For three years, John Gregory (name changed to protect his identity), 12, has not attended school.
His 49-year-old father, Simon Gregory, whose identity we also had to protect, is growing worried, as his son is a slow learner and easily influenced by the wrong crowd.
John is one of 2,800 primary and secondary school students who dropped out of school between 2020 and 2022.
Gregory blamed the pandemic and school bullying for his son being out of the classroom. He now fears that he will fall through the cracks.
While in Standard One, Gregory said, John had to drop out of the El Socorro Hindu Primary School due to constant bullying. At that time, John was nine.
“I say is better I take him out because the school was sending him home right through after he started to defend himself,” Gregory said.
He enrolled John in a private school in Aranguez where he was placed in a Standard Two class.
“I paid $800 a month for him to continue his education.” But when the pandemic hit the school had to close its doors. When the lockdown measures were lifted, Gregory said, the school never reopened because the principal had died.
One of Gregory’s friends tried to help get John into the Morvant New Government Primary School last year, but he was unsuccessful.
“I also went to a school in Petit Bourg but there was no room.”
For three years John has been out of school.
“It has been months John has been doing nothing at home,” Gregory admitted.
Gregory said attempts to homeschool John have been extremely difficult.
“The child has a short attention span and he doesn’t focus on his schoolwork at all. Even when he is home he’s just watching that pen and book and nothing ain’t going on. He would learn something now and forget it in the next two minutes. He is a very slow learner.”
Asked about John’s grades in his previous schools, Gregory replied, “Grades...what grades? He not doing nothing.”
Gregory said, “His mother and all does get frustrated to teach him,” Gregory said.
Teaching John requires extreme patience. Gregory believes few teachers would give their time to help his son who has a learning disability.
John said he was often ignored in class by his teachers.
“Whenever I put up my hand to answer a question my teacher use to go to the next student,” the pre-teen said.
This made John feel unwanted and caused him to put up barriers to learning.
Despite falling behind in his schoolwork, John said he wants to attend Success Laventille Secondary School.
But Gregory said his son is only interested in this school because he has friends there.
“All he studying is friends right now. I not on that.”
Gregory said he had to prohibit his son from playing football with a 15-year-old boy whom he described as overly smart and destined for trouble.
“He does influence all them youths and them. That is why I don’t want him around my son.”
John was encouraged by the teenager to steal his father’s money.
“Is $800 and $1,000 went missing from a cabinet.”
Now Gregory has to safeguard his money under lock and key.
The teenager also gave John a bike to ride and then accused him of stealing it.
“I had to pay him $1,000 for the bike. The next minute I see him riding the bike all over the place. This boy is a bad influence on them youths. That boy have too much brains. He leading these boys astray.”
Having moved into the Morvant community a year ago, Gregory said he was unperturbed by the community’s crimes and murders.
“I grow up in Diamond Vale in a decent area but learn the hard life. John growing up in the hard life too.”
Gregory reflected on his own life, stating that he did not perform well in school.
“I am not educated. I had to learn a trade to survive. That is what helping me right now. It keeping my head above water.”
Gregory followed in his father’s footsteps as a mechanic and is now trying to pass on his knowledge and skills to his son to keep him occupied.
He boasted that his son is one of the best go-cart drivers in the community.
“And that was another fight-down thing too when he was in the go-cart school because of the area he was from. He was among the rich people children learning to drive. The boy could really drive. It have real talented children here but they need a push.”
Coach of the Morvant Elements FC, Nevick Denoon, speaks to Wesley Mustapha during a training session at the Russell Latapy Grounds last Wednesday.
ABRAHAM DIAZ
Deenon working to break the crime and poverty cycle
That push comes from former national team star player and football coach Nevick Denoon who has been training children in the community at the Morvant Recreational Grounds to hone their football skills.
Many of the youths in the area come from poor families, got caught up in gang life and never reached their academic potential.
Denoon has been trying to break that cycle using the sport as a way out.
Affectionately called "Sarge" by his students, Denoon, who owns and manages Morvant Elements, conducts daily regimental football classes for his students whose ages range from eight to 16.
Some of the students who live at Never Dirty are school dropouts.
"Today I not seeing none of them in training."
He admitted that a few of the children are easily influenced by money.
"It's money they looking for. They always have money in their pockets," Denoon said.
He is unaware of where they get the money from.
Denoon has his eyes on 14-year-old Wesley Mustapha (name changed) who stopped attending his Morvant New Government School while in Standard Five due to financial struggles with his family.
Mustapha has six older siblings.
His mother is a cook.
Despite staying away from classes for two terms, Wesley was allowed to write the 2023 SEA examinations last month.
"I begged his relatives to send him back to school," Denoon said, stating that no child should be deprived of an education.
"These children have a lot of potential, many of them do, but the environment ... no parental guidance. They are on their own and that is where things go wrong."
Denoon lectures his students about shooting for the stars and avoiding trouble and bad company.
Asked what secondary school he picked as his first choice, Wesley said he did not know, as his mother selected his schools.
However, Wesley said he would like to pass for Malick Secondary Secondary School "to play football."
"I feel I did good in the exams," he said optimistically.
Mustapha wants to become a professional footballer like Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo and Neymar.
"I want to make it big in football," the teenager said, brushing back his curly locks from his face while putting on his socks and tugs.
"That is our right-winger," Denoon said, smiling from ear to ear.
"Wesley is the player right now. He going to Barbados in August for the under-15. I trying to get his passport. Great things are in store for him."
Footballers from the Morvant Elements FC area during a training session at the Russell Latapy Grounds last Wednesday.
ABRAHAM DIAZ
Minister responds
Contacted on Friday, Education Minister Dr Nyan Gadsby-Dolly said Gregory can visit the district office in his area and the school supervisors would assist. "That is the process" to get John back into the school system, she added.
