The Editor, Sir:

It seems there is an emerging trend at this time of the year when the GSAT results have been published, where students are placed in incomplete or non-existent schools. It is really a shame that these blunders on the part of the Ministry of Education have continued to recur without any sanctions taken against those responsible for putting the infrastructure in place.

Parents and teachers in primary schools have worked very hard to prepare these young children for GSAT under challenging circumstances. Then the Ministry of Education placed students in 'imaginary schools' less than two months before the start of the next academic school year.

On the other hand, the Ministry of Education is saying, through its public education campaign, that "every child can learn and every child must learn". When these stranded students have to be accommodated by other schools, which already have infrastructural problems coupled with the existing issue of overcrowding in classrooms, how can these children learn?

The lack of proper planning by the ministry is highlighted by the fact that it had not even furnished appropriate building drawings to the building authorities for approval. Our children must not be made to suffer, and especially at the hands of those who are entrusted with the responsibility to ensure that illiteracy does not prevail in our society.

This matter of public officials not being held accountable must come to an end if this country is serious about the development of its human resources.

I am, etc.,

DONOVAN BUCHANAN

dvnbn@yahoo.com

Portmore

St. Catherine