Est.2007

Barbados Underground

Bringing News and Opinions to the People

Banner promoting anonymous crime reporting with a phone and contact number 1 800 TIPS (8477), featuring the Crime Stoppers logo and a QR code for submitting tips.

Ministry of Mis-Education

Kay Mcconney and Ramona Archer

← Back

Your message to the BLOGMASTER was sent

CONTACT THE BLOGMASTER ONLY

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.

Discover more from Barbados Underground

Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.

86 responses to “Ministry of Mis-Education”

  1. David Avatar
    David

    Scholarships not state secrets

    by RALPH JEMMOTT ON MONDAY, September 9, your newspaper published an article entitled Bajans Owed A Timely Report On CXC Results. The piece was written by Paula-Anne Moore, who is the spokesperson and coordinator of the Group of Concerned Parents of Barbados and the Caribbean Coalition for Exam Redress.

    I do not know nor have I ever met Ms Moore. Her article was a proper and appropriate response to an issue which has concerned Barbadians for weeks following the publication of the CSEC (Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate) and CAPE (Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination) results.

    Your footnote to the article states that Moore’s submission was made last Thursday which would be September 5, 2024. It concludes that, “the Ministry of Education in a note to the media confirmed that this year’s Scholarship and Exhibition winners have been officially informed”. That, of course, did not address Ms Moore or the public’s concerns as to why the results were not published in the Press as has been the practice from as far back as I can remember.

    Taxpayers’ right

    Moore’s point was that surely it was the taxpayers’ right to know the result of the exams since it is taxpayers’ monies that underwrite the cost of education in this country.

    With all the concerns about the performance of our education system and promises of plans for educational transformation, one would have thought that the people would have been fully informed about this year’s performance.

    In addition, the Government recently set up a task force on literacy and it would be in the public’s interest to know what problems it might have to surmount.

    The failure or reluctance to publish the names of the Scholarship and Exhibition winners constitutes a sharp departure from past practice where within a day or two of the results being available, the Press would carry the names and often the photos of the winners.

    Why the change?

    It often made for interesting reading to know the grades, what primary and secondary schools they attended, what courses they wanted to pursue at what university and what they hoped to become, among other things. That has apparently now changed and, if so, the question is why.

    One would hope that things have not, in fact, changed. Several seemingly valid reasons have been advanced for the delay in information reaching the taxpaying public. One was that either the Minister of Education or the Chief Education Officer or both were off island. One was that the results had not yet gone to Cabinet. Yet another was that there were issues concerning eligibility for Scholarships and Exhibitions.

    The overwhelming interest was always how the top older secondary schools had performed. This was invariably a consideration in determining what school students who took the 11-Plus were inclined to choose.

    This year, it stated that “as a matter of policy” the top ten performers in the Common Entrance would not be announced by the Education Ministry. This was not new. A former Minister of Education in a Democratic Labour Party administration had earlier refused to announce the top ten candidates in the Common Entrance. I can’t recall if any official reason was ever given.

    It’s been two weeks

    One hopes that the present silence is not a matter of official policy. It has been just over two weeks since the CXC made its initial declaration of the 2024 results which, as Ms More points out, other regional countries were quick to release.

    One would hope that this occurrence does not represent a new style of governance from a Government that once promised transparency and accountability.

    If real transformative change is to happen in Barbados, then the taxpaying public must be taken into confidence. We must know what is being transformed and why and with realistic chances of success that go beyond political gimmickry and show.

    We must know, for example, how well the primary system does across the spectrum of abilities. We must know precisely how many students leave school with adequate academic certification and technical/vocational skill and how many go on to a meaningful tertiary education and training. We must also know how many of our children, for one reason or another, may be educationally sub-normal and what can be done to help them.

    To do this, it is vital that the relevant data is readily released. These are not state or Government secrets. Nothing is to be hidden in the shadows by people seeking to stir up apathy in their own narrow political interests in the face of an increasingly apathetic, cowed and cowardly populace.

    Ralph Jemmott is a retired educator and social commentator. This article was submitted as a Letter to the Editor.

    The failure or reluctance to publish the names of the

    Scholarship and Exhibition winners constitutes a sharp departure from past practice where within a day or two of the results being available, the Press would carry the names and often the photos of the winners.

    Source: Nation

  2. Emoress Wuraola Oya Avatar
    Emoress Wuraola Oya

    I am really confused, a rarity for me. Why would anyone want to keep the most brutal and destructive of systems OFFICIALLY designed under an umbrella body of NO HUMAN RIGHTS to destroy Black Afrikan lives for the last 89 years and GLADLY carried out by politicial minions who never felt empathy or the need to tell people WHO LOOK JUST LIKE THEM…they have NO human rights…who STILL eagerly practice crimes against black humanity.

    Right now everything has degraded to an unrecoverable level, here and across the Caribbean divide, but strange minds still want to keep the vehicle of their DEMISE and that of their children in the foreseeable future trapped, when the masters of their minds want to remove it.

    Same thing happened during and after shackle slavery, the weakest minds,l did not want slavery to end because in their comfort zone they knew not what to do.

    But in 2024, with all the information, tools and weapons available to us to end the tyranny and terror, we have no such excuse, so who in their right minds would want to go down with Slaveship Scambados, Shambados and take all their generations with them..make that make sense.

    Over 1 million of our ancient Black Afrikan ancestors are buried at the bottom of the Atlantic ftom Afrika to the Americas, and they SAY NO. No one can fight them

  3. Cuhdear Bajan Avatar
    Cuhdear Bajan

    Maybe there were no scholarship winners this year and the Ministry is embarrassed to say so, because it would make them look bad? And opposition forces would have a field day beating up the government?

  4. Bush Tea Avatar
    Bush Tea

    I guess the Minister is the Prime Minister’s friend so case closed.
    God help us.
    ~~~~~~~~~~~~
    Is Eddykashun not yet another ministry under the PM’s portfolio?

    Perhaps the Minister is just doing as she is told…. and therefore secure in her position.

    What a place!!

  5. Empress Wuraola Oya Avatar
    Empress Wuraola Oya

    Bushman…this has gotten so serious that there is no way Black Konscious minds can still succumb to this level of barabarism, terrorism and tyrannical wickedness wielded by management in black face attached to strings of puppetry, as accepted for the last 100 years.

    If weee don’t end it, minions, souls sold, they are owned, can’t and it never will end it once they are allowed access to the PEOPLE’S MONEY.

    We are the ones have to answer to our current and future generations who will judge us very harshly for leaving them such an evil legacy.

  6. David Avatar
    David

    It was reported that the parents of scholarship winners were invited to the ministry to interviews.

  7. NorthernObserver Avatar
    NorthernObserver

    Barbadians seem not to appreciate this constant delay, and/or failure to report, is now a pandemic.
    Its contagion has spread through most public bodies.
    Imagine it was +/- 18 years ago, the NIS failed to provide an Annual Report. It was a one off thing, blamed upon a change in accounting methodology between cost and accrual methods.
    Barbadians have never seen another NIS Report, though some are “ready” according to the PM in August 2023. Then it spread. The TB and QEH would soon also fail to Report, in some cases no reason was given.
    Circa 2014, an entity CBL, incorporated in 2011 to guarantee $124M in loans to restart 4 Seasons, we were told, every loan had been defaulted. To date, the public has never had a single Annual Report from CBL, though required by law.
    The collateral property, Paradise lands and improvements, had reportedly been sold. Again not a single report, other than the PMs former advisor Avi Persaud, saying the matter was somewhere in the Courts.
    Are we surprised in the current delays?
    The AudGen report is now beyond the latest date it has ever been issued. Results from education tests are now a secret, they are protecting the privacy of all students. The required by law, 6 month report from the NISSS is still awaited.
    And this continues because there are no consequences to the non reporting entities.
    We like it so.

  8. David Avatar
    David

    @NO

    Allow the blogmaster to add that the enactment of the 2018 Financial Management and Audit (FMA) Act and what it was touted i.e. “improve the management, transparency, and accountability of public finances” to do has been a failure and the majority of CITIZENS seem blissfully unaware there government feels to obligation to deliver.

  9. Tron Avatar
    Tron

    The Honourable Minister still enjoys my support.

    Those who don’t like state schools should send their children to Providence.

    Tron

  10. The OG Avatar
    The OG

    This Ministry of Education is really a test tube for “Let us see what we can get away with and have no blowback”.

    In a land in which there is accountability, the list of items given above would have caused big heads to roll. But as i have often mentioned, we have the machinery, we have the processes but nothing works.

    It’s a fool paradise. We go through the motions, we write volumes and look in our thesaurus for new words to make the same statements but in the end nothing is done.

    plus ça change, plus c’est la même chose Sadly, for us, nothing ever changes.

    I’ll hire a French writer to make myself sounds good
    (The OG – 2024) Nous nous attendons à des changements, mais nous faisons les mêmes choses encore et encore – la folie
    We expect changes but we do the same things over and over – madness

    Have a great day Barbados. Have a great day all.

  11. Empress Wuraola Oya Avatar
    Empress Wuraola Oya

    Knowing what i have since confirmed, i will be embarrassed to be seen with, talk about in any positive light or talk to political puppets who SOLD their souls and are now useless even to themselves, mind you they have always been totally of NO VALUE to the island or its Afrikan people. And since recently finding out what selling your soul portends, never knew before, they are definitely a CURSE in Afrikan lives.

    I always knew something was foul about Barbados’ criminal setup, though subtle and unseen to others, it was clear there was NO HUMAN RIGHTS in place for Black people.

    An Afrikan King recently spoke about the minds of the people in Zimbabwe which bears a similar cast to those in Barbados. He said the only conversation they can hold is about useless corrupt political parties, V, U and G, their conversation level is at its lowest because they adopted the corrupt minds of politicians and that’s the only conversation they know with limited intellect and have no solutions to get out of that trap. An embarrassment to their ancestors, he begged them to raise their thought processes so they can see and talk about other things, a world of much to discuss alluding them.

    One of the few Afrikan countries in that sorry state. They are fed up of the nobody political puppets with no soul, and working on having them gone…a call to action.

  12. William Skinner Avatar
    William Skinner

    We warned that without a progressive transformation of our education system, we would remain in transition forever and this goes for the entire region. It’s alright to shout about globalization and seek to promote undemocratic despots as the new hope of the world; positions that don’t take into account , the daily pitfalls of our own piece of global estate.
    Many of the super powers now being promoted with such energy, ensured that their people were continuously educated educated and prepared for the transformation, that they wanted. We are still stuck with basic issues , such as the inability to even keep school grounds clean and our children are way behind , when it comes to technology in the classrooms.
    We can continue to fool ourselves that we can progress with an archaic education system. Even this morning, the Nation Newspaper , still genuflecting to those who can speak Latin and defending the same elitist system of those who believe their ability to read a lot of Eurocentric, out dated nonsense makes them a cut above the rest.
    Mis-education up to university level is still alive in the region.
    Are we a pack of “educated” idiots ?

  13. Empress Wuraola Oya Avatar
    Empress Wuraola Oya

    Just to give some backstory on how the selling your soul conversation came about. After i assumed the title, an ancient Afrikan bloodline title thousands of years old and stolen just as many times, a title that has nothing to do with the west since the designation of King and Queen now belong to the LGBTQ people, so that’s a bust for Black people trying to assume those, as pretenders found out.

    A Journalist asked me if I knew what selling your soul means, so being just as IGNORANT as other people in the physical world of many things, i gave an unknowlegable nonsense answer and qualified it by saying, if that’s not it, then i truly don’t know. I noticed the journalist did not answer so i concluded that my ignorance was real…

    Then weeks later, it was made clear to me what it means and it’s not pretty, no one could get me to lower my spiritual guard to that extent. So i contacted the journalist again with what i found out and was told, stupid people do it to get greatness, you know, prance around the world stage pretending. I answered, well am already from a bloodline of ancient ancestral greatness so need none in the physical world to embarrass myself.

    These things are very real as I found out.

  14. 555dubstreet Avatar
    555dubstreet

    Our children are our link to our future.

    Taxes go to a lot of programs and services.
    Focus. Proritise.

    Barbados’ biggest asset is the children.
    Same with Africa.

  15. Redguard Avatar
    Redguard

    Glad Ms Moore has directed her attention where it shoud have always been focused. Hooting and hollering about CXC marks was pointless.
    Examiniations are for identifying and setting standards of excellence. In response to our education system being unable to produce enough students that meet the standard, CXC worried about its existence and relevance has been proposing “dumbed down” certificates to appease the inept MOE’s across the region.
    If MOEs want every student to get a certificate, develop your own certificate based on attendance, participation, minimum standards and whatever else they can come up with the ensure more students get some paper when they leave school.
    But do not dilute CXC’s product, it makes us look like a joke internationally
    Unfortunately CXC is run by a bunch of go along to get along types who couldn’t hack it anywhere else and see CXC as their retirement plan.

  16. de Pedantic Dribbler Avatar
    de Pedantic Dribbler

    David, and what is current status re scholarship winners?

    The piece from Mr. Jemmont is alarming (and to the referenced piece from Moore).

    Why now with this lack of transparency on a very simple (we always assumed) aspect of life in Bim.

    But, based on the fervent tone of various bloggers now, one can surmise that some will rejoice and like it so … because they saw the previous publication as CLASSISIM.

    Can we all recall a meme of several years ago which alleged of some schools doing away with grades in order to assuage the emotional distress caused by those who got a D or an F!

    Clearly the thinking accords to Coubertin’s Olympic creed that the important thing is not winning but taking part!

    That’s as pretty as a beautiful Bajan sunset but also displays nothing about life’s realities.

    Those who have youthful lack of focus or the modern day ‘I could care less’ attitude can compete how they wish but there is no value in dismissing the talent and hard work of those who have an early ‘on-set’ ambition to WIN… success in life demands that winning mentality!!

    The Ministry needs to get its act together and focus on how to make MORE winners from the alleged 40% failing at CE… they cannot focus on soothing egos of those parents and children who fall/fail there!

    The Minister NEEDS to get them on that podium towards success.

    And BTW my pet peeve has always been: Whatever happens/happened to those scholarship/exhibition winners over the years.

    Surely, a small nation like ours can suffice hearing about the GOOD John’s and happily matching up to them … or is it that we are too pissed and angry to want to hear AGAIN as Jemmont benignly noted about their “primary and secondary schools” and what Uni they attended and their great successes of life.

    Are we that class (and color) pissed!

    We need to get a grip of life and accept our spot in the universe amidst those lesser and better that us!

  17. Roslyn Avatar
    Roslyn

    Here’s another secret move. Know of purchased tenantry lot where BRA stopped sending land tax bills to buyer/owner. BRA now records owner of lot for entire estate as seller which explains why bills are not being received by purchased owners. BRA remains silent on correcting the matter. Until this is resolved, legitimate owners cannot sell their plots/properties.

  18. Observing Avatar
    Observing

    https://www.youtube.com/live/e6o1t9NqO-c

    A hastily called conference with very little information except “we will inform you later”, “we are working on it” and “we will pilot things to see how they work”.

    Seems like the noise the public was making has pushed persons to respond.

    Just observing

  19. NorthernObserver Avatar
    NorthernObserver

    Much of what is transpiring is the private sector’s fault. In 2016, they had the opportunity to withhold taxes and NIS contributions into an escrow fund to force compliance. “We kan do dat” the island is bankrupt as it is. In 2018, they again refused, the new administration would be different, give them time. In 2021, they again echoed “We kan do dat”, this time it was due to the pandemic. Enter 2024, and most doubts about ‘being different’ had been erased. Yes, they could get three readings of a proposed Bill in 1 day, and have it sent to the Senate, looking for an equally speedy approval. Yes, they could travel. Yes they talked far more than Froon’s crew. Yes they could create and pass record pieces of legislation.
    But as far as accountability, they were just as bad as the “lost decade actors’.
    The private sector have the opportunity again to force compliance. Place funds in escrow and release them ONLY when the accountability Reports are released, as per the Law.
    They will not report unless forced to do so.
    We Can Do This, and we should.

  20. Empress Wuraola Oya Avatar
    Empress Wuraola Oya

    Brace yourselves. Don’t know if Pacha heard about this, but judging from comments, people who did are up in arms. First time am hearing about it, so have no further information, except a long document to read and am not up to it.

    We kept warning those who love the corrupt colonial system, act like they are experts in it, and absolutely adore even more corrupt and dirtier owned, human rights violating Judas politicians, and refused to listen…too bad…you have not developed defenses, too focused on being the best “conservative” slave mind.

    “One World Government rule; Here’s what you can do
    By Rhoda Wilson on September 11, 2024 • ( 8 Comments )

    Print Friendly, PDF & Email
    Through pacts the United Nations is hoping will be adopted in less than two weeks at the ‘Summit of the Future’, the UN is establishing a One World Government through the monopoly of national sovereignty.

    However, there is no lawful authorisation for delegates to vote on the ‘Pact for the Future’, ‘Declaration for Future Generations’, ‘Global Digital Compact’ and António Guterres’ ‘Our Common Agenda’.

    Serve this notice and declaration on the United Nations, your government representative to the United Nations and your government. Demand that your voice is heard before the exclusive Summit of The Future takes place from 20 to 23 September 2024.”

  21. Hants Avatar
    Hants

    https://nationnews.com/2024/09/11/slowly-but-surely/

  22. Empress Wuraola Oya Avatar
    Empress Wuraola Oya

    Those who know how to actually use their brain for ACTION can also DEMAND that Black Afrikan people be moved FULLY under the umbrella of UN Human Rights so there are no more human rights abuses and CRIMES AGAINST HUMANITY perpetrated against them by title hungry, money hungry, show off traitor politicians.

  23. David Avatar
    David

    @Dee Word

    Aren’t scholarship winners bonded?

    See the YouTube link posted by Observing.

  24. Hants Avatar
    Hants

    mudda englant….

    https://barbadostoday.bb/2024/09/11/etas-needed-to-enter-uk-from-next-year/

  25. David Avatar
    David

    Sorry

    Education ministry regrets late transfer notices to principals

    by TRE GREAVES tregreaves@nationnews.com

    THOSE WHO CONTRIBUTED to principals receiving late notice about their school transfers will be held accountable.

    Ministry of Education officials gave that assurance yesterday while admitting that this year’s communication on the transfers for some secondary and primary school principals was a “disaster”.

    During the press conference at the ministry’s media resource department, Elsie Payne Complex, St Michael, Minister of Education Kay McConney, Chief Education Officer Dr Ramona Archer-Bradshaw and Permanent Secretary Wendy Odle all touched on the issue.

    “I would want to apologise to our principals who received late notice because that is not our intention. Our intention is to ensure persons know well in advance where they will be assigned for the new school year.

    “We want persons to be able to prepare themselves emotionally and mentally if they are going into new environments. We’d want it for ourselves and we’d want it for our principals as well. We take this matter very seriously.

    Internal issues

    “There were some internal issues that I do not wish to speak to at this point; there were internal issues that led to the missteps and the ministry will hold persons accountable for the inactions that led to this disaster. I call it a disaster because I know that persons are very uncomfortable,” Odle said.

    Recently, president of the Association of Public Primary School Principals, OlwinWalker, expressed concerns about the cattlelike treatment of them. Walker has confirmed that they met with the Chief Education Officer who apologised.

    The issue of last-minute reassigning has been a concern for the principals, and last year several principals were shifted hours before the start of the school year.

    Yesterday, Odle said the Ministry of Public Service was part of the process and they were working on improvements.

    Missteps

    “We do acknowledge that we have had a lot of missteps along the way but we continue to work together to have a framework. We have agreed to a framework; it is still new but we continue to look at that framework. We will continue to see how we need to improve that framework to ensure that both ministries are able to work together to ensure this process is done in the most efficient manner,” Odle said.

    McConney, in response to a question, said changes in appointments were common in the public sector but more efficiency was necessary.

    “Our public servants work for the Government. Even ministers, permanent secretaries, and deputy permanent secretaries can be moved at any point . . . and there is no entitlement of anyone to stay in any one place.

    “So while the deployment must be made in a far better, a professional fashion, understand the movement is part of the process of running a national system of education.”

    McConney added: “In fairness to all, whether it is with our teachers or our public service generally, we have to come up with a better way of doing assignments, appointments and transfers in a manner that will be

    Continued on Page 4.

    zoom-in
    McConney: Ministries need to do better

    reasonable for those who are impacted.”

    Conceding that the ministries needed to do better, McConney said there were still plans to establish a Teaching Services Commission which minimise issues.

    “Significant progress is being made towards setting up a teaching commission that would then allow all the matters related to the education sector; recruitment, discipline and promotions to be handled by its own commission rather than being a part of the general picture which slows down the process.

    In the press briefing Archer-Bradshaw said they were working to ensure the issue did recur.

    “It is highly unfortunate that what occurred recently in terms of the assignments. We had a meeting with them, this morning to explain to them the challenges we experienced.

    “There were a few internal challenges that contributed to the already existing delay and we will address those matters internally. This Ministry will consistently work to make sure that an occurrence like this does not happen when it comes to things within their control,” Archer-Bradshaw said.

    In response to question about the number of principals reassigned this time round and, despite assurances that the information would be provided because it was too time consuming to list during the media conference, the information was not supplied up to press time.

    Despite the changes, Odle encouraged the principals, staff, and students to embrace the change.

    “I still want to encourage principals, you have the training, know-how and experience. I want you to embrace the opportunity. Change is sometimes difficult, but it is something that must be embraced because there are new opportunities that can arise.

    “There are teams that were already on the ground; senior teachers that were planning for the new school year. Our principals will not be going into new schools having to start from scratch.

    The Michaelmas term is expected to begin on September 16. (TG)

    Source: Nation

  26. David Avatar
    David

    Schools to be ready by next week

    WHILE SOME MINOR work will have to be done at some schools, all will be ready for the start of the Michaelmas term next week.

    In addition, the Ministry of Education is preparing to reopen Alma Parris School by January 2025.

    Those were some of the announcements Minister of Education Kay McConney made yesterday during a press conference at the Ministry’s Elsie Payne Complex, Constitution Road, St Michael.

    “This year there were 26 schools that were a part of the Summer Programme. I was told by [director of Education Technical Management Unit] Francisco Miller that the majority of the schools are either completed or close to completion,” McConney said.

    She added that while supply challenges affected some of the repairs, they would be completed as they carried out a year-long maintenance programme.

    “We are shifting from this approach that we have used for years when we try to stuff all of the repairs into a summer time. We have now developed a year-round programme, where we will do some of the repairs, but there will [also] now be a programme for those repairs to be done on weekends as well as after school hours.”

    Health and safety

    She added: “We have to ensure all of those works after school and weekends will not pose any impediment to teaching and learning, and will not pose any health and safety risk at the school and that the communities. . . will be properly notified in case there is any inconvenience,” McConney said.

    She was supported by Chief Education Officer Dr Ramona Archer-Bradshaw, new Deputy Chief Education Officer Julia Beckles, Permanent Secretary Wendy Odle, Director of the Change Management Unit Dr Paul Murphy, Director at Education Technical Management Unit Francisco Miller and Senior Education Officer Glyne Price.

    During the press conference, several area were discussed such as plans to address literacy issues, a soon-to-belaunched digital book programme as well as plans to accommodate the increasing number of students with special needs.

    One of those plans is the reopening of Alma Parris which was closed in 2017.

    “There are some innovative plans on the table and Cabinet is to sign off on the final plan, but we intend to reopen in January in full. Between now and January we will be in the preparatory phase. I have said to the team, 100 per cent of those students who go to Alma Parris school must have diagnostic testing,” McConney said.

    Archer-Bradshaw said in addition to reopening the school they had been doing more to instruct teachers in mainstream education to work with special needs students and building out capacity at different schools.

    “Capacity is limited, space is limited and we recognise that we have more children who are presenting with different kinds of special needs. Between 2022 and this year we have increased the number of inclusionary spaces in this country to accommodate children with special education. . . at Bayley’s Primary, Eagle Hall Primary. We have introduced an inclusionary unit at Milton Lynch Primary and we have expanded at St Christopher.

    “It is therefore best not only to increase capacity where they can but to ensure teachers in the mainstream schools are equipped to handle those children. We are ensuring that our teachers in mainstream schools receive the opportunity to be adequately equipped to cater to students with special education needs,” Archer-Bradshaw added. (TG)

    Source: Nation

  27. David Avatar
    David

    35 to receive scholarships, exhibitions

    ABOUT 35 STUDENTS are set to receive national scholarships and exhibitions.

    While that number could increase, Minister of Education Kay McConney said education officials would be soon hosting an official presentation.

    “This year we had 15 scholarships and 20 exhibitions and it is possible that number may increase because there are some students, who have asked the Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC) for a review of their results. Based on the outcome of those reviews, we may find ourselves with scholarships and exhibitions,”McConney said.

    She made those comments yesterday during a wide ranging press conference at the Ministry’s Elsie Payne Complex, Constitution Road, St Michael.

    In August CXC revealed how students across the region performed during assessments such as Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) and Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination (CAPE).

    While some students have been posting about receiving the awards, well into the month of September there has been no announcement from ministry officials as to the schools and students who received the prestiguous awards.

    McConney explained: “We had a situation where we had over 119 students who had ungraded papers. We did not want to come to you with one national result and then have to come back a second time to say we need to change it.

    “I have been informed by [Senior Education Officer Glyne] Price and [Registrar Dr Roderick] Rudder that the challenge has been resolved and as a result we are now able to give more fulsome results,”she said.

    She said the errors occurred at the registration point.

    “There was an error in regards to how the registration was done for certain students and there was a coding difference that caused a bit of a challenge. We will continue to have conversations with our partners at CXC and in the schools to see how we can mitigate that occurrence happening again,” she added.

    Despite that challenge, the Minister said there were some improvement in some areas and promised the review would be shared at a later date.

    “Both at CSEC and CAPE level, we have seen some improvements and where there have been decreases in the pass rate, it has been in the vicinity of one per cent . . . so we are pretty much seeing our results hold their own in specific subjects. We will have a more fulsome presentation of those results,” McConney added. ( TG)

    Source: Nation

  28. 555dubstreet Avatar
    555dubstreet

    It’s all about the spirit with a truth and rights selection with the Ministry of Mis-Education.

    White people trace the calls for reparations to George Floyd’s murder back to 2020 .

    But, I think Black People are channeling their pain for every wrong done to them back to 1444.

    Companies had license to trade with Africa and bought and brought African Saves

    Slave Masters News
    Candidates to lead Commonwealth urge reparations for slavery and colonialism

    Three African contenders for role of secretary general call for financial measures or reparative justice

    “The three candidates to be the next secretary general of the Commonwealth have called for reparations for countries that were affected by slavery and colonisation.

    The candidates from the Gambia, Ghana and Lesotho expressed their support for either financial reparations or “reparative justice”, as they made their pitches to lead the 56-country organisation at a debate hosted by the Chatham House thinktank in London on Wednesday.

    Calls for reparations for the harms caused by slavery and colonialism have grown since the murder of George Floyd by police in 2020 sparked Black Lives Matter protests globally and led many governments, institutions and individuals to examine how they had historically benefited from the slave trade.”

    https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/sep/11/candidates-to-lead-commonwealth-urge-reparations-for-slavery-and-colonialism

  29. Donna Avatar
    Donna

    How many times more and how many more apologies will be necessary before this Ministry of Education gets something right?????

    And as for CXC……

    The rot has definitely set in.

  30. 555dubstreet Avatar
    555dubstreet

    Improvements are infinite and deterioration is also infinite
    in the ongoing process of progressively improving
    or deteriorating and becoming progressively worse

  31. David Avatar
    David

    @Donna

    Back to people participation holding elected officials accountable. Why do you think the MOE did the rushed presser yesterday? Someone felt the heat about late announcement of scholarship winners, late analysis of CXC country results etc.

    We can’t have an education ministry that receives a greater national budget allocation, rivaled only by health, managed by lilliputians immersed in a culture of mediocrity.

  32. The OG Avatar
    The OG

    Getting there! Slowly getting there! You will get there.
    One of the problems with being an intelligent person is that even though there may be resistance to admit some obvious truths, you eventually accept them and move on.

    The O’s two laws of economics
    It would not surprise me if some economist/scientist gets a Nobel prize for finding a mathematical relationship for organizational decline. Silly me, would postulate that it would be a model based on the the law of gravity. Law: Some organizations on a descent path and without a new and external corrective source cannot resist the fall to the bottom.

    At some stage, some economist will expand on this theory and state Law: ‘the chance of decline and the rate of decline are directly proportional to the number of failing systems”.

    I do not have that expertise, but I can tell you this… our decline is now irreversible.

  33. Empress Wuraola Oya Avatar
    Empress Wuraola Oya

    I personally don’t believe Ghana should be involved in any reparations talk. They led, along with Nigeria, in the sale of our ancestors and Ghana still today has questions surrounding the alleged enslavement of children in coca fields for western corporations.

    They never had the decency to engage us about who is missing from the continent or ask us who carries the bloodlines of the Akan people or the ancient Wagadu/Ghana Empire spanning the Sahel, bloodlines still in the Caribbean today. We are entitled to our inheritance, those of us thus connected. They should have that conversation and not via caricom politicians, that is INSULTING.

  34. Bush Tea Avatar
    Bush Tea

    We can’t have an education ministry that receives a greater national budget allocation, rivaled only by health, managed by lilliputians immersed in a culture of mediocrity.
    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    But we do!
    …and we have had now for MUCH TOO LONG.
    So who appoints and protects these lilliputians?
    …and why?

  35. GreenMonkey Avatar
    GreenMonkey

    555dubstreet wrote: “Barbados’ biggest asset is the children”

    I agree, but unfortunately in the recent pandemic healthy children, known to be at extremely low risk of death or serious illness from a COVID-19 infection, were made to suffer to protect the hard back grown ups. To be noted, Sweden kept their schools open, and following their health ministry’s established protocols laid down for pandemic handling well before COVID struck, did not impose across the board lockdowns on schools and on society at large. Contrary to the predictions of the lockdown enthusiasts, Sweden came out of the pandemic with a death rate comparable to that of the other European countries who had implemented the economically disruptive, society wide lock downs during the pandemic.

    A report on the impact of school lockdowns from the UK:

    New report confirms the long-term damage to children caused by school closures in response to covid
    By Rhoda Wilson on September 10, 2024 • ( 5 Comments )

    According to a newly published report commissioned by the Association for School and College Leaders (“ASCL”), the impact of the UK government’s measures in response to covid on education will persist for years to come.

    The impact will unfold in a series of waves, with different age groups facing unique challenges.

    Primary schools will struggle with “acute developmental needs” among new starters, born during the pandemic, who will require targeted support throughout their education.

    Secondary schools will face significant reading challenges, particularly among students who missed critical learning periods during lockdowns.

    Students who experienced trauma or anxiety during the pandemic will require additional support to address behavioural issues.

    More:
    https://expose-news.com/2024/09/10/long-term-damage-to-children-caused-by/

  36. William Skinner Avatar
    William Skinner

    We can’t recall a time when so many top level civil servants were dragged into public view to help cover the asses of incompetent, backward ass politicians.
    The MOE is nothing more than a stagnant cesspool. As presently structured , we cannot seriously consider expect any meaningful transformation.
    We guess somebody will find a way to blame the citizens for this bullshit. Apparently, we are to elect people to govern, and then we are supposed to beg for basic information.
    No wonder we are now turning to dictators and anti democratic examples for leadership.
    The cynicism and defeatism are being watered daily.
    All the hypocrisy is being exposed every second. Many pens will dry up and keyboards will catch dust, as the apologists and the sophisticated enablers finally disappear or at least have the common decency to hide under some rock.

  37. The OG Avatar
    The OG

    The above is an example of what is wrong with our country.

    We speak of “progressively improving” and of deterioration when all evidence points to the fact that we are incapable of improving. If we have to use a two-sided coin there is no reason to use two different faces as the the coin will never land on one of the faces.
    Deteriorating/becoming worse should be the sides of our coin.

    I have no 10-point plan, but the first point in my plan is
    1. Trim our vocabulary by banning some words (improvement, punching, weight, innovation, law, trial, justice, education …

  38. David Avatar
    David

    @Williams

    You should stop. Citizens continue with rhetoric partisan political BS for years and you expect those managing the busy who are vested in the mal management to change?

    Why are the PTAs not marching?

    What are the teacher’s unions not agitating?

    No, Barbadians do not get a pass from this blogmaster, we have invested too much educating the masses for that luxury.

    Steuspe

  39. David Avatar
    David

    A more balanced view.

    “Sweden’s approach to COVID-19, often described as a “lighter” response compared to many other countries, has been a subject of debate. There are several reasons why Sweden had lower death numbers than expected during certain periods of the pandemic, although their total death toll was still higher than that of their Scandinavian neighbors. Some factors that contributed to their lower death numbers include:

    1. **Health Infrastructure**: Sweden has a strong healthcare system with a high level of preparedness, including access to ICU beds and medical resources, which helped in managing severe cases effectively.

    2. **Population Density**: Sweden has a relatively low population density compared to many other countries, which may have slowed the spread of the virus in rural areas, although urban centers like Stockholm were more severely affected.

    3. **Cultural and Social Factors**: Sweden’s population is generally more inclined to adhere to public health guidelines voluntarily. Even though they did not impose strict lockdowns, people naturally followed distancing recommendations, reduced travel, and shifted to remote working.

    4. **Voluntary Measures and Public Trust**: Sweden relied on voluntary measures rather than strict government-imposed lockdowns. The Swedish public generally has high trust in government recommendations, which may have led to widespread compliance with health guidelines without the need for enforcement.

    5. **Initial Herd Immunity Strategy**: While controversial, Sweden initially pursued a strategy that leaned toward achieving herd immunity by not imposing the same strict lockdown measures as other countries. This led to a gradual spread of the virus rather than a sudden overwhelming outbreak, which some argue prevented a larger collapse of the healthcare system.

    6. **High-Risk Population Protection**: Sweden focused efforts on protecting vulnerable populations, such as the elderly, though there were criticisms about the effectiveness of these efforts early in the pandemic.

    However, it’s important to note that Sweden experienced higher death rates than some neighboring countries like Norway and Finland, especially in the early months of the pandemic. The debate over whether Sweden’s approach was effective continues, with varying opinions on the long-term consequences.”

    -Internet search

  40. William Skinner Avatar
    William Skinner

    @ David
    What more do you want the BUT to do? Go on a prolonged strike and shut down the schools until all the nonsense stops. We are not surprised that we would now seek to blame: parents( PTAs), unions and ask those who seek to speak the truth to shut up.

  41. Redguard Avatar
    Redguard

    “There were some internal issues that I do not wish to speak to at this point; there were internal issues that led to the missteps and the ministry will hold persons accountable for the inactions that led to this disaster”

    Accountable lies with leaders, those at the top of an organisation. Responsibility can be delegated, Accountability CANNOT be delegated. The Permanent Secretary, Chief Education Officer and the Minister are ACCOUNTABLE for any mistakes or missteps. But they will blame some admin person who was responsible for sending information and call that accountability. You are accountable for who you delegate responsibilties to.

    I was going to say something about women in leadership roles but with these women I don’t have to say a thing.

  42. David Avatar
    David

    @William

    WE do whatever it takes.

  43. Hants Avatar
    Hants

    changes.

    https://nationnews.com/2024/09/12/ministry-of-education-announces-new-principal-assignment-across-schools/

  44. de pedantic Dribbler Avatar
    de pedantic Dribbler

    David, these situations being described at MoE are a modern ROFLOL.

    As alluded to, how does a leader have the gall to say , related to her team’s absurd management practices that : “There were some internal issues that I do not wish to speak to at this point”.

    Why were the issues allowed?

    Why were the changes not delayed until next term or next year, surely?

    How does piss-poor management not engender more ineptitude?

    The mere ridiculous last minute changes speaks loudly of inept management … yet of course the changes are supposedly being made to effect BETTER and DIFFERENT management practices at the various schools.

    How much longer can we exisit in this absurd counter intuitiative world …. where the pinnacle of incompetence and buffoonery is executed by those claiming to be effective, well trained, change managers.

    Everyone is a puppet stringing along clearly stupid actions in order to get the nice pay check and pretty posting …

    And yes @Skinner even the unions appear complicit to Mia masterful puppetry !

  45. David Avatar
    David

    @Dee Word

    And the teachers and principals who were transferred obey like sheep to slaughter.

  46. Empress Wuraola Oya. Avatar
    Empress Wuraola Oya.

    I would not trust anything going on locally or globally, do so at your own risk. It’s a mess.

    Black people would do well to build their own structures of defense, and get away from the crime scenes of treacherous politicians, unless you want to be the next crime scene yourself.

    Can’t say you weren’t warned.

  47. Donna Avatar
    Donna

    Buzz off, you annoyance! You know who you are. I made a comment this morning to David. You misconstrued it completely. Comprehension problem again.

  48. Donna Avatar
    Donna

    Yes, because everything was going perfectly before the women showed up!

    This has been a continuum. Anyone who isn’t a misogynistic fool would see that.

    This woman can admit the obvious. These particular women don’t know what the hell they are doing.

    Would that men were able to see that the problem is not women or men, but the type of women and men who wiggle their way into these positions!

  49. Donna Avatar
    Donna

    David,

    As we know, some people are determined to misunderstand. Others can tell the difference between excusing the bad behaviour of politicians and understanding the nature of people who seek to wield power.

    Should we preach to politicians? Most definitely! We must preach and preach so they can’t say they don’t know!

    Will preaching to a politician change them? Hardly likely, I’d say. They like playing god!

    So the only thing left is for the people to unite to wield people’s power.

  50. David Avatar
    David

    @Donna

    #KISS

    Just make your points and to hell with flame throwers.

The blogmaster invites you to join the discussion.

Trending

Discover more from Barbados Underground

Subscribe now to keep reading and get access to the full archive.

Continue reading