Ministry, union seek solutions to school issues; DLP urges action

By Sheria Brathwaite

Education leaders were grappling Thursday with a
raft of issues disrupting teaching and learning in some schools, while the Democratic Labour Party (DLP) called on the Mia Mottley administration to take urgent action to solve the problems.

The head of the Barbados Union of Teachers (BUT) Rudy Lovell met with teachers at two Christ Church schools to discuss the issues that prompted them to call in sick. He told Barbados TODAY that he met with staff and officials at St Bartholomew Primary and Ministry of Education officers and he was pleased that there had been some form of dialogue in light of the nearby smouldering incinerator at the Grantley Adams International Airport.

Teachers and students experienced two days of reprieve – Wednesday and Thursday – from the furnace’s odour and the staff was feeling a little more comfortable, he said. On Tuesday the school had been prematurely closed after reopening from last Thursday’s abrupt closure.

The Deighton Griffith Secondary School closed on Tuesday due to a sick-out by teachers, which led to a two-hour meeting on Wednesday night with the BUT.

Lovell said the union had promised to intervene in the matter, which included a visit to the school on Thursday, urging the school’s board of management to resolve the issues within its purview.

In the case of Deighton Griffith, Lovell said the issue was affecting teachers’ mental health.

At the heart of the problem is the conduct of a teacher and an assistant, which has been driving a wedge between the educators at the school, Barbados TODAY has learned.

At The Lodge School in Massiah Street, St John, several teachers reported being ill on Wednesday and left the compound. Last week, a number of them had expressed concern about environmental issues relating to mould even though the school was closed on Friday for industrial cleaning.

The BUT’s Vice President and Chairman of its Health and Safety Committee Julian Pierre told Barbados TODAY that the educators would have left the school on Wednesday if they believed their health was being compromised. He added that no post-inspection was done to determine if the cleaned areas were safe to occupy and fearing their health could be at risk, the teachers left.

Commenting on the developments, DLP vice president Felicia Dujon said in a statement that the state of many of the island’s schools was of great concern to her party.

“The Democratic Labour Party is deeply troubled by the persistent environmental issues, notably mould infestations, affecting several public schools across Barbados,” Dujon said. “The recent closures of The Lodge School, St John Primary and St Bartholomew School due to environmental concerns underscore the pressing need for immediate intervention from the Ministry of Education, Technological, and Vocational Training. These disruptions not only hinder students’ learning but also pose significant health risks to both students and staff. The DLP strongly urges the Ministry of Education to take the [necessary] actions to address these critical issues.”

Dujon called for an immediate remediation programme, declaring that ageing school properties needed thorough infrastructure assessments and upgrades.

She accused the Ministry of Education of violating the Education Act by failing to ensure that school environments supported learning and did not jeopardise the safety of students and staff.

The DLP spokeswoman also expressed concern about this month’s appointment of Sandra Husbands as an education minister, questioning the effectiveness of her performance.

“The addition of another minister to the Ministry of Education might have been expected to improve effectiveness. However, this has not been the case, leading to a misuse of taxpayers’ hard-earned money. Salaries are being paid to two ministers in education while children are forced to miss school and endure risks due to inefficiencies.

“Despite [the substantive minister] Kay McConney emphasising the government’s commitment to addressing environmental challenges in public schools during previous announcements, the DLP stresses the need for swift and decisive action to fulfil this commitment and ensure the well-being of students and educators.

“The DLP calls for collaboration among government agencies, educational institutions, and community stakeholders to implement these resolutions effectively. Ensuring a safe and sustainable learning environment for all students remains paramount to the future of education in Barbados,” Dujon said.

sheriabrathwaite@barbadostoday.bb