All TALK about Education Making me Mad

Submitted by Observing

On a political platform in 2018 the then leader of opposition announced that “Common Entrance must go!” The crowd cheered.

For three years the appointed Minister pronounced ad infinitum that “Common Entrance must go!” The masses bellowed.

For the last two years this Minister (when she actually speaks) joined the choir to lustily sing that “Common Entrance must go!” The audience applauded.

And of course the 66 year old once retired Director of Reform said emphatically and conclusively in the House of Parliament that the new system would be in place by September 2022 and “Common Entrance must go!” The pundits thumped their desks.

Now here we are.

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EACH ONE MATTERS

Submitted by Paula Sealy

Are there still only two social workers and one senior psychologist working in the education ministry for all the secondary and primary schools? In 2018 the Prime Minister announced that a special scheme would be implemented which would see the introduction of school safety officers, social workers and guidance counsellors. No wonder the guidance counsellors were under pressure back then (https://barbadostoday.bb/2019/03/26/too-few-school-counsellors/).

An ad for guidance counsellors was placed in the Gazette two years ago (Volume 154, No 69, p 970, Aug 26, 2019).
Since then the Minister of Education said that her ministry had placed ads for school safety officers and guidance counsellors for the start of the school term (Barbados Advocate, Safety officers to be hired, 5 Sep 2019, p3).
Two months later, schoolboy Temario Holder was killed at Frederick Smith Secondary School but that has not been enough to get one safety officer posted in one school in Barbados. We got a non-violence march led by the minister shortly after that and COVID monitors since then.
Last week there was some news on the extra guidance counsellors (https://barbadostoday.bb/2021/08/13/additional-counsellors-in-schools-from-next-term/). 

The ads for social workers were in the Gazette two years ago (Volume 154, No 71, p 1014, Sep 2, 2019).
Students graduate every year from Cave Hill with degrees in Social Work. Many of them find it hard to get jobs where they can use their degrees and training. They are qualified and there is a need for them. Are they capable of working in our schools today? 

The social workers have already spoken (https://www.barbadosadvocate.com/news/put-social-workers-schools). 
Where are the school safety officers and social workers today?

SCHOOL SAFETY IS A JOKE Wilkie Cumberbatch Primary in Lascelles Terrace has been condemned. And the principal from there died last year. Now the management and the staff are scrambling like Winston Hall in the St. Joseph gullies hiding from the police (https://fb.watch/7uXoi2snD3/).

Santia Bradshaw was the MP for the area since 2013 and the Minister of Education since the last elections. BUT president Pedro Shepherd was at Wilkie for more than 30 years now and a union man for a long time. 

If not for bad representation there would be no representation at all with Wilkie Cumberbatch. Teachers are getting a raw deal all around, parents and children are getting a raw deal from the minister. And not only at Wilkie because another school might be condemned by next month. 

Wesley Hall should know. 

Ode to Education

Submitted by Paula Sealy

It looks like a turnstile
Could be real useful
In the admin section
Down by the river.

All the Payne may cause Elsie
To turn in her grave.
Education can ‘give’ you a Complex
People are now saying.

Rudder-less and Price-y
There is also less Joy.
Never mind this was
To be the Best of times.

The Shepherd is quiet
And the Redman is silent.
The unions are mute
And teachers cuffuffled.

Let Dr. Archer know
As she comes to the crease
That doctorates don’t save anybody
From becoming M.I.A.

Dr. Morris take fresh guard.
Bobby can no longer
Pull rank and call a big shot.
All it is now is stress and more pressure.

Whether or not Colin
Takes over the wheel
He could pray to St. Stephen
The reins could still go to Dr. Browne

Principals Parris and Saul are retired,
Looking at the flames being fanned.
After extinguishing the fire of 2011,
In 2021, it is all burning down.

Respect Due to Teachers!

Submitted by Paula Sealy

While work is being done to beautify the Constitution River, there is an urgent need for work to be done in the nearby Elsie Payne complex to repair the wreckage and destruction.

Minister Jones and Par. Sec. Harry were gone with the elections on 24 May 2018. Less than two weeks later, PS June Chandler was transferred. In the turnstile behind her in a short were Janet Phillips and Sandra Phillips soon to be followed through the door by Chief Education Officer Best.

Yet the ministry still cannot get the education train on the right track with all those changes. Check the current policymakers and decision-makers. Let them tell the public how many Bounce Back volunteers there have been. 

Let the education bosses tell us how come the BCC, SJPI and secondary school boards continue to get money, in many cases, without accounting for the money spent in the last 5 years. Cabinet, help the Auditor General to do more than report the bad practices.

So who do we blame? Not the teachers, I tell you! Not the former government alone. And COVID is not a plaster for every sore.

Face it and fix it. What mirror image do we see of ourselves? Something has to give.

We are tired of the talk of the lost decade. When education has lost its way, as it has, there is more than a decade at stake.

All we see is a mess and the messy hands proclaiming their cleanliness and innocence while their political fingerprints are plainly visible.

But teachers cannot and do not get the respect due to them in this society. Every child matters, yes, but even a dog is due respect.

When we mistreat teachers, we disregard the first line of authority figures. Who will be disregarded next?

May God save us.

Minister of Education Santia Bradshaw Makes Shocking Revelation

There has always been consensus by the BU family that at the root of our problems is an irrelevant and dysfunctional education system.  It was therefore important to listen  to Minister of Education Santia Bradshaw as she and her team appeared before the 2019 House Appropriation Debate – Standing Finance Committee OWN the problems with a promise to reform the education system.

It was interesting to note Bradshaw’s assessment of the current education system if compared to her predecessor Ronald Jones. He offered no similar critiques during his lengthy tenure as minister of education. What a difference a general election makes!

A poignant moment came in the presentation when Minister Bradshaw stated that problems identified by the criterion test at 9 years old were not remediated before the child had to do the 11+. It there translated to young children condemned as failures by society. Some may suggest another poignant moment occurred when the Prime Minister asked Chief Education Officer what recommendation would she make to improve the leadership in the schools. Her response will floor you!

Watch Santia Bradshaw, Minister of Education, Technological and Vocational Training share the challenges and opportunities  faced by her ministry.

A must listen for all Barbadians!

 

Dear Santia

Submitted by Douglas

Santia Bradshaw, St. Michael South East M.P.

Santia Bradshaw, St. Michael South East M.P.

DEAR SANTIA,

How are you?

I read what the dailies reported in Parliament recently about the conditions existing in Barbados. According to media reports, while speaking on a resolution aimed at raising the profile of the anniversary date of the 1937 disturbances in the House of Assembly, you intimated that the conditions existing in 1937 are still present.

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Speaker of the House Michael Carrington Matter Referred to the Committee of Privileges

The matter of a recent judgement – Tales from the Courts–Justice Jacqueline Cornelius Makes Speaker of the House Michael Carrington PAY XXIV  directed at the Speaker of Parliament Michael Carrington was raised by member of parliament Santia Bradshaw. In a private member’s motion it was asked that Carrington be asked to explain himself to the House of Assembly known as the highest court of the land or to recuse himself until final ruling is ordered by the High Court. Deputy Speaker ruled that the matter be referred to the Committee of Privileges. BU believes until such time the Committee of Privileges hears the matter Deputy Speaker Mara Thompson will preside over the august body.

Fighting The Fight Against The Corruption Of Public Morals

CEO Senator Santia Bradshaw of Pyramid and Barbados Labour Party candidate for St. Michael South East (santiabradshaw.com)

Sometimes the most optimistic person in this world is forced to hang their heads and cry shame. Listen to the audio of one of the most popular artists in Barbados. Although recently fired by Voice of Barbados (VOB) he had no difficulty getting back on the airwaves compliments of SLAM 101.1. He is everywhere, on the ZRs, in the dancehalls, the calypso tents, on facebook, dub fetes, he is ubiquitous. He has a loyal fan club mainly comprised of our young minds.

What does he have going for him? He is a member of the Pyramid stable of artists managed by budding politician Senator Santia Bradshaw.

BU family you be the judge. Is he entitled to unbridled freedom of expression under the cloak of freedom of expression? How should we view the role of CEO Senator Santia Bradshaw of Pyramid and Barbados Labour Party candidate for St. Michael South East in this matter. Do we have a case of an artist corrupting public morals?

What can we say? What are we to do?

PLEASE NOTE THE AUDIO CONTAINS OFFENSIVE LANGUAGE AND SHOULD NOT BE LISTENED TO IN THE PRESENCE OF MINORS.