Structural Discrimination Knowledge Production in Post Colonial Societies

Structural Discrimination & Knowledge Production in Post. Colonial Societies Verene A. Shepherd Member of the WGPAD Geneva, April 13, 2010

THE IMPORTANCE OF EDUCATION – MARCUS GARVEY l “Education is the medium by which a people are prepared for the creation of their own particular civilization and the advancement and glory of their own words”

PREOCCUPATION IN THIS PAPER l l l Obstacles to that post-colonial project of mental liberation through an education system that promotes a more liberating narrative of self. Racism that masquerades as classism even in contexts where African descended people are in the majority the sexism in some texts used in schools.

STRUCTURAL DISCRIMINATION: TRADITIONAL DEFINITION l The policies of empowered race, ethnic, gender institutions and the behaviour of the individuals who implement these policies and control these institutions which are race/ethnic/gender neutral in intent, but which have a differential and/or harmful effect on minority/race/ethnic/gender groups. ” (Fred L. Pincus, Readings, 2000)

INDIRECT DISCRIMINATION OCCURS…. l l when a neutral, or seemingly harmless, policy, rule or practice has a discriminatory effect against a certain group of people. when a policy or procedure which appears to treat everyone equally has the effect of disadvantaging certain groups.

AS USED IN THIS PAPER l l Differential access to quality secondary education because of the competitive entrance processes and the disadvantageous poor primary education in some cases Education that does not accept differences (e. g. rastas; non-Christians) The content of history education/history textbooks, which does not empower people of African descent, Asians and indigenous peoples Sexism in history education

Education Commission Report (Swaby Report), 1907 - 1909 l The purpose [of elementary education] is a school training which will end at a comparatively early age, and may produce the intelligent and industrious labourer, or form the groundwork on which may be built the technical skill required by the mechanic or artisan. The latter [secondary] is carried on to an age when manhood is approaching, and aims at fitting for their work the thinkers of the community, those who follow the learned professions, the leaders and organisers, or at least those who serve in the higher ranks of industry and commerce.

SAMPLE LITERACY RATES - 2009 (UNDP) COUNTRY LITERACY RATE (% ) POPULATION SIZE BAHAMAS 95. 8 307, 552 BARBADOS 99. 7 257, 083 GUYANA 99. 0 777, 000 JAMAICA 79. 9 2, 391, 000 MONTSERRAT 97 11, 852 ST KITTS & NEVIS 97. 8 42, 291 ST LUCIA 94. 8 152, 335 SURINAME 90. 4 520, 000 T’DAD & TOBAGO 98. 7 1, 116, 595 ANTIGUA & BAR. 99. 0 65, 962 GRENADA 96. 0 96, 600

SAMPLE LITERACY RATES - 2009 (UNDP) COUNTRY LITERACY % Population CUBA 99. 8 11, 050, 729 DOM REP 89. 1 7, 998, 766 ST. VINCENT & GRENADINES 88. 1 119, 818 DOMINICA 88 71, 183 BELIZE 75. 1 307, 899 HAITI 54. 8 6, 780, 501

WORLD ADULT LITERACY RATES, 2000 (UNESCO ISE, 2002)

FROM PRIMARY TO SECONDARY BAHAMAS Grade Level Assessment Test BARBADOS Common Entrance Exam (CEE) GUYANA National Grade 6 Assessment JAMAICA Grade 6 Achievement Test (GSAT) MONTSERRAT Continuous Assess’t Programme ST KITTS & NEVIS Continuous Assess’t Programme ST LUCIA Common Entrance Exam (CEE) SURINAME High School Practice Tests (HSPT) T’DAD & TOBAGO Secondary Entrance Assessment ANTIGUA & BARBUDA Common Entrance Exam (CEE) GRENADA Common Entrance Exam(CEE) Source: caribbeanexams. com Must pass to progress to Sec. Sch.

Women in the 1831/32 Emancipation War in Jamaica Name Property/ Enslaver Parish Sentence Catherine Brown Cascade Pen – Mrs. Griffiths Hanover Death – commuted to 50 lashes & 6 weeks imprisonment. Catherine Clarke Dr. W. Skirving Hanover 50 lashes & 3 months in prison at hard labour Esther Comba Hanover Not stated Cascade Pen – Mrs. Griffiths

Women in the 1831/32 Emancipation War in Jamaica Name Property/ Enslaver Parish Sentence Ann James Free Hanover Death/executed Christina James Cascade Pen – Mrs. Griffiths Hanover 50 lashes & 3 months in prison at hard labour Eliza James Coventry Hanover 100 lashes, 2 months & 50 lashes when discharged

Women in the 1831/32 Emancipation War in Jamaica Susan James Coventry Hanover 200 lashes, 2 months & 50 lashes when discharged Ann Ramsay H. Bean Hanover 100 lashes, 6 months & 50 lashes when discharged Mary Campbell Not stated St. Elizabeth 150 lashes Nancy Campbell Ipswich St. Elizabeth 50 lashes Clarisa Ginger Hill St. Elizabeth Acquitted

Women in the 1831/32 Emancipation War in Jamaica Sarah Darling Mitcham St. Elizabeth 15 lashes Anna Freeburn Ipswich St. Elizabeth 50 lashes & 3 months in prison Rebecca Hart Pisgah St. Elizabeth Acquitted Sarah Jackson Ginger Hill St. Elizabeth Transportation for life Sophia Maitland Not Stated St. Elizabeth 25 lashes Jane Maitland Not Stated St. Elizabeth 25 lashes

Women in the 1831/32 Emancipation War in Jamaica Matty Ipswich St. Elizabeth 50 lashes Amelia Murray Not Stated St. Elizabeth 100 lashes Matty Ginger Hill St. Elizabeth Pardoned Phoebe Mocho St. Elizabeth Acquitted Betsy Powell Not Stated St. Elizabeth 20 lashes Priscilla Ipswich St. Elizabeth Transportation for life

Women in the 1831/32 Emancipation War in Jamaica Queen Ginger Hill St. Elizabeth To be confined during martial law Caroline Smith Lacovia St. Elizabeth 100 lashes Charlotte Smith Ipswich St. Elizabeth 50 lashes Mary Walker Not Stated St. Elizabeth 10 lashes Suzanna Wright Mitcham St. Elizabeth 25 lashes Nancy Wright Mitcham St. Elizabeth 20 lashes

Women in the 1831/32 Emancipation War in Jamaica Rosanna Wright Not Stated St. Elizabeth 25 lashes Elizabeth Ball Free St. James 24 lashes Becky Virgin Valley St. James Sentence postponed Charlotte Moor Park St. James Reprimanded Ann Guy Belfield St. James Acquitted Jenny Kirkpatrick Hall St. James Death

SHAME AND KNOWLEDGE “… In a country such as ours, where shame about the past too often fills the place that should be held by knowledge, knowledge of the past must play its part in our liberation from the bonds of the past. ” Elsa Goveia, 1925 -1980

Former P. M. Tony Blair (Britain) l “… the bicentenary offers us a chance not just to say how profoundly shameful the slave trade was – how we condemn its existence utterly and praise those who fought for its abolition, but also to express our deep sorrow that it ever happened, that it ever could have happened and to rejoice at the different and better times we live in today. ”