What future awaits students who can’t read or count?
Published:Friday | January 23, 2026 | 12:06 AM
THE EDITOR Madam:
In late 2021, the findings of the Orlando Patterson-led Jamaica Education Transformation Commission were formally presented to the Government of Jamaica. The report provided a sobering assessment of the state of the education system and confirmed what many parents, educators, and youth advocates have long observed: Jamaica’s children are being left behind at an alarming rate.
Among the most troubling findings was that approximately 70 per cent of students leave high school without a certificate, while the a majority exit the system without marketable or employable skills. Although there were marginal improvements between 2002 and 2018 under the GSAT and GNAT primary-level examinations, the introduction of the Primary Exit Profile (PEP), which was designed to test analytical thinking rather than rote memorisation, exposed deep learning gaps. Only 41 per cent of students passed mathematics, 49 per cent science, and 55 per cent language arts.
At the secondary level, the situation remains equally concerning. In 2019, over 32,000 students sat CSEC examinations, yet only 42.5 per cent passed five or more subjects, including English and/or Mathematics. More alarmingly, only 28 per cent achieved passes in five subjects including both English and Mathematics, which remain the minimum requirements for most employment and tertiary opportunities. CAPE results showed a similar decline, with fewer than 45 per cent achieving the Diploma certificate, and less than 40 per cent earning Associate Degrees. Jamaica’s tertiary enrolment rate of 27 per cent also falls significantly below countries at comparable stages of development.
These statistics represent children whose futures are being compromised. No student should not leave high school unable to calculate basic mathematics or apply fundamental literacy skills. How would they be able to survive, compete, or meaningfully contribute to a modern economy?
While not every child will become an attorney-at-law or doctor – skills-based professionals such as agricultural workers, technicians, and those in creative industry are equally vital to the social and economic fabric of the country. It is our collective responsibility to ensure that education reform prioritises literacy, numeracy, and practical skills from the earliest stages.
Investment in education is an integral part of national development. The education system needs to be reformed urgently to foster sustainable growth and social equity.
FI WE CHILDREN FOUNDATION