.” She suggested that diversification and technological advancement — beyond PowerPoint — must inform our teaching and learning styles. A critical question to ask is: How many of our teachers are reaching for that olive branch extended by technology? We continue to hear that technology is harmful and destroying the children’s brains. While I will admit that certain aspects of technology can affect us neurologically and psychologically, we cannot deny that it has made other aspects of our lives easier.

GLOBAL TRENDS

7. However, we cannot cast the blame solely on the teachers, especially those who have been in the system for decades; they are overwhelmed with the advances of technology, and it becomes daunting when they are expected to implement technology and there is no training or support. And for many schools, no proper infrastructure is in place. Why aren’t we taking technology in education seriously? After COVID-19 we should have implemented several upgrades. It is full time we align ourselves with global trends. As a nation that is big on education and has produced world-class leaders, we should have been pioneers in educational growth and development. Instead, we are fighting to keep up. While a handful of teachers have found the time to understand and acquaint themselves with learning management systems and stay updated with trending applications and software, the majority are still struggling to manoeuvre a simple processing unit.

8. I understand that these applications and programmes come with a level of complexity, but it is no excuse for teachers and administrators to avoid becoming acquainted with them. We must implement programmes and workshops that will assist with learning them, because the benefits are considerable. On the flip side, many students are more au fait with these applications and programmes than the teachers themselves. A lot of them have moved past the classroom teacher in both knowledge and application. It is not a good look at all.

9. Finally, consider artificial intelligence and how fast it is moving. The good thing is that our students are moving with it, but some of our teachers and administrators are putting up strong resistance. What are we waiting on?  Notwithstanding, there are sincere concerns about dependency and possible overuse of technology, however, although technology is the way forward for our education system, we must first address the issues of access, resources, training, and acceptance.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Tyane Robinson is a lecturer at Sam Sharpe Teachers’ College. 

QUESTION

Which of the following is the most accurate description of the level of objectivity displayed by the writer in the article?

Read the argument below and answer the question that follows.

 Adapted from Technology: The Solution to Poor Academic Outcomes

By Tyane Robinson

Published in The Jamaica Observer, September 19, 2024

1. With the Primary Exit Profile (PEP) and Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC) results out of the way and celebration or disappointment spanning families to those at the head of the system, it is time we again engage in the discourse of our stagnant or, better yet, staggering education system. It is as if the declines and dismal passes in these examinations have not opened our eyes to the constant deficiencies within the education system. What we have been doing for years is prolonging the discussions with little to no meaningful solutions.

2. So, yes, we have recognised the inefficiencies, now what? Are we still going to continue the archaic, traditional approaches and strategies that have been informing our teaching and learning, or are we going to admit that the system needs a drastic upgrade, including policies that require our teachers to upgrade their skills too? When are we going to admit that technology in education is a gateway to better performance from our students?

3. Technology in education will unequivocally position the Jamaican education sector for better results and, by extension, boost the nation’s development.The dismal Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) passes and need for improvement in PEP performance and syllabus cannot continue to be a nine-day wonder year after year. In 2022, Jamaica reported a 75 per cent pass rate in CSEC and Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination (CAPE), which was a decline from the previous year, particularly in maths and English.

 INTEGRATING TECHNOLOGY

4. In 2021, a popular newspaper headline read, ‘JTA president not surprised by decline in CXC maths and English’. Even though reports from CXC rejoiced over the slight increase in CSEC passes in 2023, the marginal percentage increase — just 0.55 per cent compared to the previous year- was hardly something to celebrate. It seems as though we are not taking these decisive examinations seriously. What is really happening? It is time we look seriously at integrating technology in the classrooms; our students could be benefitting significantly from it. It would appear that the pandemic did not teach us what the world has been doing in relation to advancing education for global development. It seems we are deliberately turning a blind eye to obvious solutions.

5. A recent study done by German strategist and market researcher Jannik Lindner ‘Unlocking the Potential: How Technology Transforms Classrooms and Enhances Learning for Educators and Students’ found that 86 per cent of teachers believe technology helps students achieve better educational outcomes; 76 per cent use technology to promote collaborative learning among students; and 97 per cent of teachers believe that technology has positively impacted their ability to access content. Therefore, why are we continuing with the same old teaching strategies and approaches in our classroom that yield the same results every time?

6. Commenting on the CXC results in an interview a month ago, Velonique Bowen, chief executive officer of Get Aced Academic Services, lamented, “While society is advancing…the teaching styles are remaining the same.” She suggested that diversification and technological advancement — beyond PowerPoint — must inform our teaching and learning styles. A critical question to ask is: How many of our teachers are reaching for that olive branch extended by technology? We continue to hear that technology is harmful and destroying the children’s brains. While I will admit that certain aspects of technology can affect us neurologically and psychologically, we cannot deny that it has made other aspects of our lives easier.

GLOBAL TRENDS

7. However, we cannot cast the blame solely on the teachers, especially those who have been in the system for decades; they are overwhelmed with the advances of technology, and it becomes daunting when they are expected to implement technology and there is no training or support. And for many schools, no proper infrastructure is in place. Why aren’t we taking technology in education seriously? After COVID-19 we should have implemented several upgrades. It is full time we align ourselves with global trends. As a nation that is big on education and has produced world-class leaders, we should have been pioneers in educational growth and development. Instead, we are fighting to keep up. While a handful of teachers have found the time to understand and acquaint themselves with learning management systems and stay updated with trending applications and software, the majority are still struggling to manoeuvre a simple processing unit.

8. I understand that these applications and programmes come with a level of complexity, but it is no excuse for teachers and administrators to avoid becoming acquainted with them. We must implement programmes and workshops that will assist with learning them, because the benefits are considerable. On the flip side, many students are more au fait with these applications and programmes than the teachers themselves. A lot of them have moved past the classroom teacher in both knowledge and application. It is not a good look at all.

9. Finally, consider artificial intelligence and how fast it is moving. The good thing is that our students are moving with it, but some of our teachers and administrators are putting up strong resistance. What are we waiting on?  Notwithstanding, there are sincere concerns about dependency and possible overuse of technology, however, although technology is the way forward for our education system, we must first address the issues of access, resources, training, and acceptance.

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Tyane Robinson is a lecturer at Sam Sharpe Teachers’ College. 

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