The CNS headline that the Cayman government is considering selling off our public schools by the creation of grant-maintained, charter-based academies or independent schools financed via a combination of private sector and government money, is crazy.

So crazy that the Education Minister, Tara Rivers, issued a quick rebuttal – see todays lead story in iNews Cayman today.

However, if the CNS article was correct and I am of the opinion their headlined subject matter has been debated in Cabinet, these schools would indeed be able to pick and choose their students. The resulting class stigma would be paramount.

What employer is going to employ a student from what’s left of our public school system?

The label of the “left over” public schools will be clearly marked as the refuge for the potential druggies, robbers, gang members, etc. These children in these schools are from the poorer classes, having barely educated parents, with fathers beating their wives, etc.

Is this what the Cayman Islands wants for its children?

A two tier labeled system!

Cayman’s Alternative Education Centre that was closed down by previous Education Minister Rolston Anglin, is a clear example of what would happen again. The centre became a den for gang initiations where one was “trained” in how to become a thief and a thug.

On paper, it all sounds so grand.

Specialised training centres. Yes!

All these children with special needs, the handicapped, the slow learners, all put together in a nice cosy building with special teachers and trained staff to look after and encourage them to greater things. Yes!!

Baloney!!!

Specialised staff costs big money and there are very few of them.

We already have the Sunrise facility that is screaming for more money but isn’t going to get it.

You don’t really think any promises made by an Education Minister to the above proposals, however, well meaning, that all the money saved would stay with education?

If it were so the government wouldn’t even be considering the idea. They want to save money not spend it.

And despite the rebuttal from the minister there are still concerns. Rivers admits she told CNS:

“The proposal is to establish a governance model that will revolutionise the delivery of public education services through public-private partnerships. A board(s) of governors or similar entity is anticipated to be established and will manage the operational aspects of each of the schools under their purview, with regulatory oversight provided by the Ministry of Education, and each school will be assessed regularly by the independent inspections unit to be established.

“Essentially, this will lead to a public-private model of education for the Cayman Islands”.

That, to me, does talk of a two tier education system similar to the awful grammar school/secondary modern system in the UK I grew up in.

Thank goodness Rivers added, “Please note that the proposal is still under discussion and development within the Ministry and has yet to be discussed in full detail with Caucus.”

Yes, there is a need for reform in our public school system but a two tier system is most definitely NOT the answer.

We do have poor behaviour among students that is mainly due to their parents. We do have a tiny, tiny minority of bad teachers molesting their pupils. As for them hitting their students that is more from frustration than their actual biasness towards corporal punishment. All this can be corrected with tighter controls and educating the parents into the benefits of the teacher/parent after school programmes.

As for the C4C group placing two-page spread adverts canvassing the adoption of an ARK type UK system? They would be better spending their money on improving what we’ve got not on a system that has already proven a failure.

I am still not sure what the C4C is all about? Nothing they have sent out since in the way of press releases and now paid advertisments has made much actual sense. It all smacks more of attacking and undermining more than constructive criticism.

I applauded Premier Alden McLaughlin’s vision of the creation of “a world class modern, education system based on equality and the learning needs and abilities of the children in the system”.

You can still make that vision come true Premier.

Do not go down the road of selling off our public schools. It is even more than CRAZY.