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By Anthony Wood
As a former Minister of Education in a previous Barbados Labour Party administration and the father of two daughters I am compelled to write a commentary on the issue of the masked “Computer Science Test”, which was administered to 11-year-olds within the Barbadian school system.
The intrusive nature of the exercise which was really a survey with a well-constructed questionnaire with 300 questions and lasting two hours has incensed the affected children and their parents, teachers, other stakeholders in education and the wider Barbadian society. Plenty questions have been asked and very feeble and unbelievable responses, sometimes belatedly, have been provided by persons directly responsible for the breach of trust between the Ministry of Education as an agent of the Government of Barbados and the parents and students in Barbados.
The breach of trust occasioned by the application of this carefully designed survey within the school system in such a collaborative fashion between the IDB and MOE is immeasurable. Thus, those individuals responsible for the emotional and psychological pain inflicted on the students and parents, and the reputational damage to the educational system should take the honourable course of action and resign from their positions. Fighting to hold onto their jobs will only worsen the situation and bring the work of the MOE into further disrepute.
Chief Education Officer Dr Ramona Archer Bradshaw.
Notwithstanding the sentiments of horror, anger and disgust expressed by a fuming Barbadian public, the “culprits” are yet to provide credible answers to fundamental questions on the issue. As I reflect on the fiasco the following questions come to mind:
1. Why would a major international financial institution like the IDB be seeking to ascertain such personal and sensitive information from 11-year old schoolchildren in Barbados?
2. Why were 11-year old students the target?
3. Why was the exercise called a Computer Science test when it was really a survey?
4. Why was the questionnaire administered in such a non-confidential way with the students having to write their names on the forms?
5. Why was the survey conducted without the knowlege of parents and permission sought from them despite the children are minors?
6. Why did the MOE sanction the survey?
7. How many schools were expected to participate in the survey?
8. Were the results from the survey to be used to inform aspects of the delayed education reform programme in Barbados?
9. Is it a mere coincidence that such an intrusion into the lives of 11-year old schoolchildren is taking place shortly after the Barbados Government was granted a 40 million dollar loan for education reform from the IDB?
10. Why is the administration so reluctant to provide details of the loan agreement with the IDB?
11. Is the sanctioning of the survey by the Ministry of Education part of a larger agenda by the Government to recondition the minds of Barbadians to have unhindered tolerance for civil unions (gays and lesbians), and give acceptance to same-sex relationships and marriages?
12. Has the survey been undertaken in other countries in Latin America and the Caribbean?
These are key questions deserving of TRUTHFUL responses from the relevant authorities. Such responses and the resignation or removal of the senior officials from the Ministry of Education responsible for the fiasco will allow the Ministry and Government to start regaining the trust of stakeholders in education and the wider public.
During my two-year tenure as Minister of Education with the Owen Arthur administration it would have been unimaginable for such a survey to be administered to schoolchildren of any age. The senior operational management team at the time, led by the outstanding Dr. Wendy Griffith-Watson, never compromised on its responsibility for the duty of care of children in the Barbadian school system.
Anthony Wood is a senior economist, former lecturer in Economics, Banking and Finance at the University of the West Indies, Cave Hill Campus. He is also a former Barbados Labour Party Cabinet minister.
