Barbados Union of Teachers Calls for Education Reform Starting at Primary School Level

Fully agreeing that education reform is a necessary undertaking, the Barbados Union of Teachers (BUT) is calling for the process to start at the primary school level.

President of the BUT Rudy Lovell made the call on Sunday morning as he delivered remarks at Teachers Week Church Service 2023, held at the Providence Methodist Church, Christ Church.

Stressing that there should be a greater focus on numeracy and literacy in primary schools, Lovell said the foundation of the education system needs to be strengthened in the primary school system.

He suggested that education reform should also be informed by action research done by teachers in classrooms.

“Assessment is a necessary component of the teaching and learning process as it allows for deficits to be remedied. However, academic achievement should not solely be measured by certification or exam results. Hence, continuous assessment should also be utilised,” Lovell said.

“There needs to be a greater effort at resourcing both schools and teachers. Curriculum reform should be one of the first rungs of the ladder for education reform. We need to create new curricula to replace those that have been in draft since the year 2000. While the educational interests of students should be considered, the national development goals must also be considered.”

Additionally, there needs to be a continuation of educational policies, Lovell said, indicating that while some children are afforded readers for the Barbados Secondary Schools Entrance Examinations (BSSEE), they are not always given the individual help they need even though the problems they were faced with have not disappeared.

“These and the many challenges facing this education system, all of which have been highlighted by the Barbados Union of Teachers, must be adequately rectified for education reform to be successful,” he said.

Lovell added that while many schools on the island were once attached to a church and the principles of their religion were taught to students, education reform should also include inculcating values, beliefs, attitudes and dispositions considered necessary for the maintenance and reproduction of the society.

He said having the right value system above all will ensure the success of any education system.

“To achieve this, the Ministry of Education, teacher unions, teachers, principals, parents, the church and the community must assist by instilling some of the positive traits that have served us during the times of your parents and my parents. Increased parental involvement in the positive development of their children will also go a long way towards these traits.

“Values, beliefs, attitudes and dispositions such as manners, respect for others and property, honesty, kindness, compassion, integrity, responsibility and gratitude. These play an essential role in any student’s life. They help build a positive character with compassion, respect, kindness, and humility. These can help students distinguish between good or bad or evil or right and wrong. They can eventually promote rational thinking and unbiased judgment among students,” he said.

While the annual church service was followed by a launch at the Barbados Beach Club, Lovell announced that Tuesday, October 24, will be observed as Teachers’ Appreciation Day, when 11 teachers still in service who are deemed top tier will be awarded.

On that same day, BUT will hold its Annual Stewards’ General Meeting at its Merryhill, Welches, St Michael, headquarters.

“Wednesday, October 25th is the 27th John Cumberbatch Memorial Lecture at 7 p.m. at the Radisson Hotel. This lecture will be delivered by Mr John Goddard, former educator, on the theme for the week Education Reform: Getting it Right! Thursday, October 26th, is our professional development workshop, where teachers will gather at the National Union of Public Workers (NUPW) to learn how to develop professional learning communities and write culturally relevant books. These sessions will surely assist in enhancing the teaching and learning process.”

On Friday, teachers will gather at the DLP headquarters for the President’s reception, where 15 retired teachers who have dedicated their lives to the delivery of education and the union will be honoured. The week of activities will conclude on Saturday with a cricket match scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. at Lears playing field, St Michael.

(AH)