Red Alert to All parents
Submitted by Douglas
CXC
The recent impasse by the Barbados Secondary Teachers Union (BSTU) and the regional body of the Caribbean Examination Council (CXC) has begged the question…In whose interest are these Union bodies acting?
How can a union and its members take as prisoners the future leaders of this society by abandoning the process and not marking School Based Assessment papers?
The children of this country’s future will be jeopardized…If the issue is one of volume of work that is to be undertaken and the Union is asking for more money. … Will increase money solve the volume of work or will it make the teachers happier this summer ?
The case put on behalf of the Union should not have to see the children of Barbados suffering … I am calling on all parents no matter if your child is at this juncture to condemn the insensitive action of the Union and its leaders…
Children don’t sign cheques and yet they are asked to pay…
Barbados Underground 
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Perhaps Douglas can tell us what is the difference between the stance of the union and this admiinistration. Either way it is going to cost the parents. The teachers are demanding their pound of flesh, and rightly so I might add. Don’t your terribly incompetent Ministers demand theirs?
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Leaders lead and minions follow. The unwritten but oft spoken motto of these bastard we now have in office. ..Douglas included is WE MUST GET OURS. Like Donville Iniss teachers too have bills to pay. In any event they work very hard. …A foreign attribute to the cadre of clowns that make up our bloated cabinet.
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Redman and the BSTU have been very clear about the fact numerous requests promises by the ministry of education to resolve the matter goes back to 2006. It cant be right for the involvement of teachers to be taken for granted; it calls for collaboration.
On 28 March 2015 at 12:16, Barbados Underground wrote:
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@ Douglas:
Here is a novel idea your administration is quite good at implementing.
Why not make the parents pay for the cost of assessing the student’ work as part of it’s new strict benefit principle approach to education and health?
I am sure the same way UWI students are expected to make a contribution to their education (similar to the users of the health services) why not force the parents to invest in the secondary students’ education?
Douggie dog, your incompetent visionless master of an administration has opened a Pandora’s box of no return.
Here you have a government owed hundred of millions in VAT and income tax and refuses to move against the defaulters (according to the Auditor General) including Leroy Parris and his millions of unpaid taxes but see the poor and unemployed as easy targets to go after by cutting the reverse tax credit by 50%, financially preventing their “bright and ambitious children from attending university and demanding the sick and poor to pay for health care.
What a people-centred administration indeed!
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All of the fall out that is taking place in Barbados began before this government took office. Unfortunately, their first mistake was to keep silence on the mess that was left by the former government; which left mayhem and destruction behind. I personally do not believe that the future of our children should be held hostage by unions, teachers or governments. It is time to sit down and resolve this issue. Also, it is not to late for the government to publish the mess that was left by the mess that they inherited, and no money to resolve the issues. I still want to know, where is and how was the money that the BLP received for selling the National Bank of Barbados, to the Trinidad Republic Bank spent? Both the BLP and the DLP has to be help accountable.
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The children are learning a life lesson.
Bajan adult “leaders” are brassbowls and they will have to take responsibility for their own success in life.
Year after year nothing but strife in Barbados. Government,Unions,Headmasters and on and on.
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@ bajcan March 28, 2015 at 8:35 AM
“Also, it is not to late for the government to publish the mess that was left by the mess that they inherited, and no money to resolve the issues.”
That shit of an excuse no longer washes with enlightened Bajans.
We thought all along it was the international recession for the present economic state and now you are talking déjà vu ad nauseam about the mess left by the BLP some 7 going 8 years ago.
The P M is good at talking about lists. So why doesn’t he ‘publishit’ by preparing a list of all the mess left by the former administration?
We know for sure that $11 billion national debt will be on that list.
So too the Leroy Parris affair and the $3.3 million fraudulent invoice.
What about the hundred of millions in uncollected VAT and income tax dollars? Is this part of the mess too?
Did the BLP leave a plan to introduce user fees for health services and to make the UWI students pay for their tuition costs?
What about the pending privatization of the BNTCL and other State-owned commercial entities? Is this part of the mess left on the list?
How come the person who left that messy list for the DLP to clean up is now their blue-eyed boy and economic guru and every word he speaks on the floor of Parliament is gospel to the DLP hypocrites’ ears?
Even the republic status lark is an OSA relic that is certainly on Stuart’s list.
Those who seek to prepare and publish lists of evil doers should make sure they are looking in the mirror of Truth.
“Do not repeat anything you will not sign your name to.”
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Douglas
You really have no shame.
How can the Government take as prisoners the future leaders of this society by abandoning free tertiary education? Further, how can it send those same children to bed hungry by terminating the services of their parents without putting anything in place to help them, not even their severance pay?
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@ bajcan March 28, 2015 at 8:35 AM
“Also, it is not to late for the government to publish the mess that was left by the mess that they inherited, and no money to resolve the issues.”
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I cannot believe that 8 years now this DLP administration is into its reign….. YET no worthy assets to show…nothing of importance done but increasing the debt by $5 Billion….. and they are still looking back with coos of BLAME>>> BLAME>>>> BLAME>>>>…….Leme ask you guys one question, so for what reasons where you all elected?
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Now we are beginning to understand why such despots as Hitler, Mussolini ,Amin and Saddam could have ruled for so long. Because their supporters blindly went along with everything,no matter how evil, they did.
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Bizzy wins again with burger power. lol
“It was a whopper of a win for Burger King Lester Vaughan School as the boys from the Cane Garden institution captured their first ever Powerade Barbados Secondary Schools’ Athletics Championships title yesterday.”
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I am not saying teachers should work for nothing, but anybody who know the leader of this group of teachers is very militant, who don’t do a stroke of work at her appointed school, but look for ways to frustrate people in all spheres of life, even her own family members don’t want to have anything to do with her, too militant!!! everything must be her way or no way forward. Isn’t it time for her to retire?
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Militant may be but she stands out as a decisive Union leader, given the mealy mouthed,two timing Maloneys,Clarkes and Trotmans of the past,thank goodness.Neither successor GS of the NUPW,BUT nor BWU have stepped up to the plate in as convincing a manner as the BSTU’s Mary Redman.To be sure she would not be in line for an ambassadorship or such like dispensed patronage of the bag blind political pimps we are saddled with in Barbados.Gaul bline the Primate Ministuh.Stinkin brassbowl.
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Aren’t Redman’s publicly stated positions representative of the BSTU executive?
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MARY REDMAN,just gets me sick a cantankerous woman who need to teach the children at the school to which she has been assigned.
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Ms. Redman has explained many times she has been given a time table that accommodates her union responsibility. She has also advised the performance of her students have never been an issue.
To repeat, doesn’t Ms. Redman represent the views of her executive?
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Put aside the politics and see that all of the Barbadian students taking SBA subjects maybe ungraded by the time the results are released.
This is not a Barbadian problem, this is a Caribbean problem. All of the other territories have already submitted their SBA marks done by teachers. The Foundation school had a problem with marks not being submitted to CXC in time. ALL THE CHILDREN FAILED. Mary Redman got involved with BSTU fighting CXC. The children were still given a failing grade.
Teachers across the region would have to be involved, if this payment is to be put in placed
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boy boy how the BLP have twisted tongues , i clearly remember in the Broomes Fiasco many of the BLP renegades asking for the Head of Mary Redman ,
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Barbados really has some not-too intelligent people. CXC is a third-party organisation and continues to impose work on the teachers of Barbados. What is so hard about that to understand.
Let me give you a brief history about school meals service. School meals was a service that was voluntarily managed and even served by Principals and teachers schools in Barbados. The Ministry wanted to make it mandatory that it be the responsibility of Principals.
Immediately, the Principals withdrew their voluntary service and fought against the imposition.
Now we have the minions (teachers) who have to take on the burden of CXC without pay and Barbadians support this crap because they always see teachers as the worst people.
Let me add that teachers are being asked by Deputy Principals and Principals to enter students data such as dates-of-birth, names, exams etc for which they ARE NOT paid. However if they make a mistake, the school is expected to pay $50 per mistake if it is before the data-entry deadline. If the mistake is to be rectified after, it increases to $200 per mistake.
How on earth can this be fair?
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David this is an issue that I am very passionate about.
The reason why there is so many lessons being given is because its almost impossible for a teacher to complete a CXC syllabus and do all the SBAs in the given time-frame for lets say 30 students.
The majority of Term 2 (for 4th and 5th form) is taken up with sports. Term 3 in the 5th form cannot be counted because that is when CXC exams are conducted. The syllabi suggests 5 contact periods per week. Most CXC subjects taught in secondary schools have only 4 contact periods.
Therefore, teachers are forced to “spot”/follow the pattern of the past examination papers and teach what they think will come on the CXC exam,hence not covering the entire syllabus.
Its all about passing CXC and results. Its the new fast food recipe to passing exams and unless we make serious changes, Barbados will continue to see less outputs form the vast input injected in education.
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What will the result be?
The older secondary schools have a reputation to protect – They want exhibitions and high pass rates, Newer secondary schools want to talk about results at their speech day so in the end all of them will end up correcting SBAs, teachers want to brag of their results. Teachers will never stick together because many do not see themselves as professionals. If only CXC were to run some type of plagiarism software on these SBAs, we would be in for a shocker.
The doctors in Barbados have refused to work under certain conditions which was a matter of life and death however teachers continue to act sheepish when it comes to their rights.
I am so fed up with this system.
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@ Stupes
Can someone PLEASE explain how it could be more cost effective to create CXC just to avoid having exams corrected by an international examinations body like Cambridge?
The cost of running CXC alone must be horrendous. Then there is the need for international accreditation; the ongoing challenges with students cheating and loose security with exam papers; now they are seeking to exploit free labour from teachers for correcting SBAs.
What does CXC contribute to teachers? don’t they SELL their services?
shite man!! ..if you sell what you got ..you need to buy what you want….
What BSTU needs to address is their chosen methodology. How the hell do you have a fight with CXC – and take it out on 16-year-old school children and their future?
…Like the damn stupid cricketers who had a problem with their union and took it out on the Board…(and the problems they have with the Board, they take out on the fans by playing shiite)
Solution…Correct the damn papers and give everyone 100%…..
THAT will teach CXC about looking to get free labour…… LOL
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@ Stupse March 28, 2015 at 6:26 PM #
IT WOULD BE MOST INTERESTING IF YOU WILL KINDLY EXPAND ON THE INFO YOU HAVE PROVIDED BRIEFLY. IT SEEMS THAT YOU ARE SAYING THAT THE TEACHERS WORKLOAD IS BEING ADDED TO COVERTLY BECAUSE THERE IS NOT SUFFICIENT TIME TO FINISH THE SYLABUS
I KNOW WHAT IT IS TO BE GIVEN INSUFFICIENT HOURS TO GO THRU THE SYLABUS PROPERLY
I ALSO KNOW WHAT IT IS TO BE GIVEN EXTRA SUBJECTS TO TEACH ABOVE THAT WHAT WAS ORIGINALLY ASSIGNED
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RE Can someone PLEASE explain how it could be more cost effective to create CXC just to avoid having exams corrected by an international examinations body like Cambridge?
The cost of running CXC alone must be horrendous. Then there is the need for international accreditation; the ongoing challenges with students cheating and loose security with exam papers; now they are seeking to exploit free labour from teachers for correcting SBAs.
THERE IS NO WAY THAT THE NONSENSE STATED ABOVE COULD BE UNDERSTOOD OR CONDONED
WHAT WAS WRONG WITH THE CAMBRIDGE EXAMS?
WE SEEM TO BE CHANGING SYSTEMS AND SUBSTITUTING THEM WITH PROBLEMATIC ONES
HOW IS IT THAT CONTEMPORARY STUDENTS GET SO MANY A’S IN SO MANY SUBJECTS AT CAPE (A ) LEVEL?
RE Solution…Correct the damn papers and give everyone 100%…..
THAT will teach CXC about looking to get free labour…… LOL
LOL INDEED THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT YOU HAVE TO DO WITH DEMANDING STUDENTS AND SUPERIORS WHO HAVE NO RESPECT FOR THE PLIGHT OF THE TEACHERS
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Teacher’s Pet. March 28, 2015 at 3:08 PM #
MARY REDMAN,just gets me sick a cantankerous woman who need to teach the children at the school to which she has been assigned
Spot on teacher’s pet miller and the yardfowl posse line up behind any one who they see as a thorn in the side of GOB. Redman brings misery untold to the teaching profession and by extension the children and school system. Most of the rubbish she passes as legitimate union grouses are items that a discussion among mature adults can easily resolve. But no that would be too quick not only that the petty issues consume so much time one is forced to ask when does she get time to teach. No one is threating unions and their right to defend their workers .Look at Casweel who talks all over his face without hindrance from government but has never won a battle for his members. Talk is cheap Redman has honed talk into a never-ending art form. The losers are the children and the taxpayers. Miller and the BLP pimps justify that unprofessional behavior by blaming the government . If sargassum weed sneaks ashore at Cove Bay tonight miller and his lackeys on BU next day pillorying government for the weed landing.
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My daughter has recently gotten the news that she passed the January,2015 CXC Exam in English Language and Mathematics , General Proficiency with Grade 2 in both subjects. She is not a scholar by any stretch of the imagination but tries hard to achieve her goals. She is slated to take six other subjects in the upcoming CXC Examinations but if the teachers carry out their threat of not correcting her SBA’s, all of her hopes will be dashed.
I have nobody’s axe to grind. My advice to the two teachers’ unions is to allow my child and every child attending the Government Secondary Schools to have a future . If the students’ SBA’s aren’t graded/marked, then not one of them will pass a single subject this year . However, the students who attend St. Winifred’s , The Ursuline Convent and any other Private Secondary School will have their SBA’s marked and given an opportunity to pass the relevant exams.
Why use my child’s future to bargain a stipend? It would make more sense to me, for the teachers’ unions to put the suggestion into any package when negotiating conditions of employment with their employer I am sure they negotiate and are successful in getting conditions like leave with pay to attend University courses at Cave Hill when they should be in the classroom teaching our children . No union gets whatever it demands from its members’ employers. However it gives and it takes, when talking around the bargaining table. A perfect example would be for the unions to suggest that, if they can’t get the stipend, then the workers’ employer can give them a week’s leave with pay after marking the exam, if they feel that they are stressed.
According to a statement issued by one of the two unions, the demand for payment for correcting the SBA’s will be put on the agenda when the Caribbean Union of Teachers meet later this year. Isn’t this putting the cart before the horse? All the children of all the other countries in the Caribbean will have their SBA’s marked for the upcoming examinations.
It isn’t only my child who would be disadvantaged but the children of all the taxpayers of Barbados who pay the teachers. I hope that common sense will prevail and the students will be allowed to take the exams without any unnecessary added stress.
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@Stupse
“I am so fed up with this system.”
Will paying teachers for SBAs help improve the system?
@David
“doesn’t Ms. Redman represent the views of her executive?”
Is it the executive that sets policy or is it the membership?
What about the “other” Union? Have they “surveyed” their members or executive yet?
Is this an empty threat that virtually all teachers will ignore (at this time) or will intransigence and collateral damage win the day?
Will we polarize and politicize everything?
Are teachers really going to risk hundreds of students getting an ungraded result in this final hour no matter how just the cause may seem?
At the end of it all there are only two questions that need to be asked:
Is it the duty of a teacher to conduct and correct (not compile/collate/carry in) School Based Assessments?
Does BSTU have the “right/authority” to negotiate directly with / act against CXC on this issue?
My apologies to Just Asking for all the questions but I’ve been Just Observing for a while. Long live BU.
btw, has ANY trade union achieved or done ANYTHING of long standing substance or real significance recently?
Just Observing…still.
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The teachers should really be seeking to have the SBAs ABOLISHED ALTOGETHER. Educated parents do their children’s SBAs. Wealthy parents pay to have their children SBAs done. Teachers help as many well-behaved and cooperative students as they possibly can. The poor and ignorant and obnoxious students fail their SBAs and by extension fail their CXCs. They end up on the block. The SBA component of the CXC examination is a major contribution to our block culture. CXC is like the DLP government – Spending without prioritising. Paying big fat salaries and contracts to the people at the top at the expense of the people at the bottom. Go Redman!!
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@ observing
Stand corrected, the bigger point is that Redman can’t be speaking for herself. Your points raised are valid and the rebut is why does the leadership of the ministry of education and the BSTU not have the capacity to size the ramifications of not resolving the matter in a timely manner.
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@ David
“…..why does the leadership of the ministry of education and the BSTU not have the capacity to size the ramifications of not resolving the matter in a timely manner.”
+++++++++++++++++++++++++
You know David, you NEVER cease to amaze Bushie….
Do you realize that the “leadership of the ministry of education and BSTU” are the same identical bunch of jackasses who were there for Alexandra?
Do you recall that these same imbeciles have been in “leadership” year after damn year as THOUSANDS of our children are let down by the shiite eddy-kashun system that they run …. and NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE to address this?
Do you appreciate that Ronald Jones is the man in charge of this eddy-kashun shiite….?
Shiite man David….
…you REALLY think you should ask the above question?
Alright then…
…..BECAUSE THERE ARE INDISPUTABLY A COLLECTIVE SET OF IGRUNT, USELESS, UNPRODUCTIVE BRASS BOWL LACKIES……OK?
@ Ready to Vote
Don’t waste your time voting unless Caswell BUPs.
It was the alternative set of jackasses that started the whole CXC shiite in the first place….so who yuh going vote for…?
You are 100% correct.
It is a system that gives GREAT advantages to the “HAVES” and impossible challenges to the “HAVE-NOTS”.
EVERYONE knows that the SBAs are done for 80% of students. Even those that do their own tend to be the ones with access to internet, printing and binding facilities, and parental and other support….yet it represents a SIGNIFICANT percentage of the final mark.
IT IS BARE SHIITE.
…but no one says a shiite because those who can speak out prefers to use the system to their own advantage.
No wonder we produced BETTER graduates when Oxford and Cambridge provided UNBIASED exams.
Owen supported this CXC shiite as part of his failed (and catastrophic for Barbados) CSME nonsense….and the clueless DLP were too busy stealing CLICO money, and too dense anyway, to do anything about CXC – except of course to grant them a spanking new MULTI-MILLION headquarters at the expense of OUR NIS.
Talk about French Connected (UK) brass bowl idiots …. yuh talking bout Bajans….
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actually i do not see this as a B or D issue but an issue that dictates the necessity for fairness given that a person /persons collectively has a right to seek recourse for compensation for work done whether they be a joiner a welder or a teacher, it is not good enough to expect services rendered and an unwillingness by those receiving not to be equally responsible out of fairness to compensate on a scale that is measurable and justifiable with in the parameters of duty bound
the bstu has laid out a reasonable case on which they have stated that a job when delivered must be compensated and any rationale thinking person would be hard pressed not to agree ,, as stated in their complain for over the years they have had excessive workload and their cries for compensation has been received with muted ears.
The harm being done from the fallout of this stalemate should not solely be placed at those seeking compensation but at those who have closed their eyes and ears to fairness and responsibility,
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Using the children by any party is an exercise in futility and an overreache which by extension obfuscate the long overdrawn issue at hand, a readiness and a preparedness which is devoided of a recognition to a principle that is asking for a proper and right measure to resolve this stalemate ,,a stalemate which has now extended to a bargaining chip and the sole purpose of having an educational system and to those being involved,
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@Bush Tea
You are correct of course, the same JAs who created the problem are now expected to solve. One would easily think with Jones and Karen Best in the MOE a process of conciliatory engagement would be the order of the day.
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Minister Ronald Jones has ‘presided’ over the AX and now the BSTU SBA matters where there is obvious negligence at play. Where is the accountability?
On Sunday, 29 March 2015, Barbados Underground wrote:
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David
I hope you don’t mean that Ronald Jones is negligent. I don’t think that he is; I truly believe that he is very attentive to the task at hand. The problem is with all his good intentions, he is completely incapable of getting the task done. The man is functioning just above imbecile: what do you expect? That he would suddenly sprout a fully functioning brain when he was appointed to the Cabinet. There is an urgent need to remove him from the Ministry of Education but that presents another dire problem. Who would be the replacement, Steve Blackett?
Sent from my iPad
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@Georgie Porgie
Would you affix your signature to something that you blatantly did not correct with and you know is inaccurate.
Would you sign a statement the Police give you if the contents werent accurate? Or would you sign it and indicate 100% satisfaction.
The words of the fool is sickens me.
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@Stupse March 29, 2015 at 12:13 PM
Quid scripsi, scripsi!
No I have never signed a statement for the Police if the contents werent accurate OK? not once in 15 years.
Have you ever had to deal with students who all thought that they were “A” students, and who quit if they dont get high marks for every assignment?
Have you ever worked for superiors who only care for the bottom line and not you?
Have you ever worked anywhere where your pay is dependent on student retention?
“The words of the fool is sickens me.” LOL LOL what are you saying here Sir? LOL
Stupse indeed!
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There seems to be a misunderstanding among the head of the PTA, the BSTU/BUT, teachers, parents and guardians about the ramifications of teachers refusing to mark/grade students’ CSEC and CAPE SBA’s. I did some research on the Internet and would like to offer advice to the following:-
(A) For the Head of the PTA
Communication between CXC and Candidates
CXC shall not communicate directly with candidates, their parents/guardians or any person acting on their behalf regarding matters such as registration, timetables,
SBA examination results or the issue of certificates.
Queries on these matters should be brought to
the attention of the Principal in the case of school candidates or to the attention of the Head of the Examination Centre in the case of
out-of-school candidates.
Please see URL:-
Click to access GUIDELINESTOCANDIDATESRevised2013.pdf
(B) For Parents and Guardians
The following was copied from the CXC BLOG.
https://www.cxc.org/?q=examinations/faqs/faqs-general
Q: Is it mandatory to complete the School Based Assessment (SBA) / Internal Assessment (IA) assignments?
Answer: Yes it is. School Based Assessment/Internal Assessment is a mandatory component in most of the CSEC and all of the CAPE syllabuses. If you are registered to submit SBA/IA and do not submit this component for the examination, you will be reported “Ungraded – SBA/IA component not received”. An Alternative Paper to SBA/IA (normally referred to as Paper 3/2 in the case of CSEC and 3/B in the case of CAPE) is available to candidates registered at private centres. Candidates who are eligible and who opt to write the Alternative Paper are not required to complete the SBA/IA requirements.
Q. I am the Principal of a school and wish to enquire about one of my students’ registration details. Should I contact the Council directly?
A. No, the Council does not engage in direct contact with principals, candidates, parents, guardians, or teachers. All enquiries must be directed to the Council via the Office of the Local Registrar.
Q: Is there an alternative examination for candidates who fall ill and unable to sit the examination?
A: No – a subject is offered only once at any sitting.
Q: What is the meaning of “Ungraded” on the preliminary results slip?
A: Ungraded indicates that the scores for one component of the examination, usually the SBA/IA, was not submitted on behalf of the candidate. Queries about “Ungraded” results should be submitted to the CXC Local Registrar in the Ministry of Education, by the specified deadline
For Mary Redman, Pedro Shepherd and teachers
Role of the Teacher in SBA
Copied from url:-
Click to access SBA_Handbook_for_Teachers4Feb13.pdf
And it reads in part quote
‘’To successfully administer the SBA and to maximise the potential of the SBA to the learning process, it is important that teachers:
a.
manage the SBA as part and parcel of the internal work of the
school;
b.
understand what SBA tasks are to be done and how they are to be done;
c.
be aware of the criteria being used in assessment; and
d.assess assignments competently.’’
Ends quote
Surely teachers who prepare children for SBA’s must have read the above when they accepted the responsibilities assigned to them. There is no mention of extra payment for performing duties.
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@
THANKS FOR TELLING US ABOUT THE Role of the Teacher in SBA AS Copied from url:-
Click to access SBA_Handbook_for_Teachers4Feb13.pdf
Role of the Teacher in SBA
ARE YOU THEN SAYING THAT ACCORDING TO YOUR ARGUMENT THAT THE CXC IS THE EMPLOYER OF THE TEACHERS?
PLEASE KINDLY CLARIFY
I JUST ASKING
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@ Georgie Porgie March 29, 2015 at 9:25 PM
GP, you are not going to get an answer to that one.
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Mr Brathwaite
Teachers are NOT withholding the SBAs. They are contemplating NOT MARKING the SBAs. All SBAs not marked are to be delivered via Principals to the local Registrar (which is the Ministry of Education) for transfer to CXC. It will be CXC’s call as to what is to be done with the SBAs. The students cannot force anyone to mark their SBAs they can only complete them as instructed. Will CXC with the Ministry of Education’s “blessing” be then heartless (again) and “fail” students who have no control over events?
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Dacosta Brathwaite March 29, 2015 at 8:54 PM #
i dont know much……….but has CXC considered
1 the numbers of students involved per subject in each school?
2 the complexity of each SBA
3 the diversity of each SBA with respect to structure sequence and substance
4 the time it takes to supervise and grad each SBA
5 the fact that there is no standardization in many aspects of this SBA thing?
SIR HAVE YOU TAKEN THE TEXT OUT OF CONTEXT IN YOUR QUEST TO MAK IT A PRETEXT.
ENLIGHTEN ME SIR FROM THE CXC MANUAL
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Also is Mr Brathwaite aware that teachers of specific subjects (e.g French and Spanish) are PRESENTLY paid to mark the SBA component? Their participation is not a mandatory requirement of their employment. Can it therefore be said that precedents have been set? Two precedents in fact may have been established. The first is that payment for SBA assessment does occur and secondly that SBA assessment and reporting (as distinct from the guidance and instruction of students in preparation of the SBA) is at the discretion of teachers.
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At the end of his article today in the Nation @ http://www.nationnews.com/nationnews/news/65449/jeff-broomes-pillars-educator
As he clearly continues his war with Mary Redman, Jeff Bromes subtly asserts “There was a time when tests were given, papers corrected and marks entered. Assessment done! Those days are long gone. Contemporary education is about operational performance. It is no longer about knowing and telling; it’s more focused on understanding and putting to use.
Assessment, although now authentic, continues to be the duty of all teachers. In the sports and cultural areas some students leave the school compound for viewing, interviewing and performing. In most others, assessments are done at school during school time and have earned the name school-based assessments.
These authentic assessments form part of our duties for which we are compensated. How can we see it otherwise? Oh Shylock, take your pound of flesh but let not a drop of blood escape.”
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Dear Douglas or Dear DLP (same thing right?)
In this issue Mary Redman and the teacher’s unions are right. Let the CXC do the honorable thing. Massa day dun dead. Neither CXC nor the various Ministries of Education shold expect teachers to do free work.
As Donville the great said with regards to NOT taking a pay cut “I have bills to pay too”
Teachers have bills to pay too.
Pay the people thiei money do.
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“future leaders” eh?
Many fools have become leaders.
What about the producers that any country needs to not be beggars and borrowers living off the labours of the countries that translate education into production?
I have commented about Singapore here on a number of occasions only to be told that Singaporeans would one day catch on to the idea that they are exploited and one friend mentioned Singapore’s lack of “freedom”, I suppose freedom to become useless is the mark of wisdom in some eyes.
Yet Singapore, a tiny island a little larger than Barbados, which is not the other side of the world from China is the one place immigrants from China and Europe seek as a haven for progress.
As has been said on the plaque in honour of their late prime minister Mr. Lee, (from memory) a debt owed that cannot be repaid but forever honoured.
Singapore recognises and is thankful to Mr. Lee for taking that small island from a poor third world country dependent on selling Japanese cameras and watches to tourists and on the cash spent and work provided by British bases to where it is the beacon for the progress made in its transition to a first world country to be envied rather than a small island dependent on China. Through good leadership that provided a world class education and a productive workforce, Singapore didn’t transition from a British colony to a Chinese colony.
Too many chiefs and not enough indians is in no way an engine for progress.
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Every one knows that CXC is not the teachers employer but the teachers accepted the responsibility to prepare students according to the CXC guidelines. I wonder if Mary Redman and company heard what the Head of the PTA had to say after the town hall meeting. His parting words were to the effect that some of the same teachers whom the BSTU and BUT are advising not to mark the SBA’s, have children preparing for the upcoming CSEC and CAPE Examinations and would do nothing to jeopardize their charges’ future. Can’t you see that what Mary Redman and company are doing, is an exercise in futility? Can’t you see that the children of the majority of Barbadians, like yourself will suffer? The majority of the ones like Mary Redman attend Private Secondary Schools and their teachers will be correcting their SBA’s? Can’t you see that the children of the other 15 Caribbean countries which participate in the CXC Exams will have their SBA’s marked?
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The truth about testing our children, why its being done and who’s behind it. This is the hole truth and nothing but the truth so help me God. http://abcsofdumbdown.blogspot.com/
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@ Sid Boyce March 30, 2015 at 5:50 AM
“Through good leadership that provided a world class education and a productive workforce, Singapore didn’t transition from a British colony to a Chinese colony.”
Any attempt to favourably compare Barbados with Singapore is both a no-brainer and a non-starter. Barbados has become a regressively developing country falling from No. 20 in 1994 to No. 59 in 2014. Singapore at No. 9 has achieved first world status.
Barbados is a land now managed by a bunch of mis-educated misfits and duplicitous talkers with too many callous irresponsible undisciplined people who don’t gave two hoots about the environment and see littering as badge of honour.
Do you really feel the leaders of a country that cannot even remove rubbish off the streets that pose a serious threat to public health can ever even think about doing or getting the people to do what Singaporeans have done moving their country from a tropical backwater to an economic powerhouse in less than 60 years?
Barbados was the tropical jewel in the Crown when intelligent honest hardworking people were in charge.
Where is it now other than behaving like a real banana republic slipping and sliding to a hellhole of political corruption and social decay?
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@ Dacosta Brathwaite March 30, 2015 at 8:27 AM #
Every one knows that CXC is not the teachers employer
SO THEN CXC CANT DICTATE ANYTHING TO THE TEACHERS
YOUR QUOTING OF CXC HANDBOOK AS THOUGH IT IS THE WRIT FOR FAITH AND PRACTICE MEANS NOTHING
but the teachers accepted the responsibility to prepare students according to the CXC guidelines.
HOW DO YOU KNOW THIS?DO YOU HAVE THIS IN WRITING?
I wonder if Mary Redman and company heard what the Head of the PTA had to say after the town hall meeting.
DOES the Head of the PTA EMPLOY OR REPRESENT THE TEACHERS?
His parting words were to the effect that some of the same teachers whom the BSTU and BUT are advising not to mark the SBA’s, have children preparing for the upcoming CSEC and CAPE Examinations and would do nothing to jeopardize their charges’ future.
WHAT DO YOU EXPECT THEM TO DO?
Can’t you see that what Mary Redman and company are doing, is an exercise in futility?
Can’t you see that THE TEACHERS MIGHT JUST HAVE A POINT?
Can’t you see that the children of the majority of Barbadians, like yourself will suffer?
WHY SHOULD THEY? CXC CAN PAY THE TEACHERS AND AVERT THE PROBLEMS
The majority of the ones like Mary Redman attend Private Secondary Schools and their teachers will be correcting their SBA’s?
MAYBE THEY ARE GETTING PAID
Can’t you see that the children of the other 15 Caribbean countries which participate in the CXC Exams will have their SBA’s marked?
THAT IS NOT THE ISSUE HERE SIR? IS IT?
I JUST ASKING SIR JUST ASKING
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@GP
The bottomline is these two important stakeholders should have recognized the need to agree on the management of the SBAs before reaching this point. Does it show a lack of leadership? Yes it does.
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David
Unfortunately you are 100% correct
How could EVERYTHING go down hill SO QUICKLY.
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The BSTU may well have a point.
However, an INTELLIGENT approach to making that point would NOT involve hurting innocent children, but would focus ob bringing REALISTIC pressure to CXC.
shiite man…. is that not BASIC common sense?
…so if a thief break in your house and steal your TV do you just rush outside and beat the first people you see….especially if they happen to be school children?
Being right dont give you just cause to do shiite…
If CXC and the MoE have not responsed to the teacher’s concerns then a FAR MORE PRACTICAL tactic would have been to instruct ALL teachers to grade ALL the SBA at 98% and hand them in with a note saying something like “Grading effort based on the remuneration received”…..
This would throw the ball back into the CXC court and both MoE and CXC would get the message REAL fast… WITHOUT hurting innocent children.
steupsss…
Oh wisdom….whence hast thou fled…?
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@Bush Tea
Are you saying the action of the BSTU is analogous to the Bravo led walkout by the West Indies cricket team in India recently?
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Bushie
Your proposal makes the most sense so far. However, I do not understand the analogy about the thief breaking into your house. You know full well that if a thief breaks into your house and you go after him that the police would come along and shoot you and your son in the back.
Sent from my iPad
>
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DOES ANYONE HAVE ANYTHING TO DO ABOUT THIS ARTICLE FROM BARBADOS TODAY?
http://www.barbadostoday.bb/2015/03/26/mr-speaker-hell-no-from-mr-toppin/
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@GP
What is one to say except “The law [MP] is an ass”.
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YES DAVID HE IS
THERE IS NOTHING LIKE A GOOD PIECE OF PROSE OR POETRY
dID YOU HEAR THE ONE WHEN TEACHER ASK LITTLE JOHNNY TO ILLUSTRATE THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN PROSE AND POETRY?
TEACHER TOLD THE BOYS
MARY HAD A LITTLE LAMB ITS FLEECE WAS WHITE AS SNOW AND EVERYWHERE ETC SHE SAYS BOYS THATS POETRY
THEN SHE SAID JACK AND JILL ASCENDED THE HILL TO ENGAGE IN ACQUATIC CAPTIVATION PERSUITS
SO LITTLE JOHNNY SAYS
SUSAN HAD A BIG FAT PIG THAT OFTEN USED TO GRUNT
ONE DAY IT JUMPED IN SUSAN’S LAP…………………WHAT YOU WANT FIRST TEACHER ? PROSE OR POETRY?
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WHAT YOU WANT FIRST DAVID ? PROSE OR POETRY?
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TWO INTERESTING OPINIONS FROM ELSEWHERE
Many things that we do are not a part of our job description. The problem with the adult, Bajan public is that a lot of the things teachers do, that we do not have to do, you take for granted and assume that we are to do as teachers.
With every passing generation, because of the break down of traditional, core family values and social morals, more and more responsibility is piled on to our backs, while adults and children alike treat us with less and less respect, with the latter becoming more and more uncaring about their education and more and more badly raised. Then when we speak out against all the injustices piled against us by adults who should know better and by a society that is steadily declining, we are called “bad teachers”, we are told we “want firing”, we are condemned and insulted and made to feel guilty about standing up for our rights. What is wrong with standing up for our rights? Just because so many of you Bajans choose to sit and do nothing but grumble underneath your breath, while you are being “unfaired” by the powers that be, does not mean that teachers have to.
MANY of you adults do not do anything at work that is not a part of your job description, who refuse point blank to do anything that is “above your pay grade.” Yet, when we teachers take the same stance as you, we are labelled as being uncaring. HYPOCRITES!
Are we to sit down and let people walk all over us for the sake of YOUR children? Is that what being a teacher entails? Is teacher synonymous to “slave”? To “peon”? To “jackass?” To “second class citizen?” To “fool”??
This matter can be easily solved. Either:
1. Pay the teachers! Why? Because, those primary school teachers, who wish to, are allowed time out of school (with pay) to correct Common Entrance Papers. Furthermore, they are given a stipend to do so. S then, why can’t C.X. extend the same courtesy to the secondary school teachers, as it relates to the correction of S.B.As? Fair is fair.
OR
2. Pay other teachers, who do not teach at secondary school (believe it or not they are several who fit this criteria who already work for C.X.C) to correct the SBAs.
2
This has nothing to do with teachers’ greed. In fact it is their goodwill which has been abused far too long.
CXC (now CSEC) is an externally administered procedure. It is not devised by the schools. The teachers do not define the parameters of the SBAs;CXC does.
What CXC has done is that they have cajoled the soft-hearted teachers into doing CXCs job. The problem is now that CXC SBAs are not just a fifth year assignment for a few subjects. These SBAs now start in first form and cover more subject areas. Frankly it impedes on the teacher’s ability to be effective because it now cuts into their regular instruction time (their core job).
In the same way that CXC pays persons, some of them not even teachers to administer their other written exams, the body needs to acknowledge this flaw and pay the professionals (teachers) who they require to mark the SBAs. The fact is that the SBAs must be graded. Otherwise it appears that it is the Government of Barbados (and the other territories) who is paying to grade the SBAs out of the teachers’ salaries.
BTW I know the term professional linked to teacher irks alot of you bad-minded Bajans. I have worked on both sides of the fence and alot of parents won’t want to hear it but it is you who are failing your children in a big way. School is a haven for many and many teachers are standing as surrogate. Willingly so I might add because yes, most teachers after seeing the lack of care and direction that alot of these children have want nothing more than for them to rise out of their situation.
To the teachers, keep caring. To the parents, start caring more than the teachers. To those of you with no children and just a bad memory of one teacher, grow up. toodles.
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@ac March 29, 2015 at 9:11 AM #
Wait………I cannot believe that I would see the day that an ac could write a coherent unbiased post. Wow! But congrats anyhow!
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@ Prodigal Son March 30, 2015 at 6:15 PM
The credibility of the ac consortium has been blown out of the water especially in their ‘sterling’ defence of the CLICO fraud and the Speaker Carrington affair.
They had to do something to seek to bring back at least a scintilla of integrity to their propaganda machinery.
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@ Miller
You know!
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The Ministry of Education has now indicated that it will institute disciplinary proceedings as per the Public Service Regulations against any teacher who refuses to mark the SBAs or withholds SBA marks. It would appear that the Principals are in support of the Ministry.
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ALL THE TEACHERS NEED TO DO IS FOLLOW BUSHTEA ADVICE
GIVE EVERYONE 98%
NO ONE CAN THEN SAY THAT THEY DIDNT GRADE THE PAPERS
ALTHOUGH IT WOULD BE ABUNDANTLY CLEAR THAT THEY DID NOT
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@Ping Pong
The ministry can threaten what they like, if the union membership holds what will they do? If the BUT joins forces with the BSTU what happens?
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David
The membership does not seem to be holding together. There is division between appointed teachers and un-appointed teachers, between unionised and non unionised and even between teachers from different schools. The BUT is an unreliable partner as it represents mainly primary school teachers and teachers from “newer” secondary schools where the SBA load is not as acute as at the older secondary schools. It would also appear that it may be only Barbados that is pursuing this matter. The Trinidad teachers union for example has not presented this SBA matter to its membership. It will be ironic that the one time the union has some support from the public it loses.
It is note worthy that coincidentally while the Ministry of Education is prepared to play “hardball”, Senator V dePeiza is reported to have upbraided health care workers for protesting conditions at the QEH and other public health matters. It is clear that the Government is not going to entertain any protest or dissenting view not matter how valid.
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@Ping Pong
Thanks for your feedback. Mary Redman and her BSTU executive committee has demonstrated it is not intimidated by the ministry if we judge from past disputes. Would be interesting to hear from Patrick Frost.
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Is it possible that a clumsy intransigent attitude by the Government may be leading to a “tipping point”?
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Tuesday, March 31, 2015
ALERT: The PARENT AWAKENING
+ Opt Out America Form
AN ALERT BY ANITA B. HOGE
View the Opt Out American Form HERE
We are fighting together to keep our country free and protect our children from outside predators. Our Pennsylvania group released a Press Release on November 21, 2014, that explained to the country that the U.S. Department of Education through the National Center of Education Statistics and its clone, the IES, Institute for Educational Sciences, are collecting and harvesting our children’s personally identifiable information, including raw psychological profiles, without our knowledge and without our consent. Our children are in imminent danger and risk when this personally identifiable information is released to outside predators. It must be stopped. [Read: “Pennsylvania Citizens Call for Moratorium on Data Collection” and “The Story Behind the Pennsylvania Press Release and Open Letter.”]
Recent coverage of Pearson testing contractor monitoring individual students taking the PARCC test has heightened this realization that our children’s personally identifiable information is not only being shared and monitored, but this data is used to make millions of dollars for corporate America. They get the data for free, but PENNSYLVANIA already contracted with multiple contractors including Pearson to develop and implement spy technology.
The most unconscionable action taken against our children was the Obama Executive Order 12866, that gutted FERPA, Family Education Rights and Privacy Act, allowing our children’s personally identifiable information to flow to outside contractors. Obama referred to this tsunami of data to vendors, businesses, foundations, higher ed, and corporations as “unlocking” the data. President Obama has stripped our children of their privacy and undressed their psyches for ANYONE to track and traffick attitudes, values, beliefs, and dispositions for research and reeducation programs. DNA sequences are also up for grabs. [Read: “HIPAA & FERPA”]
But the Obama Executive Order did more yet. The unlocking of this data sharing contributed to the creation of a state longitudinal data system in every state that the NCES/IES funded “and created a “unique National ID” number that is tracking every person in the United States. Pennsylvania was a model state that developed this privacy invading “womb to workplace” system monitoring individuals from birth through retirement including collecting data on wages. The federal government is collecting this personally identifiable information on its citizens. But worse, the interventions to align our children’s attitudes, values, beliefs, and dispositions to Common Core, SCANS interpersonal skills are totalitarian.
President Obama’s Executive Order 12866 is a revolving open door for child abuse and child endangerment. Parents, call Congress again and again to overrule Obama’s EO 12866 and stop the abuse of our children. Congress, listen, we parents are speaking. This data tracking, trafficking, and psychological treatment (RTI) must stop. By the way, “no one is exempt from arbitrary rule” – including your own children.
First, we parents must OPT OUR CHILDREN OUT OF ALL STATE AND FEDERAL TESTING. We parents will not allow the state and local district to track this personally identifiable information including psychological profiles on our children to be trafficked to outside vendors.
We parents do not have to look at the tests. We do not have to sign a disclosure statement. This is where the child abuse begins. In fact, we parents CANNOT OPT A CHILD INTO THIS CHILD ENDANGERMENT. Pennsylvania has NCES, National Center for Education Statistics, contracts that reveal that they are disclosing the data. This is illegal. No one can force us to endanger our children. Data tracking and trafficking of personally identifiable information is illegal.
This is The Parent Awakening! We will protect our children! (Below is a list of violations to support our position and was given to the Pennsylvania House Education Committee Hearings on February 12, 2015.)
Second, we parents must stop the state longitudinal data collection that starts on the local level. We must Opt Out of directory information. We will remove our child’s unique ID number from all of his/her papers. We will not allow the school to use the unique ID for anything relating to our children.
Third, we parents demand that schools cease to use computers that monitor all movements, data clicks, and surveillance of our children in software programs. We demand paper and pencil. The traditional way is the only way right now to protect our children.
Fourth, we parents must call and call our representatives and ask them to join The Parent Awakening.
Note to our children: We love you so very much. We shall protect you. xoxo, Mom and Dad
Note to Other States on Documentation:
Link your state contract that collects your child’s uniques National ID number here and add to your own letter: “The Greatest Christmas Present to America 2014” also published here: http://www.newswithviews.com/Hoge/anita112.htm
This alert was originally published with the name “The Parent Spring.” It is now re-published on this blog, with the permission of Anita Hoge, under the new title “ALERT: The Parent Awakening.”
For related blog posts, see:
What is Title I Portability?
This is Title I Portability
Wrong, Wrong, Wrong on H.R. 5
For a complete listing of Anita Hoge’s alerts on this blog, see the post “It Wasn’t US!” and scroll to the bottom.
Posted by Charlotte Iserbyt at 10:25 AM
http://abcsofdumbdown.blogspot.com/2015/03/alert-parent-awakening.html
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@ping pong
A greater force is needed for that tipping point.
@David
The strength of Mary and her executive is not reflected in the strength of the SBA teachers.
As usual her “prosecution” of the case has glaring holes in it. Let us not forget Alexandra and the eventual “no-win” outcome.
The teachers may have a case, but the arguments are unsound, the timing is ridiculous and the demand (money) way short of the real demand they should really be arguing for. They should also note that their “lone wolf” action now places the entire Caribbean as well as Barbadian students in a tad bit of a pickle.
Just observing.
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@David March 31, 2015 at 7:15 PM #
@Ping Pong
Thanks for your feedback. Mary Redman and her BSTU executive committee has demonstrated it is not intimidated by the ministry if we judge from past disputes. Would be interesting to hear from Patrick Frost.
You don’t have to hear from Patrick Frost the woman he mentors Mary Redman is his echo chamber. It boosts our confidence to see Jeff Broomes and Vere Parris have the fortitude to repel the disruptive nonsense pushed by Redman no doubt Frost is in lock step with her. He may be caught up with Bynoe in the baffling cause of stopping vote buying but if the temperature rises on the SBA debacle expect to see him at Redman’s side. Broomes who resumes his fierce battle with Redman is on solid ground and Parris knows what he is about. The major casualties of the stance of Redman and her cohorts are the children of Barbados. Lord come for your world.
Congrats to Ronald Jones on his announcement to give full scholarships to outstanding athletes. This is an overdue move and should go a long way to realizing to the fullest extent some of the special talents in Barbados’ sports. He must to go further and do the same for other disciplines like volleyball, football, swimming, tennis and cycling. The recipients must be bonded to pursue their chosen discipline as their core work and not wander off into the wilderness as they currently do in scholarships arranged by Jerston, Jack Bovell, Castangne and the rest. They may be well intentioned but the final output has been zilch adding little if any to Barbados sports prowess.
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Good analysis Observing.
…but you are being diplomatic…
Miss Redman is too small minded, arrogant and petty. Even with an arguable case, she has managed to push herself and her union into a position where they come across as the terrorists.
steupsss….
Only an idiot (like Peter Wickham – who apparently is one of her students (surprise surprise)) would see no problem in jeopardising the future of large number of children in pursuit of a few dollars….while all other caribbean (and private school) children succeed.
The very first question Redman should answer is …where the hell was the union when this process FIRST STARTED…?
shiite man…. that was the time to notice that this was work outside of their mandate, and to negotiate payment…..
…so for 8 years you set the precedent and then suddenly you are setting deadlines for drastic changes…..
Remember Alexandra “Broomes MUST be fired…. this MUST happen….”
lotta shiite… huffing and puffing and fuming…
Wuh if Bushie was the minister of eddy kashun he probably would not meet with her either…
Time for this red woman to go away and for BSTU to find a rational and effective leader….who can actually get things done.
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@ observing
Let us forget Redman and the BSTU for a moment, is there a leadership role for the MOE? Why not meet with the union and through dialogue defuse the issue? Why ignore and build on the distrust.
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@Togetherness
“The major casualties of the stance of Redman and her cohorts are the children of Barbados. ”
Correct. Hopefully the majority of teachers would see past the money argument and do what is ethically and professionally right.
@David
is there a leadership role for the MOE?
Indeed. But, the MOE can only be a mediator in this case rather than the leader.
CXC is regional. They simply “administer” assessment tools on behalf of governments. Any decision this which affects CXC would affect the entire Caribbean. Now, if the BSTU was asking the MOE for stipends, allowances or other concessions in light of the “burden” that would be another issue. As I said, the BSTU as usual has barked up the wrong tree with a limp,hoarse Jack Russell rather than a Rottweiler.
@Bushie
we agree (but shhhhhh, don’t tell nuhbody).
I”m often amazed at how “simple” issues are transmogrified (i now look up dat word ta impress wunna) into the messes that they become.
Without breaking it down too much, the question the public and BU should ask is this…
“What is the REAL prize that Miss Redman is aiming for?”
I assure you, it is not compensation for SBA teachers.
Just observing
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Folks we have to take all into account.’ To whom much is given much is expected.’ The teaching profession is the only one where the professionals are granted lengthy vacations three times per year with pay. more over we must not forget the issue of a term leave after some period of service; a relic of our colonial past when most teachers were expatriates and were allowed such time to return home for a while. Are these modern day mercenaries of the teaching service due this leave. I wish to tell the government send them to school in some of that vacation to correct the school based assessment. Where will cxc get the money to pay them on top of their extravagant salaries? All countries in the region are struggling financially. The teachers are a bunch of greedy, haughty and self serving brutes who care about no one but themselves. Suppose all key areas such as Immigration, Customs , Police, Fire and prisons become so strident. Think on it teachers. You area lawless selfish bunch. You are close to the edge of out doing yourself and attracting public hatred and scorn.
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@ observing
The question for the MOE, have you responded to the BSTU to advise your position on the matter? If yes did you advise CXC about the concern and what was the response?
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@David
From what I’ve been whispered, the MOE’s position has been on every school’s noticeboard since last week via a memo and just in case it was missed, last night’s press release is pretty clear cut.
According to Miss Redman, CXC would have been approached by the CUT on the matter previously, and various heads of ministries of education in the Caribbean would have been represented in some discussion on it with CXC.
Erego, the issue is an ongoing regional one that NOW has to be ventilated and discussed at that level before any real collective decision is reached and changes in policies and procedures enacted at the territorial level.
Given the above, you can decide if the BSTU is “right” in its action (note action, not demand).
Again, search for real motive and it will all make sense. Mary Mary is never quite contrary by accident.
Observing
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David
You are making the salient point in this matter.Why does not the Ministry make known its input if any,in the dispute.
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RE “What is the REAL prize that Miss Redman is aiming for?”
I assure you, it is not compensation for SBA teachers.
DOES SHE NEED A MAN? LOL
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@Observing
If this matter has been ‘festering’ since 2006, how long is too long if it may be wrong?
Because it is being discussed at a regional level does it obviate assumed of the BSTU?
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According to Mary Redman,The MOE is failing to keep its promise to meet/respond to the BSTU’s concerns.The MOE is repeatedly ignoring the BSTU.Irrespective of the outcome,the civilized thing to do is to meet and hear the BSTU.That is how folk in a civilized society behave.Its a shame that the likes of Karen Best and Ronald Jones appear not to respect the same teachers upon whose backs they climbed to reach where they are.Meet with the teachers and follow protocol.As in the Alexandra issue,the MOE is unable to step up to the plate and sort this one out with equity and fairness to all concerned,if not to all to the majority.
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@Gabriel
How is the MOE to “sort this one out”
@David
Alexandra festered for years as well. Feels like deja vu.
Let me say that this issue can balloon to precedent setting, regional industrial relations, examining body-ministry-teacher/employee relations and of course…money.
Any decision eventually made here will significantly impact students, teachers, schools, ministries, legislation, policies, CXC, certifications and even some economies and education systems for years to come. It’s easy to dumb it down to “pay me for marking” but it really always much bigger.
The Union(s) have a right to agitate for compensation, whether they get it in the end or not is another matter…but…this action by BSTU is simply wrong.
Miss Redman understands what she is doing quite well. In poker terms she has seen the first decent hand in a while and has gone “all in.”
Is anyone willing to research to see if CUT’s position represents all of CUT or is it really BSTU’s position being adopted by CUT?
Is anyone wondering why other territories have not jumped in immediately on this supposed “unified and unanimous” position?
Does anyone care to guess who the chief proponent of the issue at the level of CUT is???
Uh mean, cuddear. We can really do and be better than this. But then again, trade unions have not recently given us any reason to believe so recently
@GP
Not sure if a man is the ultimate goal. lol. I’ll have to ask her if I ever get close to her.
Observing
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Ronald Jones has laid down the law. Any teacher caught in close encounters with students, will be dismissed from the service. Zero Tolerance ,he warned.
Mr Minister where is the Zero Tolerance with the almost weekly announcement that some school girl , usually “full chested and tattooed ” ones have gone missing. Mr Minister where is the Zero tolerance towards individuals who encourage these young girls to go AWOL.
Mr Minister, will your Zero Tolerance, when these young girls go missing, include calling out the Police, the Defence Force, the Red Cross, Crime Stoppers, Drones, Ropers and the Animal control unit,doggie hunters?
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We may disagree with Redman and the BSTU as we would any judgement call. The MOE is responsible for managing education in Barbados and should have as an accountability of maintaining good IR with stakeholders. Why has the MOE ignored this matter since 2006? Let us start the conversation at this point.
On another note, the DLP yardies had a lot to say about Broomes when he criticized teachers at a speech day at AX, yesterday the minister tossed serious criticism at teachers at a Lodge School speech day.
JAs
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@David
“Why has the MOE ignored this matter since 2006? Let us start the conversation at this point.”
Because they ignore EVERYTHING that’s uncomfortable. lol.
The unions in B’dos need to regrow balls and agitate with purpose and sense. Things may actually get a little better for the masses then.
Observing
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@Observing
Say what you like the BSTU appears to have the support of the Caribbean Union of Teachers (CUT).
On a related note the NUPW total voter turnout 1289 voted yesterday? Really? What is the total NUPW membership? What a farce!
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David
with regards to your comment to Observing i.e “Say what you like the BSTU appears to have the support of the Caribbean Union of Teachers (CUT).”
don’t you think that the BSTU should have gotten the support of Bajan teachers first and that the “support of the CUT” should mean more than the tepid support of a handful of people on the CUT executive?
One long steups…
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@Ping Pong
An ideal position but the leverage to force the issue will be the regional support BSTU is able to garner which in turn will bring the membership along. Bear in mind our unions are highly fractious and susceptible to political mamaguying.
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@ David
Wunna Davids like this Devil’s advocate role nuh? 🙂
Ping Pong is right.
In fact, BSTU should not even be driving such an issue. It should be the teachers THROUGH BSTU if indeed they feel aggrieved enough to do so. Having operated this way for 8 years, how is it suddenly urgent…?
One gets the feeling that Ms Redman is still pissed that Jones failed to fire Broomes….or to let him retire early….
Somehow she kept bringing up the Ax matter during a call on brasstacks ….
LOL
Until Broomes retires, it seems that the teacher’s unions will have critical issues that require drastic action rather than negotiations.
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…but there is NO regional support as yet!!
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@Ping Ping
The BSTU by courting the CUT has exposed the inability or ignorance to represent teachers in the matter. From where we sit the MOE is not blameless in the matter.
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