THE EDITOR, Sir:
I AM indeed appalled by a statement coming from JTA President Ruel Reid to "keep tax-dodgers kids out of school" suggesting that "parents be required to present a tax compliance certificate (TCC) for their children to attend high school". Why the children again? Aren't children suffering enough from the deeds of their parents and many of the adults in our society? Why should our children be denied access to one of their most basic rights - the right to an education, which the Government made a commitment to ensuring when they ratified the Convention on the Rights of the Child, 15 years ago?
Have you ever considered how many children in Jamaica today are suffering because of the callous and uncaring behaviour of adults? Alarming numbers of children in Jamaica are currently infected or affected by HIV/AIDS, which means that they are either HIV-infected, battling AIDS or have been orphaned as a result of one or both parents dying from AIDS - no fault of theirs. On any given day when there is a flare-up of community violence our children are kept out of school - no fault of theirs.
EXPLOITATION OF CHILDREN
Right at this moment there are children who are not allowed to receive their GSAT results because they do not have a birth certificate - no fault of theirs. Many will not receive their CXC results to move on in the educational system, as school fees have not been paid - no fault of theirs. So many of our children are suffering at the hands of criminals and others who abuse them, exploit them and snuff out their lives without a thought. Our children are constantly being punished because of the delinquency of their parents.
The quality of our children's education is already compromised when one takes into account what the data show about the quality of the education they currently receive. There are far too many of our children who merely pass through the educational system and leave school less than prepared for this very competitive world. I agree with Mr. Reid that more creative ways need to be found to identify the 22 billion dollars needed to implement the education transformation programme - but why ride on the backs of our children.
DELINQUENT PARENTS
Instead, let us work together to find a way to deal with delinquent parents. Let us force them to make the education and development of their children a priority. Punish the parents if you must but do not perpetuate the abuse of our children. Challenge the Government to invest more money into education making it the priority it must become to save our nation.
We ask that the JTA assist in educating the parents about their responsibilities under the Child Care and Protection Act, which places the primary responsibility for the development and protection of children at the feet of parents. Please let us focus more attention on helping our children cope in these difficult times than recommending that they be punished further for our irresponsible behaviour.
I am, etc.,
CAROL V. SAMUELS
rights@cwjamaica.com
Executive Director
Jamaica Coalition on the
Rights of the Child,
Hope Estate, Papine,
Kingston 6
