Structural Discrimination &
Knowledge Production in PostColonial Societies
Verene A. Shepherd
Member of the WGPAD
Geneva, April 13, 2010
THE IMPORTANCE OF
EDUCATION – MARCUS GARVEY

“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



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

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….


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




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

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
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
Cascade Pen –
Mrs. Griffiths
Hanover
Not stated
Esther Comba
Property/
Enslaver
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)

“… 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.”