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Ministry of Mis-Education

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Submitted by Observing

The saying goes, fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice shame on me. It appears that the Barbados Ministry of Education is intent on fooling us over and over again. 

  • Lack of a report on CXC results for the country
  • Zero idea of how we will help the 40% that failed Common Entrance
  • Lack of any update on Education Reform (oops, sorry, Transformation)
  • Yet another bungling of appointments and transfer of Principals to start another school year
  • Zero report on Scholarships and Exhibitions nearly 4 weeks after results are released
  • Zero evaluation of the National Nutritional Policy and other policies
  • Piss poor teacher and senior teacher evaluation system, yet we want good teaching and leadership
  • Piss poor internet at most schools yet we want technology integration
  • An archaic Ministry structure that is unresponsive to current needs
  • Only God knows how many people “acting” in key positions
  • Ongoing construction at a number of schools now starting despite having the ENTIRE summer
  • Update on those schools which were plagued last year by environmental issues
  • Lack of clarity on the beginning of the school year or term 
  • Scheduling of an unnecessary week long workshop during planning week, thus robbing staff of the time to properly discuss and get ready for the first day
  • Continued placing of square pegs in round holes and round pegs in triangle holes

The radio was lit up with concerns, complaints and questions over the past few days. A video making the rounds highlights some of what was mentioned here. 

And what have we heard from the Minister, or the Permanent Secretary, or the Chief Education Officer, or the Communication Consultant, or the Stakeholder Engagement Specialist??? Nothing.

Over the years there have been white papers, green papers, strategy papers, commission papers and even in some cases documents resembling or worth as much as toilet paper. 

What results have we gotten from any of them??? Little to none. 

How are we tackling the critical issues affecting our children and their education in 2024? We aren’t.

How is the communication improving? It isn’t.

This is the same Ministry that gave us the famous IADB survey. And which swept the Springer School fiasco under the carpet. There are many more such examples but then again, we like um so. 

I guess the Minister is the Prime Minister’s friend so case closed. 

God help us.

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86 responses to “Ministry of Mis-Education”

  1. Donna Avatar
    Donna

    David,

    You know I can’t stand igrunt conversation.

  2. David Avatar
    David

    https://www.instagram.com/p/C_1K6P-J0KS/?igsh=MTQxamRkZW84MHR1cQ==

  3. Hants Avatar
    Hants

    over qualified ?

    https://www.uwitorontogala.org/honorees/ms-kay-mcconney

  4. Hants Avatar
    Hants

    Her next job should be High Commissioner to Canada.

  5. Bush Tea Avatar
    Bush Tea

    From that CV…
    Her CURRENT job should have been somewhere in Canada…

  6. Hants Avatar
    Hants

    @ Bush Tea,

    There is no place as sweet as Barbados if you can afford to live there.

  7. William Skinner Avatar
    William Skinner

    ‘NOT DONE’
    PRINCIPALS CHIDE MINISTRY’S ‘NON-RESPONSE’ TO ENVIRONMENTAL, SECURITY ISSUES
    By Sheria Brathwaite
    The Association of Public Primary School Principals (APPSP) has chastised the Ministry of Education for its failure to adequately address ongoing environmental and security problems at schools.
    In a sharp rebuke, the group’s president, Olwin Walker, accused the ministry of disregarding reports from principals and only acting when issues were publicly raised by the Barbados Union of Teachers (BUT).
    Her comments come as the BUT and the Barbados Association of Principals of Public Secondary Schools (BAPPSS) expressed hope that the new school year would not be marred by environmental disruptions while urging the ministry to improve its response time to environmental and security concerns.
    Walker told Barbados TODAY that despite consistent reports sent by principals regarding environmental concerns, the ministry has been slow to respond. She insisted that the claims of ministry officials being unaware of these problems were misleading and unfairly portrayed school leaders as neglecting their duties.
    “Principals are expected to record environmental issues. Every single principal in this country has to complete something called a Form J; it is an official document. You have to put in what the challenges of the school are.
    Year after year, it is the same thing,” Walker said, referencing recent media attention on environmental issues at Ann Hill School, St John’s Primary, and other schools.
    “All of those issues were reported before. Every single school that has some kind of environmental issue, it is already recorded. [The ministry] only responds when the Barbados Union of Teachers (BUT) takes action, when BUT publicises the issues and is constantly in the media, and that is when they act, which is very unfortunate.”
    Walker expressed frustration at the ministry’s lack of action, highlighting that school principals have been diligent in reporting critical problems, including sewage leaks, mould, and unsafe building conditions, which have gone unaddressed for too long.
    “You [the ministry] show disrespect and disregard for the word of the principal who is the leader of the school, who has alerted you and said, ‘We have toilet problems, we have a horrible smell, we have rodents, we have mould, we have rotted partitions, we have windows that are not opening’ and [we get] no response,” Walker added, reiterating that any claims that the ministry was unaware of these problems were untrue.
    She urged the Ministry of Education to trust the reports of principals and to act more swiftly when issues are brought to their attention, rather than waiting for public outcry.
    “Principals need a level of respect, their word must be taken. When they send in reports, believe the reports. Don’t wait until the BUT takes action to then respond,” Walker said, noting that delays in response often exacerbate the issues.
    Last year, environmental problems led to disruptions at several schools, including Ann Hill School, Luther Thorne Memorial Primary, The Lodge School, Gordon Walters Primary, St Bartholomew’s Primary, and Grantley Prescod Primary. St John’s Primary was forced to close permanently, with staff and students relocated to Mount Tabor Primary after serious health concerns, while Lester Vaughan School saw multiple instances of staff falling ill due to severe sewerage leaks.
    In addition to environmental issues, Walker raised concerns about the ministry’s inadequate approach to school security. She recounted multiple security breaches at St Margaret’s Primary School, where unauthorised individuals entered the premises, one even blocking the principal’s door.
    Similar incidents were reported at St Matthew’s, St Stephen’s, and West Terrace primary schools which still faced intrusions despite the presence of a security guard.
    “This is a big issue,” Walker said. “We had a school where security was breached three times and nothing has been done at St Margaret’s Primary. A man walked off the street, straight through the gate and blocked the principal at the door. Another man with a gun ran tourists from in the area and the tourists found shelter at the school, and the third incident was with a parent.
    “There was a breach at… West Terrace Primary School, even though that school has a security guard. People are walking onto the premises accosting teachers. This shows you security has to be properly looked at.”
    The APPSP leader questioned whether one security guard is enough to protect schools, especially those with a roll of 600, and called for more robust measures to prevent future incidents.
    “We cannot wait until drastic things happen at a school. They cannot wait until a child is injured or a teacher or a principal,” Walker warned, adding that many schools are inadequately protected, with broken fencing and insufficient security personnel. sheriabrathwaite@barbadostoday.bb

    It’s ok to talk about “citizen” involvement but this is the kind of ignorance that we give a pass, depending on our political preferences. This nonsense has nothing to do with Finland , Sweden or any where else.
    We have these elected gods that refuse to even reply to citizens’ correspondence. Treating citizens professional organisations with no respect but we come here , doing inferior public relations. We seem to think that the citizens cannot see through the blatant hypocrisy.

  8. Bush Tea Avatar
    Bush Tea

    Many years age in a blog on BU, Bushie gave the KEY solution to the education mess in Barbados.
    It was (and still is) to close down the Ministry of Education – with the exception of the telephone receptionist, whose new job would be to direct calls to the respective Principals.

    This inbuilt (brainwashed) idea of a heretical structure with some political joker at the top bossing everyone around ended DECADES ago.
    It no longer works.

    Principals should be given performance mandates to be reached, and results objectives to be met.
    They should then be REQUIRED to provide full transparency to the PTA and all school results should then be available for parents and students to choose their preferred schools. Everything else should then be based on the RESULTS achieved by the school.

    Things like discipline, salaries etc should be managed uniformly by the Public Service agency responsible.

    Education is FUNDAMENTALLY FLAWED in many ways, (especially in Brassbados) But the KEY flaw is this idea of universal top-down control, and the associated complete lack of competition and publication of results.

  9. Your daily dose of reality Avatar
    Your daily dose of reality

    It is amusing to see new names being developed to describe some contributors. I am tempted to give a short discourse on poetic license, but I think the point will be lost on some.

    What Barbados needs are flame throwers. To come here daily and discuss problems (1 through 20) separately will not solve a single problem as the are all interconnected. Our strategy of putting a problem on the front burner and discussing it to death, solves nothing , but even so we then move to the next problem.

    I don’t know how this helps but some have adopted a strategy of pointing at a similar problem in different parts of the globe. Indeed, misery loves company.

    Here are some thoughts that are really a call for us to look in the mirror and see who we are.
    Our small size and lack of resources should be a deciding factor in our initiatives. To hear us talk of wildfires and founding fathers and is a stark reminder that we continue to copy everything from the US even when it does not apply to us. I saw a video of a weatherman pretending to be in hurricane force winds though no winds was blowing; you know as well as I do that this was not necessary as the island is often buffeted by hurricanes, but these mimic men are impatient in the rush to copy their US counterparts.

    We see drugs and guns making it to our shores and instead of focusing on securing our ports, one politician was advocating for establishing a next airport. I guess the logic is that “having two gaping holes for the entry of drugs and guns is better than one.

    It is somewhat amusing that in a place where justice is delayed forever, an administration is quick to bring punitive legislation to the table. It is as if their intention is to turn the island into a prison camp with hotels on the shore.

    These administrations are creative in finding new frontiers for corruption and exploitation. We see the steal houses and HOPEless houses as a new avenue. There will be much discussion but very little will happen. We see that the creation of hotels continue to be on the table and expect that major diversion of funds will happen here as well. It is inevitable that a jail expansion will become a part of the administrations’ building plans.

    The education fiasco continues to manifest itself year after year with fancy and long speeches but nothing being done. Mottley’s mistake making mismanagement mis-administrators continue in place. Chopping a few heads would bring that place under control, but we lack the courage to do so.

    I grow tired of this litany but let me just mention BWA and QEH … but think for yourself of the numerous items that I did not mention.

    Clearly to engage these problems one at a time is not the solution. The policy of KISS or attempting to address a single item before moving to another will not work. I am aware that we cannot tackle these 20 or more items in one go. I am also aware that those in leadership position must look at the tangle knot of problems and wring their hands. We must find an approach to tackle these major problems. I hate to say this, the Mottley administration may be wrong on the economic/justice/education/health/… front, but punitive policies may be the only way out.

    The number and severity of the problems has forced me to abandon hope.
    —–x——-

    Have a great day all.

  10. Bush Tea Avatar
    Bush Tea

    That daily dose of reality cannot be refuted.

  11. David Avatar
    David

    A question for Mary Rodman, this has been happening under your watch for many years? Why should the public pay heed to your public mouthiness on the matter now?

    BSTU hoping last time for last-minute transfers
    written by Emmanuel Joseph Updated by Barbados Today 13/09/2024 2 min read
    https://barbadostoday.bb/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Mary-Anne-RedmanBSTU.jpg
    President of the Barbados Secondary Teachers’ Union, Mary Redman. (FP)

    The Barbados Secondary Teachers’ Union (BSTU) has expressed hope that the government will no longer notify school principals of their transfers at the last minute, following an apology from the Ministry of Education for mishandling the process this year.

    BSTU president Mary Redman responded on Thursday to the ministry’s admission that it had made “missteps” by failing to provide adequate notice to principals before the start of the new school year. Redman said the union had long been concerned about the timing and manner of these transfers.

    At a press conference on Wednesday, senior ministry officials acknowledged complaints from both principals and teachers’ unions and promised that steps would be taken to ensure better communication in the future.

    While Redman acknowledged that the demands of the teaching service might occasionally necessitate transfers and last-minute decisions, she argued that the frequent occurrence of these situations was unacceptable.

    “The manner and the timing often result in disaffection, dissatisfaction, and even distress to the persons involved, and it really is not the best IR [industrial relations] practice. There is really standard acceptable protocol in relation to how transfers should be done in the service,” Redman told Barbados TODAY.

    But she also agreed with the ministry that the establishment of a Teaching Commission, as proposed by Prime Minister Mia Mottley, could provide a better framework for addressing such issues.

    The BSTU president also raised concerns about the ongoing problem of preparing school facilities in time for the start of the new school year, suggesting that delays in the tendering process and contractor performance might be contributing factors.

    “That, also, is an ongoing issue, and I don’t know if that is related to the tendering process in terms of choosing the contractor and then the contractors being able to fulfil the requirements of the job,” she said. “But really again, consistently, we are having a problem with the readiness of schools.”

    Minister of Education Kay McConney on Wednesday also announced a significant shift in how repairs to the island’s schools would be managed, moving from a summer-only programme to a year-round system. The change, she said, is intended to address the growing infrastructural needs of schools while reducing disruptions during the academic year. Under the new system, repairs will be carried out throughout the school year, with work being done on weekends and after school hours to avoid disrupting lessons.

    McConney assured the public that all schools would be ready for the upcoming term, which begins next Monday. (EJ)

    Source: BT

  12. TLSN Avatar
    TLSN

    @ David,
    The women are now running Barbados and everything has literally gone tits up!!!

    I am no fan of President Ruto, however he appears to have pulled of a blinder. Check the link below:

    https://www.kbc.co.ke/kenya-and-germany-sign-landmark-migration-and-mobility-partnership-agreement/

    Who can remember when the big mouth Finance Minister, aka our Prime Minister, announced that she wanted an influx of 80,000 foreigners to Barbados and a diminution of black African locals, whom she implored to take the punt and look to greener foreign pastures.

    The neo-liberal Ruto who’s cast from the same rock as Mia miraculously pulled of a deal with the Germans to open up their country to Kenyans.

    My question to Mia is the following: you are anxious for your own black people to get the hell out of Barbados. You do not value them and certainly have no ambition to offer them any hope. Perhaps your loyalties are aligned with outside interests whom would love Barbados to be governed with a laisser-faire attitude where neo-liberalism becomes deeply entrenched and unchecked. We all know the play book that she is wedded to.

    We have heard enough of the long talk. It’s time for her to get off her ample backside like Ruto and negotiate similar deals where she finds decent countries like Germany who are prepared to accept migrants to their countries.

    Let’s face it, this government has been a disaster for its own people. Apart from Donna and her son, and a few others, there is very little reason why African Bajans should remain on a dead end island that offers them little in prosperity or a positive future.

  13. Redguard Avatar
    Redguard

    Why would the ministry take such a great talent like former Combermere and Alleyne principal Julia Beckles and make her a bureaucrat?
    With her track record we see someone who holds herself accountable, her results show this and now she has to report to three unaccountable officials.
    Ms Beckles take up your bat and ball and go home, that ministry will be the death of you

  14. Hants Avatar
    Hants

    Hollywood!!!!!

    acting Deputy Chief Education Officer

  15. David Avatar
    David

    That is an excellent question Redguard. From all reports she has been a good principal at first Alleyne and then Combermere school. It is a reminder that in the US and UK for example the best media practitioners are positioned at the microphone and TV camera. In Barbados we tend to do it in reverse to reward good performance.

  16. Empress Wuraola Oya. Avatar
    Empress Wuraola Oya.

    Slave bible
    Slave religion
    Slave schools
    Slave politics

    No Afrikan language
    No Afrikan education
    No Afrikan culture = NO FREEDOM

    And does not exactly engender progress, development, forward movement, higher level THINKING, and disconnected from things spiritual is the final nail in the coffin.

    Emancipate yourself from mental slavery, none but yourselves can free your minds – Marcus Garvey said it, Bob Marley sang it.

  17. Hants Avatar
    Hants

    Possibly maybe the next Chief Education Officer or Minister of Education.

    buh doan mine me. I just filling space on BU with meaningless bull spit. lol

  18. David Avatar
    David

    @Hants

    It was shared here very early that Ramona. Archer and Kay McConney lacked the skillset to managed a large education ministry.

  19. Hants Avatar
    Hants

    @ David,

    I hope the aforementioned ladies are promoted.

    Kay McConney should be the next High Commissioner in Ottawa.

  20. Redguard Avatar
    Redguard

    Hants is probably right.
    Mrs Adamson (who was tipped to be CEO before they went with Ramona, one wonders why) has been doing the heavy lifting behind the scenes. She can be found at many official events staying close to Ramona. I think she may be close to retirement. So this may be succession planning.
    Ms Beckles is media gold for a beleaguered ministry. Remember Mia is all about the optics and Ms. Beckles shines bright.

  21. Cuhdear Bajan Avatar
    Cuhdear Bajan

    Late in publishing the CAPE results.
    Late in notifying teachers about their transfers.
    Late in opening schools-my grandchildren are still at home.
    Late, late, late.
    I think that more than a few officials deserve a good cut ass for being late.
    There used to be a principal who used to stand by the gate with a strap for late the comers.
    We need somebody to stand at the Ministry’s gate for the big men and big women who persist in being late. Somebodies deserve a few lashes.

  22. Cuhdear Bajan Avatar
    Cuhdear Bajan

    Ah!!! for the good old days, 1957-1971, when without technology schools always opened on time.

    My rural elementary school had no electricity.

    My rural elementary school had no telephone.

    My rural elementary had drinking fountains inside, but the water toilets were outside. so even though we were only 4 to 9 we had to learn the discipline of holding it when it rained, so we learned not to piss beside the streets.

    But yet produced produced doctors, lawyers, judges, engineers, countless teachers and nurses and bus and truck drivers, and cane cutters, and farmers and excellent mothers and fathers and even an MP or 2, Lol!!!

  23. Hants Avatar
    Hants

    tings tite…..

    https://nationnews.com/2024/09/13/parents-feeling-pinch/

  24. Bush Tea Avatar
    Bush Tea

    “Why would the ministry take such a great talent like former Combermere and Alleyne principal Julia Beckles and make her a bureaucrat?”
    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    Standard practice RG.
    Beckles was doing much TOO well as a principal.

    When insecure, incompetent leaders are confronted with clear talent- that may challenge them, the very best defence is to bring these talents under close personal control, where they then either become part of the incompetent team … or they are tagged as ‘disloyal rebels’.

    Luckily, in Brassbados, the ‘disloyal rebels’ are further ‘penalized’ by promotion to obscurity (Like Adamson), as a permanent secretary, or some to other poppet position.

    What a place.
    Condemned to be the mediocrity center of the world.

  25. Sargeant Avatar
    Sargeant

    Remember when the law had to be amended to allow McConney and Adams to serve in the Senate? I was in favour of the amendment for the simple reason that talented Bajans shouldn’t be prevented from serving their country because of some obscure law regarding length of residence in the island. It’s been a while since Adams has been mentioned as making any meaningful contribution to the country and McConney has been an absolute failure.

    In addition to this most recent issue, there was the “survey” and the disaster of the Springer Memorial “emergency” test. In most countries McConney would be fired/demoted or reassigned to another department but in Barbados it is BAU or not “bout hay”.

  26. David Avatar
    David

    @Sargeant

    It brings to mind to whom much is given much is expected.

  27. David Avatar
    David

    Last government closed Alma Parris, this government to reopen Alma Parris.

    Alma Parris school to reopen in January

    https://nationnews.com/2024/09/12/alma-parris-school-to-reopen-in-january/

  28. David Avatar
    David

    To be fair to the Minister cutting grass has to be the responsibility of a project officer down the line, what is happening?

    https://www.facebook.com/Soca.Superman/videos/8198906863539085/

  29. Bush Tea Avatar
    Bush Tea

    “…In most countries McConney would be fired/demoted or reassigned to another department…”
    ~~~~~~~~~~
    By whom Sarge?

    How does a manager go about firing / demoting a report who is practically a mirror image of themselves – both in physical characteristics and job performance?

    What do you say?

    -Springer Memorial – FAIL (but never mind the Radical vaccines)
    -IDB survey- FAIL (but forget about the NIS, BOSS, Clear Water mess)
    -Principals – FAIL – (but HOPE is not the current topic)
    -11 Plus – FAIL (but the STEAL houses issue is not for discussion now)
    etc etc

    Far easier to promote their donkey, so that you have company in spreading the many complaints of incompetence.

  30. Cuhdear Bajan Avatar
    Cuhdear Bajan

    @David September 13, 2024 at 2:51 pm “To be fair to the Minister cutting grass has to be the responsibility of a project officer down the line, what is happening?”

    What is happening?

    David just in case you live on the moon.

    Heavy rain is happening, every day at 13°05′52″N; 59°37′06″W

    Grass loves rain.

    Right now my own yard looks so bad I would be ashamed to let anybody know that I live there.

  31. Hants Avatar
    Hants

    Extra week vacation for students.

    https://barbadostoday.bb/2024/09/15/opening-of-christ-church-foundation-school-delayed-by-1-week/

  32. David Avatar
    David

    https://www.instagram.com/reel/C_-4IO7xb2U/?igsh=MXNjYXlkMXcybmpvag==

  33. David Avatar
    David

    Was it the blogmaster or did Minister Davidson whose constituency Eden Lodge Primary school is located throw the ministry of education under the bus.

    Further when chief education officer was questioned about it she threw a ministry official (was is a Mr. Miller) under the bus as well for giving her the thumbs up early this morning Eden Lodge was ready for intake today.

    #comedy

  34. David Avatar
    David

    https://www.instagram.com/reel/DAq7hemtrSg/?igsh=MXNuODFmM3d3cXBmZA==

  35. Hants Avatar
    Hants

    The stink.

    https://barbadostoday.bb/2025/05/09/classes-at-multiple-schools-disrupted-because-of-odours/

  36. Hants Avatar
    Hants

    Political rass meeting.

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