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If there is a reason for prime minister to disappoint the time must be now. She has to cut her loss on McConney if she is to shore up her creditability. McConney is not helping to make light work.
Decline in education also contributes to criminal activity
Today in Barbados media and social platforms are aghast after a Mass Shooting in a dying and decay area called Nelson Street left three dead and several injured at the hands of gunman or gunmen
This govt would be remembered as having the RIP decade
Is there really any collective responsibility in cabinet. Reading what the Minister of Education , recently stated. We noted she made quite a few references about “ waiting on the Prime Minister” to pronounce on matters relating to the promised transformation of the educational system. We thought that decisions were made by the cabinet.
We are also baffled by a Permanent Secretary attending a press conference and being forced to publicly give coverage to those in the Ministry responsible for ongoing fiascos.
We suggest that this is an extension of parading civil servants in the “ Well” of Parliament, during the estimates, while inefficient ministers cross examine them.
Perhaps we are creating something akin to a prime ministerial democracy.
At town hall meetings , ministers and MPs just adorn the head table while the loquacious PM takes charge , promises to correct everything. Then, within three or so weeks, the constituents call Brasstacks and lament that nothing was done
Maximum Leader as never seen before in Bim.
These days are indeed funny nights.
@ac
Your comment is typical to what is wrong with driving change in Barbados. Every single issue is distilled and filtered through a lens to seize political opportunity.
@ac
If you want to be political, your party that is currently operating behind the eight ball should be ruing the opportunity of not being able to absorb Guy Hewitt in the party principally because of navel gazing. Now the party is paying a high price.
David that is a truth which you can’t deny
Poor education and govt inability to capture the minds of the youth through an education system geared to keep up with the growing times of technology whereby the youth are prepared able and ready acess themselves to a new work force and employment
Right now in Barbados the rallying cry is no jobs
Yet the area of technological skill is world wide needing people
What if govt had the vision to Jumpstart the education system propelling it into a newer and better area of profession that could help lower employment and saved the country poverty ridden areas from social and economic decay
Think about that before barking
@ David
Hewitt’s hands are not clean here. After he lost the contest to be president, he refused to support the winner( We think it was Depeiza) and fled the scene. He’s now resurfaced because he anticipates a void in the leadership , that allows him opportunity. He may be useful to his party but he has benefitted tremendously from it, so a little pay back should be on the cards.
@William
Do you know why he took a graceful exit? If he has political aspirations why would he associate with a pack of losers if his good judgement supported had no wide public appeal? Verla was a watered down version of Stuart lacking the political nouse to take the DLP forward.
What is playing out in Barbados has some link to employment opportunity it is true. However, much of it has to do with the fallout from an indisciplined society. Look at the Zr culture that continues to penetrate mainstream. Accept that the Barbados Police Service (BPS) operate with significant lack of resources, confirmed by the (AG) government and (COP) police hierarchy. Do not forget the moribund court system groaning under the weight of its inefficiency and the threat of repeat violent offenders to society which our laws allow to roam free on bail. The blogmaster can list many many more factors.
One last one, the years scanners at the port were not in operation under the former government. One has to wonder how many weopons flowed into Barbados during that period which must be still in circulation. Yes education is important but economic opportunity is as important if you consider the number of tertiary educated, mainly in the social sciences, working entry level. Hope you get this point.
Over to you.
Steupsss
Our education System has been under assault by idiots for decades now.
Starting with Billie who destroyed the sacred name of the Lodge school over a tiff with the Headmaster, and who then championed the disruptive and poorly managed co-education mis-step,
..all the way through ‘we-jonesing, Ronald – with his visions of evil spirits during the lost decade.
But the previous architect of EDUTECH had, in no small way, added to the chaos – and then, as if to sink even deeper into the mire, later actually changed the constitution to import what has probably become the most unsuitable appointee for the position that has ever been contemplated.
However, ‘dis-appointing’ the MOE may be easier said than done, …since ANY kind of analysis will show that practically EVERY OTHER MINISTER has been equally incompetent, inept and ineffective… and shady.
The only difference is that Ms McConney CANNOT hide, because her failures are highly exposed to public scrutiny by parents and students who suffer as a result every term.
Shiite, ..at least there is no missing $$$$millions in education, as there is in:
-Four Seasons
-Clear Water
-STEAL housing
-HOPEless housing
-CBC
-Radical Vaccine contractors
etc…
If the MOE could do like NIS for example, and hide their reports for YEARS, we would not be picking on the Minister.
If, like the Housing ministers, she could just REFUSE to talk about the results of her department, we would all probably just shrug shoulders and steupsss..
It therefore CANNOT be easy for someone like the PM, who HAS TO BE FULLY aware of the extent of ineptitude and incompetence that abound, to pick ONLY on the MOE – just because a few persistent activists have FORCED her to face the fire…
What would happen then …when the senior ministers are forced to talk about THEIR shiite…?
She gwine fire Dem too..?
Wunna think being PM is easy wuk…?
@Bush Tea
We are getting there albeit slowly. The public, the masses, the citizens are beginning to advocate and agitate to exert pressure on ‘bigworks’. This is the only way to force the correction required in our system of government after WE the PEOPLE have missing in action in recent decades.
The blogmaster will not forget Verla DePeiza as a Senator in the Upper House labelling the BU blogmaster a traitor – committing treason she said – for publishing the Cahill leaked documents. How about PM Mottley who was anti social media in the early 2000s? Now she has locked down key social media ‘outlets’ popularly referred to as influencers by dangling ‘political favours’. BU is happy to operate on the periphery of this political largess.
Question
Are violent offenders born?
Yes in cases of mental health that can negatively affect the minds ability to understand right from right
However however in cases such as what is continuous in Barbados that of criminal activity one can look at sources and causes of this kind of violent behavior
As the old people always say too late should be the crime
ac
what has this to do with the type of education program being probed at this time? Now is the time for brave new ideas.
Brave new ideas
Duh govt doesn’t have to.look long or hard to find new ideas all founded and geared to technological skills of all kind
The question which you David need to ask
Does govt have the vision to pursue those newer and greener pasture chock full of opportunities for people of all ages races and cultures
Bottom line if the mind is handed a blank page through its education system the student would draw a picture of what serves them best socially and economically
@ac
We have established the answer to your question is NO. Where do we go from here? We have no alternative at the moment.
Since there is a definite deficit in ideas someone will have to actually ACT. I am currently taking a break and shut down publishing Kush Quarterly until January as I already published for Oct.
Kush 2025 will include KiSwahili words with interpretation, i have been studying it for some time, and some ancient Mdw Ntr words will be included, a treat for Pacha, which are amongst the first languages on earth, all created by our Afrikan ancestors, though Kiswahili, a newer language does contain some words from the Asiatic world.
If someone does not act, nothing will change or get started. There are others in Barbados and across the region, setting up Kiswahili lessons online with Kenyan teachers. People know something has to give.
What most dont know, english is a hodgepodge of other euro-languages, it has no foundation, they git their alphabet from Afrikans, and EXPIRED since the 70s…hence people can no longer communicate effectively and resort to terrible violence. Look around you. Lack of communication is a bigger part of the problem, combined with no leadership, wannabes are not real leaders.
We have to dumb down so what do we expect the “outturn” will be?
EASE IN ENTRY
BCC adjusts admissions rules as CXC Maths passes fall
https://media.pagesuite.com/psapps/images/e57e80d0-7776-465f-b5cf-5685b3eebe08/337f72c8-be84-4d2d-99d2-05f743c99626.jpg
The Barbados Community College said Friday it has been forced to adjust its admission standards following a significant drop in pass rates for Mathematics in this year’s Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC) exams.
Principal Annette Alleyne revealed that the college has introduced an additional programme to help incoming students improve their grades before they can fully embark on their chosen courses of study.
“This is an issue that has played out at BCC for a number of years, where we haven’t been able to accept students,” Alleyne said during a convocation ceremony at the college. “A huge part of the problem has been that a number of them don’t receive certification in Maths at the CXC level.
This year it has been worse, worse than it normally is. Students haven’t received the grades at CXC that they were hoping to get or that we were hoping for them to get.”
In August, CXC revealed that overall pass rates for Mathematics had dropped from 78 per cent in 2023 to 76 per cent this year. The decline in Maths performance was particularly concerning, with the pass rate plummeting from 48 per cent to just 36 per cent.
Over the past five years, an average of 11 500 students failed to meet the basic requirement of passing both Mathematics and English annually, significantly affecting their academic and employment prospects.
Registrar and CEO of CXC Dr Wayne Wesley noted that this trend has negative implications for the region’s economic competitiveness.
Mathematics is a critical requirement for enrolment in the BCC’s Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) programmes, as well as its natural sciences courses. Senior tutor in the Division of Natural Science, Arlyn Linton-Jones, confirmed that the low grades had severely impacted her department.
“You cannot get into the division without having a grade 1, 2 or 3 in CXC Maths. In the past, we mainly accepted grade 1s and 2s, but we had no choice this year but to allow grade 3s,” Linton-Jones explained, noting that interest in pursuing a Pure Mathematics degree had also waned.
“The number of persons pursuing an associate degree in Mathematics is low. In the past, there would have been 60 per year group and above, but that has dropped to roughly 45 and under. Even the students that have passed Mathematics and who we suggested Mathematics to would rather do another major.”
She added that there seemed to be a psychological aversion to the subject among students: “I think a lot of the teenagers have a fear of Mathematics, they don’t see it as enjoyable, they don’t understand that maths is in everything that you do. It doesn’t matter which career you’re going into, maths is applicable.”
BCC Registrar Roger Worrell suggested that early intervention was needed to address this problem.
“It is possible that we need more specialised Maths teachers in the early school system. For example, maybe at the primary and secondary level to stimulate interest in Maths because there is almost a fear of Maths. If you don’t have that foundation it will impact your future performance in Maths at CSEC level,” he said.
In response to the worsening situation, BCC has introduced a new programme to support students’ Maths struggles. Alleyne explained that the new initiative, dubbed the “preliminary year”, would give students extra time to work on Maths and other sciences before entering the college’s first-year programmes.
She said: “If they are successful in that year, then they can matriculate into our first-year programmes in science or in the Division of Health Sciences.”
This change means students will spend three years pursuing an associate degree instead of the usual two years. Linton-Jones added that the college is also diversifying its teaching methods and incorporating technology to make Mathematics more engaging for students. (SZB)
Source: BT
Correction:
they got their alphabet from Afrikans, and the language EXPIRED since the 70s.
The colonial mindset does not help and is actually a hindrance to any evolving or revolution..we have now reached a deadend.
Some hard choices have to be made at the individual level to escape this time warp.
David,
They have lowered their entry requirements but they are attempting to bring the entrants up to the mark. Nothing wrong with that from the BCC end. Plenty wrong before then.
@Donna
Having some experience about methods at the BCC, its capacity to bring the entrants up to speed is questionable.
@Hants
This makes sense to have these interventions that align to challenges faced by citizens instead of leaving them pissing in the wind.
Recently, i saw Pacha posted about speaking other languages. It is a distinct disadvantage not to, as i encouraged for years, others do so, to catch up with certain happenings that is closed off to english speakers, because of limitations,and people will definitely stop sharing what they know, courses are free online..
Was recently on this forum where an Afrikan living in germany speaking french, german and of course other ancestral Afrikan language, he was Beninois. He was surprised to find some of us understood some of the languages and one person actually interrogated him in French.
It is the current and future generations who will miss out.
Education reform for societal change
By Sir Errol Walrond There has been a positive transformation in Barbadian society over the last 60 years primarily driven by universal access to secondary and tertiary education and to “free” health services. It is unfortunate that such access has been taken for granted and political control/ownership sought over any of its successes and blame apportioned for any failures.
The positives in the transformation have largely been taken for granted by those individuals who have succeeded in the system. Unfortunately, many have been led to believe that their individual success is related only to their own talent/effort and discount or do not realise that the whole community, rich and poor, have paid for their success.
As a result, many who have been successful because of their community-funded education have migrated to greener pastures, whilst others not so successful have turned to crime. The new realities of our positive transformation include increased crime, women in the workplace rather than the home place and marginalised young men with little skill “on the block”.
The positive reform of “free” secondary education was compounded by a co-education transformation to meet the necessary demand for placing girls in the system. Unfortunately, the implementation of co-education appeared to have been conceived as simply separate toilets and sports activities. The inevitable result of increasing education for girls is for women to have wider opportunities in the workplace.
However, when the call came for equal opportunities for women in the workplace, there appeared to be zero realisation at official levels that other gender roles in society would need to be rationalised. The most obvious has been the diminution of women in the home and their pivotal role in bringing up children and caring for the older generation.
What we have now when problems arise is our political leaders and health administrators repeating bromides about “it takes a village to bring up a child” and complaining that our “elderly for care” are being abandoned in hospital.
No note is taken of the fact that the majority of women are no longer in the “home” but are in the workplace. We complain about the young men “on the block”, but have not equipped them for the “home”, far less the workplace.
We complain of the women who, at Crop Over, bend over and invite a young boy to “wuk up” on them. Not only is the boy willing and expert at the “wuk up”, there is no adult who puts down their phone and steps in to remonstrate with the child. I do wonder what would happen if a man should similarly invite a young girl to such a public “wuk up”. My guess is that some of the phones would be used to call the police.
Should we sit on our high moral horses and blame the underprivileged for every ill, but ignore the transgressions of others, or should we have a look at how the behaviour of all can be positively influenced from the most formative years? I respectfully submit that the essential reform in our current education system should begin at the primary and even pre-primary level. The deficiencies in the basics exposed in the Common Entrance exam and at the CXC level must be addressed, as must other life skills, starting as early as possible.
Such a transformation will probably require considerable reorientation of the skills and attitudes of some teachers, as well as some gender balance in that workforce. Errol Barrow and his Cabinet would not have seen much wrong in our primary school system when free secondary education was introduced, for it appeared to be serving us well at that time. I doubt, if asked today, he would have the same opinion.
Children can be strong influencers on adults in the home when they learn new skills at the primary level. I have witnessed primary school children, who learnt about the perils of smoking at school, challenge their grandfather addicted to cigarettes to try and give them up – at least in public.
Such reform may not be immediately attractive to our political leaders or those who have a vested interest and influence in the current system, which keep the demand for private primary schools and extra lessons high.
Sir Errol Walrond is professor emeritus at the University of the West Indies and honorary consultant at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital.
Source: Nation
WHY DO WE REFUSE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE FUNDAMENTALS? THE ELEMENTALS OF LIFE CANNOT BE SCRUBBED BECAUSE OF OUR NARROW PERCEPTIONS OF LIFE. FROM ALL THESE DISCUSSIONS – THE TALKING SHOP OF IDEAS, INTRIGUE & INNOVATION MEANT TO FOSTER SOCIETAL CHANGE RUNS AMUCK SINCE ONE MAJOR QUESTION IS NOT BEING ASKED: “What can you do with a people who do not know who they are”???
Aristotle said – “Children are the “LEGACY” we leave for the time we will not live to see…” The question is: “IF WE HAVE NOT TAUGHT THEM FROM THE CRADLE* WHO THEY ARE – HOW WILL THEY KNOW HOW TO NAVIGATE THROUGH THE TURBULENT, PERILOUS WATERS OF A MAD WORLD?
“A teacher plants the seeds of knowledge sprinkles them with love, and patiently nurtures their growth to produce tomorrow’s dreams…” Let us not forget that the “HOME” is the “PRINCIPAL” & “PRIMARY” classroom where [2] parents & the “VILLAGE” impart knowledge of “ONE’S TRUE SELF” as well as our “SELF-WORTH”!!!
Historian, Henry Adams opined: “A teacher affects eternity, and can never tell where the influence stops…” Clearly, patriarchy & matriarchy continue into the “SECOND TIER” of development through the installation of greater knowledge of “WHO WE ARE”, as “IMPARTED KNOWLEDGE” at a “DEEPER LEVEL” helps in shaping the internal algorithms which completes a life full with purpose…
Teachers have a major impact on children. They have a greater chance to make a legacy than almost anyone else (EXCEPT PARENTS). “The mediocre teacher says; the good teacher explains; the superior teacher demonstrates; the great teacher inspires…” (William Arthur Ward) The knowledge a teacher gives has a ripple effect on future generations – for good teachers leave their handprints on a child’s heart forever!!!
Where are those teachers???
AGAIN, THE QUESTION MUST BE ASKED – WHAT CAN YOU DO WITH PEOPLE WHO DO NOT KNOW WHO THEY ARE???
The below VT of Candace Owens & Kanye West in a sit-down “RAP SESSION” is fascinating given the “ONGOING CONTROVERSY” of “CANCEL CULTURE” & its impact on who we are as “BLACK FOLKS” in a 21st-century world that continues to “STANDS ON ITS HEAD”!!!
Have a blessed day y’all
Everyone is individually responsible for finding their history and who they are, you will not learn this from the embedded and overused colonial system, it’s a personal journey to the Afrikan ancestors.
Colonial mindsets cannot even fathom the truth, let alone the reality, one has step out of that time warp to see themselves.
It has become critical as we never knew who kidnapped us from Afrika and sold us to the west, but politicians knew all along, never informed the people, still haven’t, still thinking they can pull it off, and were just biding time all these decades.
We nearly got resold to the same beasts who destroyed our Afrikan ancestors in the subsaharan slave trade, just because we did not know who we are, and because politicians have strong Judas genes, that is why our King cursed that bloodline through eternity.
The weakest amongst who love to play the role of mini minions, are always eager and ready to jump into political setups. The people are fortunate others were paying special attention to the criminal evil that is politicians, who were created for that purpose, or there is no telling how many people would have lost their lives and complete Afrikan identities again, that they have not YET reclaimed, but that was the whole point, making sure we NEVER found out who we are, so we can reclaim nothing.
Yes, the politicians had no qualms whatsoever setting up our demise for self gain. Current and future generations should be removed from their criminal orbit, taught about them, and never know their stench of betrayal or listen to any of their lies. Shun them like the pariahs, blight and curse on the earth that they are and will always be, as manufactured. Know who you are, or get resold.
Btw, the plague on the earth that are politicians, are not too particular, now the earth is being opened as a multipolar world, if they can’t find one slave master to sell the slaveminded and mini minions to, they will find another….they now have multiple choices.
Wannabes are not exactly sentimental.
” I respectfully submit that the essential reform in our current education system should begin at the primary and even pre-primary level.”
Dr. Errol Walrond
We ask one simple question : Why is it that a Minister of Education, with all the resources of a complete ministry under her control cannot understand such a fundamental fact ?
These clowns, went up by the Convention Centre, and unleashed a fancy graphic presentation presentation. And talk show hosts praised it as the introduction of Education Transformation. The blind leading the blind.
@ David
We put the horse before the cart . Its better to bring people up to the required level of entry , than lower the entry and bring them in , only to then put resources to bring them up to scratch. The resources should be used to bring them up to speed, so that they would not impede those who have already reached the entry standards.
However we term it is addressing a remedial issue. And that requires special resources. We already see what happens when children, who haven’t mastered basic skills are thrown into higher levels ; they usually fall through the cracks.
Education is not about retrofitting garbage tracks. We are dealing with humans not machines. We suggest that dumbing down institutions is not the ideal way to improve limited human resources.
Should be the cart before the horse…..,
Most subjects and syllabus are available online on youtube etc.
During lockdown parents helped teach children to study and revise and they did well with 1 on 1 attention and learning at their own pace with pause breaks as needed.
There is material now for specialists / medical students etc
“We suggest that dumbing down institutions is not the ideal way to improve limited human resources.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
@ William
This is THE understatement of ALL time.
‘Education’ is, in fact, the closest analogy to the VERY CONCEPT of life on Earth that there can possibly be…
Education is about:
– the basic awareness of one’s surroundings and an appreciation of those around us.
– Introduction to, and respect for, the RULES that guide the society in which we find ourselves
– An INCREASING understanding of the expectations of the school experience, and acceptance of the specific ROLE that one wants to PREPARE themselves to play in society.
– Working to PERFECT oneself for the post education phase of life, by learning as much as possible and even by practicing those learnings.
– Finally, demonstrating one’s READINESS for ‘post education life’ by the results of the various ‘readiness tests’ (exams) used to measure readiness.
The expectation that such a socially CRITICAL developmental role can be performed successfully by a group of friends, jokers and talkers – as has been the case for decades now, has to be comical at best.
But ironically, this education mismanagement is mirrored by the ACTUAL concept of our TEMPORARY ‘Life on Earth’ being the literal PREPARATION for the POST-PROJECT REALITY of true spiritual LIFE.
….and again we see this absolutely CRITICAL role being led by a collection of jokers and talkers called ‘the church’.
What the Hell!!!
But if we cannot even see the CRITICAL value of getting our education system right for the benefit of the society,…what is the chance that we can grasp the need to utilize our allocated 70 years successfully to prepare for REAL LIFE?
What an opportunity
What lessons of life
…but what blindness
@William
Couldn’t agree more. A quasi or tertiary school shouldn’t have to focus on remedial teaching.
“A quasi or tertiary school shouldn’t have to focus on remedial teaching.”
Do you mean like how a BB should not spend his / her whole life doing shiite
…and then wait until the last moments to figure out what the purpose of life is about
… only then look to cram for that final exam called ‘the Judgement’?
Got THAT right Boss!
@BUSH TEA
“Only then look to cram for that final exam called ‘the Judgement’?”
#ThatsINSPIRATION* – only those who are truly “INSPIRED” can up with such a #ProfoundStatement of “TRUTH”!!!
“#ThatsINSPIRATION* – only those who are truly “INSPIRED” can up with such a #ProfoundStatement of “TRUTH”!!!”
we all learnt that stuff in Bu101 about 10 years ago
which was a flashback to the religious doctrine taught to school children
repetitive rote learning drills in samey comments are not as good as creative thinking classes
spiritually speaking
The blogmaster invites you to join the discussion.