BUT sides with BSTU on protocol changes

The Barbados Union of Teachers (BUT) has raised its voice in support of Barbados Secondary Teachers’ Union (BSTU) objections to “unilateral” changes to the protocols governing how classes are conducted.

The bone of contention surrounds a decision by the Ministry of Education almost two weeks ago to remove the protocol stipulating that cloth face masks be worn at all times by students on the compound.

Earlier this week, BSTU President Mary Redman complained that teachers disagreed with the change, but were never given an opportunity to relay that to authorities.

On Friday, BUT General Secretary Herbert Gittens expressed his union’s agreement with Redman’s concerns and accused the government of “shifting” the proverbial “goal post”.

“You would have sat down and made an agreement for the re-opening based on certain protocols and then to come less than 24 hours before [the start of classes] and change aspects of the protocols without discussion with the stakeholders to me is not the best way to do things,” Herbert told Barbados TODAY.

“We agreed that everyone was supposed to wear masks and then changed it to allow children to remove it in the classroom, and some teachers felt that that is not what was agreed on and I felt that something like that could have and should have been based on further discussions with the general public…. Essentially, you just moved the goal post without further discussions and that is not the way to do negotiations and arrive at a general understanding,” he added.

On Wednesday, Minister of Education Santia Bradshaw defended the stance and argued that although teachers were not consulted, public health officials approved the changes. At the time she explained the decision was intended to address concerns about the impact of masks on children with respiratory illnesses.

But Herbert said: “The [Ministry of Education] made the policy, so [Minister Bradshaw] is going to defend what has come out of her ministry.

“They are saying they had discussions with the health authorities, but even if that was the case, you should have had some discussions with the stakeholders,” he added.

The general secretary admitted there was no “groundswell of complaints” from teachers and in general, the limited re-opening of schools has been a success.

“I didn’t hear anything to indicate that teachers are so uncomfortable that they will not go. I did not get that from membership so it is basically an industrial relations matter.

Barbados Association of Principals of Public Secondary Schools (BAPPSS), Juanita Wade however declared that her members were content to trust the advice of public health officials.

“Once the Ministry of Health okays the guidelines, then we will follow the guidelines, so it’s no concern for us,” Wade told Barbados TODAY.

She added: “The transition to the new protocols has been generally smooth. As human beings, we tend to gravitate towards each other. So we have to get used to the idea of physical distancing, but once we explained the requirements to students, we didn’t get any resistance.”
kareemsmith@barbadostoday.bb