The views and opinions expressed by the author(s) do not represent the official position of Barbados TODAY.
by Alicia Campbell
It has been years since I have submitted a letter to The Editor. In more recent times, I have been doing more reading, listening, watching and absorbing, adding nothing to the discourse, except perhaps to vent to a close friend or relative or simply keep it all inside.
However, I now feel compelled to lend my voice to the discussion. Why now? Because I believe my child’s education could be at stake.
Let me state upfront that it is no one’s fault. I blame this dreadful, seemingly never-ending virus, COVID-19. As such, I am hoping that someone in authority will see this letter and take the necessary action.
I’ve been told not to panic; things will work themselves out; the necessary plans will be put into place. But when and by whom? Students are being disadvantaged, through no fault of their own.
However, it cannot be business as usual, which means we need to stop talking and instead, act quickly and devise a concrete plan to minimise the educational fallout of our children.
The Michaelmas (first) term started on September 20, already two weeks late, and will restart fully online.
Pre-COVID, this term was normally 14 weeks. Bear in mind that students who are awaiting results from the Caribbean Examinations Council have not yet started a first term anywhere.
Let’s look for example at students who wish to enter Lower 6th form at various schools. According to media reports, CXC results are due back on or before October 15. These students, on receiving their results, will first have to apply to the particular 6th form school(s) of choice and wait (not sure how long the process takes) for acceptance.
In a best-case scenario, students entering Lower 6th form may possibly start the school term at the end of October/early November.
Yet, the Michaelmas term will end mid-December; leaving these students with only six/seven weeks of teaching instruction, whether virtually, face-to-face or hybrid.
How will they ever catch up if it remains business as usual? The solution cannot be simply to delay exams again next year, or eliminate aspects of the syllabus, else this vicious cycle will continue until the pandemic ends (whenever that may be!)
After lengthy discussions with other concerned parents, following are a few recommendations, which I believe should be seriously considered (all or part thereof) by the Ministry of Education, teachers, teachers’ unions and parents, in order to make up for precious lost time.
1. Since the Michaelmas term has already started late, and for Lower 6th form students will start even later, shorten the Christmas vacation by at least one or more weeks. These students already had an extended summer vacation during a pandemic and are probably going stir crazy by now.
2. Extend the Hilary (second) term by at least two or three weeks, which means the Easter holiday may need to be shortened as well, even if by a few days.
3. Extend the school day by two hours (this is particularly for older students in the Lower and Upper 6th forms). Tertiary students at institutions e.g., Barbados Community College and the University of the West Indies normally have morning and evening classes with various free periods in between. A similar schedule can be implemented for 6th formers.
4. Extra online classes can be held some weekends, either Saturday or Sunday (depending on religion) for two hours on a day of the students’ choice. If the teachers wish to be paid for these extra hours, why can’t money be found to pay them overtime, as we have been finding money to do other necessary things related to COVID-19?
I am confident that parents who wish to see their children/wards fully complete the syllabus and be successful will be on board with most of these recommendations.
The question is, how will the Ministry of Education, teachers and teachers’ unions feel about these “radical” ideas?
Do we want to make up for the lost teaching time? How interested are we in the students’ educational welfare? What additional/alternative propositions can be put in place to assist with the process?
Some may say it is not as easy as it sounds; however, I believe that certain measures can and must be implemented if we are indeed serious about our children’s educational future, particularly during this pandemic. Let the education experts find a way to make it work; let them come up with a feasible plan to mitigate the fallout from lost teaching time.
I am pleading to the powers that be, the Ministry of Education, the teachers, the unions, to whomever has the power to collaborate and make this process work, to assist in solving this problem for our students’ sake.
