Education chief says school term getting back on track

Chief Education Officer Dr Ramona Archer-Bradshaw has reassured the nation that schools are successfully settling into the full 38-week academic calendar, despite some disruptions during the first week of classes.

Archer-Bradshaw was addressing initial challenges reported at schools such as Wesley Hall Junior, Princess Margaret Secondary and Frederick Smith Secondary. She noted that the Education Act mandates a 38-week school year and acknowledged that brief, unforeseen disruptions can occur.

“As usual, you may have disruptions being caused by maybe a natural cause or natural event,” she said. “I know the teachers were assiduously working to make sure that their children are not left behind. So as a result, those students who may have missed school for a day or two… due to some unforeseen event, I know that the teachers will do what is necessary to make sure that we complete the 38 weeks.”

This return to a full academic schedule follows an April announcement by Minister of Educational Transformation Chad Blackman, confirming that Barbados would reinstate its pre-pandemic school calendar for the 2025–2026 academic year.

The change restores a complete 38 weeks of instruction by starting the term a week earlier in September. This move reverses the pandemic-era adjustments that had shortened the school year to accommodate delays in receiving Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC) results.

When asked if the situation had now stabilised, Archer-Bradshaw expressed confidence: “Generally, I am pleased with the quality of teaching and learning that we have within the system. I believe that things have settled to a large degree. Well, you know, from time to time, things may pop up, and as the Ministry of Educational Transformation, we have to be able to respond in a way that minimises the disruption that is being caused. And we have been doing that.” (SZB)