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   07/05/08
Text Box: I do not like to say “I told you so.“ I also do not like to lie. However if I find myself in a position where I have to choose between the two, I will always say “I told you so.” For years I have being telling the citizens of Antigua and Barbuda that our approach to education is wrong. We do not value knowledge: we love money. Therefore most Antiguans and Barbudans only want to know enough to function at their job. An accountant will have no interest in knowing anything else but accounting. And not only that if they feel secure in their job they will have absolutely no interest in further learning about accounting. Almost all of us have the same attitude. For years I have being telling this nation we need a new attitude towards knowledge. I told them that we should value knowledge the way we value “food or money.” We do not value education: we endure it. Most of the children in Antigua and Barbuda do not see attending school as an opportunity. They do not see it as a gift. To them it is more like a prison sentence, and many of them just quit. Those who “endure to the end” heave a sigh of relief when the “end” comes. Some might think that dropping out of school is a foolish act, but when they consider what I said about only wanting to know enough to get money, these early leavers might know what they can do to get money. We need to teach our children to value education from an early age. We also need to teach them to respect their teachers and others. This brings us to the adults. Many of the adults are rude, disrespectful, semiliterate or illiterate. The semiliterate would include anyone who is not computer literate and the illiterate would include anyone who could not assemble a washing machine or perhaps a computer by following written instructions. Because many of the parents cannot read they cannot help their children, as a result these children are likely to lag behind those who have help. We need to help these parents also. “I told you so!” When the ALP administration wanted to justify the introduction of the education levy, they said it was important that everyone should have a good education. Although I did not expect them to use the money for educational purposes, I gave them my support but I suggested that they use radio and television as part of the educational system. I made that suggestion because even then I was aware of the need to educate adults as well as children. They never did. After the administration changed, I outlined to a minister of government how we could use the radio, television and internet to make education available to every one. I was informed by the honourable gentleman that he was old-fashioned. We cannot afford to be old fashioned. We need to create a new modern interactive education system where the instructor could be in Angola and the classes could be in Antigua. At the same time the parents should be able stay at home and interact with the process. Rupert E. Henry Text Box: THE MAIN PROBLEM WITH EDUCATION IN ANTIGUA and BARBUDA and What we need to do to rectify the problem

                           Sunset in Antigua

                              Sunrise in Antigua