Submitted by Observing
This week “select” statistics from the BSSEE exam were released. As expected private schools seem to have dominated the top scores. This phenomena has become the norm, leaving room for heated debate on the effectiveness and productivity of our public schools vs. private ones. Also ripe for debate is the fact that Common Entrance still exists and will continue again next year despite bold political proclamations that “it has to go” and “transformation must occur.”
At a tour of schools recently we learned that Dr. Denny, former head of the Education Reform Unit (which clearly achieved all of its goals and ushered in a glorious age of reform) has been appointed head of a new Innovation Unit while another official has been appointed head of Change Management. What they were reported to have said amounted to a lot of hot air that doesn’t tell parents and grandparents how are we going to help the 46% and 22% that fail Mathematics and English every year, with nothing put in place for them when they move to secondary school. Or, the approximately 200 that leave secondary school EVERY year with no certificates, no direction and no guidance.
Backward lesson for the day: If the first attempt didn’t work, keep doing it and add similar attempts on top of it while talking about how much progress is being made “out of sight”
It has been said in other spaces that the thoughts, ideas and sometimes shallow thinking that caused Edutech to fail, currently exists in abundance in Constitution Road.
It has also been said that despite the potential of Barbados and its masses that political agendas and prioritising PR and optics over common sense and “what’s right” continue unabated.
Despite all the technology in the world and the repeated TED style press conferences, we still can’t gather, analyse and use data in a way that brings real results to the problems we face and tangible solutions to those who need them most.
Education is a symptom of a wider issue in our public service. Frustrated workers, sick buildings, low morale along with a deep distrust of authority and trade unions are the order of the day. Add to that poor and/or blatantly political management choices along with policies rooted mainly in pie in the sky ideas rather than reality. Now top it off with a celebration and promotion of mediocrity coupled with a rampant lack of accountability especially among Ministers. My oh my what a perilous slope we sit on.
A slope upon which sits a generally middle class paid by the public purse that is struggling to keep up with cost of living and inflation while being told to have more children and be more productive. Good luck with that.
I could be wrong, but it seems that Barrow’s army of occupation may have found themselves in a field of malaise, apathy and growing despondency.
Common Entrance never was the problem. But it sure does shine a light on many many others.
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