#BTColumn – Educational reform

The Mottley administration clearly sees itself as the harbinger of change. Well thought-out and implementable change is always welcomed. In her speech on the opening of the new Parliament on Friday February 4, 2022 President Dame Sandra Mason announced a number of proposed changes some of which relate to formal schooling.

The Government has embarked on what appears to be a number of quite far-reaching educational innovations. The history of broad based educational innovation suggests that reform proposals of that kind tend to be politically inspired and only partly driven by pedagogical concerns.

They invariably fall short of their intended objectives because the rhetoric of educational change tends to be overblown and because the tendency is to ignore certain stubborn factors in the culture that does not yield to the sweet scented rhetoric of renewal.

One proposal is for a system of Middle schools. The notion of a Middle school is largely without precedent in the English-speaking Caribbean.

It is I think a North American concept with which most Barbadian parents are unacquainted.

It would be a good thing if the Minister of Education or the Head of the Reform unit in the Ministry would enlighten us how exactly the Barbadian equivalent will work and for what purposes it is intended.

It certainly cannot be just a copy-cat initiative. Will it be a separate institution or the same as what we now call “the lower school” within the existing secondary system that encompasses first to third forms? If it is intended as a separate institution will the transition to upper school require some kind of exam or test to determine who goes where after the third year? There is also a proposal for “Schools of Excellence” in curricular areas such as Arts, Science, Commerce, technical skills and “areas pivotal to national development.” A School of Excellence has a very appealing ring to it.

Who would not want to see schools of excellence? But what exactly is such a thing? A school cannot become a representation of excellence simply by affixing a title to it with the appropriate shingle. In an age of mediocrity, perhaps excellence is a consummation devoutly to be wished and for which we should all strive.
Excellence is attainted, not something that is given. In schooling as in much else reputations are won and lost. The Good School is one that has acquired and maintained over a significant period of time a good reputation to the extent that it becomes part of its tradition.

Firstly, it should have and be able to sustain a sufficiently high academic culture or ethos. Secondly, it should reflect a high behavioural culture. Children will not be perfect but certain misconducts should not be allowed to become characteristic of the school.

Rudolph Goodridge used to say that schools teach values by the standards they uphold. Drugs, gambling bullying, extortion and violence cannot be consistent with anything calling itself a ‘good school’ far less a school of excellence.

Parents who know the true value of education do not send their children to school merely to acquire credentials but to become a type of person and a type of citizen. When however the societal culture in which schools function begins to deteriorate it becomes increasingly difficult for the school to hold the barricades against decay and disorder.

The ZR culture that has been pervasive for over three decades has done much to destroy school cultures across Barbados.

Talk of Schools of Excellence may be just that, talk. In relation to the title of Schools of Excellence, there might be some issue with the whole notion of specialisation if the categorisation is designed to be too specific.

Children have multiple talents and interests and it is always risky to pigeonhole developing youth. A boy or girl may be good at physics and music, art and history.

So schools will of necessity have to provide a reasonably wide curriculum. They cannot be subject and curricular specific.

Besides, given today’s materialist values, they may be a tendency for students and their parents to gravitate

to areas of study that will be seen as more financially rewarding. The present Government has reiterated its intention to abolish the Eleven Plus.

One supposes that like so many other things in the new Republic that is a given even though the consultation with stakeholders is still to begin. What percentage of parents would elect to keep the

Common Entrance or some aspect of it? Do we know or does it matter.

What is the transition from primary to Middle School going to look like? Are we going ‘the whole hog’ with zoning as was suggested? In the New Republic nothing is clear. Our children are being implored to think critically, but persons in authority in Barbados generally speaking, do not take kindly to critical thought.

Just follow the instructions.