Education Certification – By Sharon N Simon
Education Certification Competence
Regional experts are calling for an immediate overhaul of the education system to bridge a widening gap between academic certification and the readiness required for the modern workforce.
Recent discussions on Observer AM featuring Dr. Leo Gilling, a Jamaican academic practitioner, and Zahra Airall, an Antiguan educator, highlighted that while schools effectively meet ministry mandates for exam completion, they are failing to prepare students for the realities of work life. Gilling noted that the system successfully produces graduates who can follow instructions and memorize content, yet these same individuals often lack the independent thinking and problem-solving skills necessary beyond the classroom. As the experts argued, life does not operate like an exam — it requires judgment, adaptability, and confidence in unfamiliar situations.
The current disconnect has created a workforce that looks impressive on paper but struggles to function in practice. Airall observed that employers frequently encounter candidates with high academic honors who are unable to express themselves, analyze simple problems, or function without the assistance of artificial intelligence.
On the question of solutions, Gilling proposed that high schools implement problem-solving research beginning in the ninth and tenth grades, allowing students to use their immediate environment to address local challenges such as crime and digital safety. Airall emphasized the urgent need for enforceable policies governing the use of technology and artificial intelligence at the secondary level, warning that unchecked access is diluting cognitive development before students enter the workforce.
Rather than placing blame on individual educators, Gilling called for intentional system designs that equip teachers with proper training and software to safeguard against the misuse of artificial intelligence in learning environments. Both experts called for shared accountability across the Ministry of Education, parents, and teachers to ensure students meet workplace standards and develop the social conduct required for professional environments.
The discussion also urged a return to foundational character education, with both contributors identifying empathy, etiquette, and social awareness as casualties of a system that rewards scores over substance. The experts concluded that for education to be more than a slogan, it must be redefined by intentional system design rather than rote completion — with the goal shifted from passing an exam to ensuring every student has the tools to thrive in a rapidly changing world.
