TRINIDAD and Tobago has long been proudly referred to as a 'cosmopolitan nation' due to its racial and ethnic diversity. The official language is English. At present, this nation is multilingual, with inhabitants speaking standard and nonstandard varieties of English. Arabic, Yoruba, Bhojpuri, Urdu and other languages, used in religious contexts and some aspects of daily life.
Fluent-speaking parents have used these languages to 'talk in secret' and children are deliberately left clueless to the conversation. Trinidadians and Tobagonians have great delight in their colourful Creole English speech and like to emphasise it as a marker of identity. It is through embracing diversity that we can carve a pathway for cultural humility within our education system.
Hook, Davis, Owen, Worthington and Utsey (2013) conceptualise cultural humility as the 'ability to maintain an interpersonal stance that is other-oriented (or open to the other) in relation to aspects of cultural identity that are most important to the [person].' Simply put, we can remain open-minded with each other, understand each other's cultural differences, while placing high value on what is important to an individual.
This is a significant skill much needed for 21st century sustainable progress and development as we strive to 'develop partnerships with people and groups who advocate for others' (Tervalon & Murray-Garcia, 1998). Our varied cultural heritage informs our ongoing attitudes towards both our clients (students) and ourselves. Through a lifelong commitment to self-critique and self-evaluation, fixing power imbalances and advocacy, individuals can create positive change and an extensive impact on systems.
Our nation has become divided by political, race, socio-economic and gender-based wars. Each person's life is not being treated as equal. Too many power imbalances exist, and this has spilled over into our education system.
Through cultural humility, we would recognise that each person has something unique to contribute to life. Hence we would have engaged in active mindful listening to students, parents, teachers, the poor and oppressed, and never miss the opportunity to have respect and empathy for their unique plights and create comprehensive plans for holistic care and learning. Instead, too many counterproductive measures have placed burdens such as the continued lack of reform or removal of the dreaded SEA examination.
Major stakeholders in education must realise that the client is vulnerable to structural and systematic barriers in the education system and society, and that the grave dissatisfactions constantly experienced have led to frustrations, lack of interest, boredom, and indifference towards learning.
Without a lifelong commitment to self-critique and self-evaluation, we are a nation of too many people who are callous and unconcerned with the suffering of others. Our position of authority has given rise to abusive practices and inflexibility that deprives clients of
