Jamaica’s former chief of the opposition, Dr. Peter Phillips, has highlighted the migration of Jamaica’s brightest younger minds to international universities straight from highschool, impacting the nation’s invaluable human sources.
This name to motion comes amid mounting world challenges, together with local weather change, escalating world conflicts, and the resurgence of authoritarian and racist ideologies in Europe and the US.
Dr. Phillips, a determine in Jamaican politics, referred to as for a complete dialogue centered across the function of the College of the West Indies (UWI) in Jamaica’s improvement.
Dr. Phillips asserted, “The time has come for us to re-examine the character of the social contract between the society and the College of the West Indies. This course of should of necessity be led by the college however requires the deliberate engagement of all stakeholders within the varied social sectors of the nation.”
Dr. Phillips, with a distinguished profession spanning greater than three many years and holding a number of cupboard positions, was talking at a particular occasion held on Thursday, December 13, on the college campus.
The event marked the renaming of a constructing in honor of former Professional Vice-Chancellor and Principal, Professor Sir Kenneth Corridor.
In his deal with, Dr. Phillips highlighted a major shift in Jamaica’s academic panorama over the previous 20 years. Notably, there are actually greater than 20 degree-granting establishments within the nation providing skilled certifications.
The exodus of Jamaica’s most interesting minds
Dr. Phillips posed the query, “What’s the significance that an growing variety of our greatest college students are being recruited straight from highschool to international campuses…This does have implications for a way of nationwide identification and our imaginative and prescient of ourselves as a rustic as a few of our greatest college students get sloughed off to different climes, lots of whom by no means return.”
Remembering Professor Sir Kenneth Corridor’s affect
Whereas expressing these issues, Dr. Phillips acknowledged Professor Sir Kenneth Corridor’s outstanding contributions to the College of the West Indies.
Professor Corridor is widely known for introducing a philosophy of student-centeredness that has deeply influenced the college’s operations.
Starting his journey on the UWI Mona campus in 1966 as a historical past scholar, Sir Kenneth’s profession encompassed roles as Deputy Normal Secretary of CARICOM earlier than returning to function Professional Vice-Chancellor and Principal for a decade.
Professor Corridor’s legacy extends past his philosophy, as he oversaw probably the most intensive infrastructure enlargement in UWI’s historical past all through the area.
Moreover, he performed a pivotal function in creating a number of important establishments on the Mona campus, modernizing its administrative construction, and introducing the annual analysis day, fostering a tradition of educational excellence. His management additionally coincided with a considerable improve within the scholar inhabitants at Mona.
Moreover, Professor Corridor’s dedication to schooling and public service led him to change into Jamaica’s fifth Governor Normal in 1996, additional solidifying his affect on the nation.
