Principal calls for Special Needs Education Coordinators in schools

by Anesta Henry

Deighton Griffith Secondary principal Major Michael Boyce wants to see Special Needs Education Coordinators assigned to secondary schools across Barbados.

Delivering the Principal’s Report on Friday at the school’s 2021-2022 Speech Day and Prize Giving Ceremony, themed High Expectations For Success, he said those individuals would function similarly to Information Technology Coordinators, with a focus on working with staff, students, parents, guardians and other resource personnel to provide in-house training for stakeholders as they manage students’ individual educational programmes.

He said the idea developed as teachers engaged in discussion to identify strategies to improve student achievement, in light of concern about the performance of some students at the Christ Church school.

“This saw the formulation of plans for remediation and support and the formation of two committees. The first committee was the Performance Review Committee which now spearheads the monitoring of students so identified.

“Additionally, properly catering to students with special educational needs continues to be a concern. Consequently, a Special Needs Committee has been created to manage and address the needs of deserving students.

“As we reflect on this and impending educational reform, it is very desirable to see the official assignment of Special Needs Education Coordinators in secondary schools,”  Major Boyce said.

The principal also reported that between 2021 and 2022, there were 1 043 entries in 28 Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) examination subjects, with fewer students deferring compared to the previous year and a small percentage not writing examinations for which they were entered.

He said there was improvement in 13 subjects and 100 per cent of candidates entered in five subjects earned Grades one to three. Overall, just over 62 per cent of the entries earned Grades one to three, an increase of 1.8 per cent when compared to 2021.

“There is no doubt that the COVID-19 pandemic impacted the mental and physical preparation for CSEC [Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate] examinations.

“There were anxious moments for students, parents, guardians and teachers. Nonetheless, as we reflect, we heartily commend those students who excelled in the various subject areas,” Major Boyce said.

“We also commend the teachers and staff who worked tirelessly with them, not only in preparation for these examinations but also to function competently in the world.

“We commend those students who earned Grades one to three in five or more subjects. We especially commend Azariah Ashton and Javon Brathwaite-Humphrey who did so in eight subjects. To those students taking examinations later this year, we challenge you to strive for even high standards of success,” he added.

Guest speaker Reverend Jamal Medas urged the awardees and general student body to conscientiously work towards their goals.

Noting that there were too many young people who wanted to achieve things overnight and get rich quickly, he told the students there was nothing wrong with taking time to get to where they wanted to be in life.

“Many young people are going into depression because they want to achieve something that someone at the age of 50
has achieved, and they want to achieve it in 15 days. And when they don’t achieve it they feel like I have failed in life. This is what is affecting the young men in society today; they no longer appreciate the 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. They want to get rich quickly.

“Sad to say that what is affecting some of the young ladies within our society is they want to go on social media in the latest Gucci, the latest Louis Vuitton, you name it, the latest Iphone, but they are not purchasing them. So, as a result, they are opening themselves up to exploitation,” Reverend Medas said.

anestahenry@barbadostoday.bb