By Sheria Brathwaite
The Barbados Union of Teachers (BUT) says it may be forced to take action against the Ministry of Education over its decision not to renew the contracts of several primary school teachers, less than two weeks before the start of the new school term.
On Friday, Barbados TODAY received several reports of teachers being advised that their contracts were up and they would not have a job when school resumes on September 18.
Multiple efforts to reach Minister of Education Kay McConney and Acting Chief Education Officer Joy Adamson were unsuccessful. However, BUT president Rudy Lovell confirmed that the reports were true and said the union wanted answers, or else.
“We have been informed by several teachers that their contracts were not renewed and subsequent to that, we were informed by an official in the Ministry of Education that there is a move to reduce the teaching complement as a directive given by a Government agency,” he told Barbados TODAY, adding that the union was yet to confirm whether the latter directive was given.
“There has not been any discussion with the BUT in regards to reducing the staff complement. So we are greatly concerned about this turn of events.”
The union leader said what was also disturbing was that in the midst of contracts not being renewed, “there are interviews going on to fill the same posts of those persons who are not being reassigned”.
“We want to have a discussion with the ministry to avoid any disruption to the teaching and learning process come the beginning of the school term,” he said.
“If there is a policy that has been enacted, we should have been made aware of that policy. I don’t think this is a decision that can be made without the consultation of the union, given the fact that the people being impacted are members of the BUT. So we are seeking answers from the ministry before the start of the school year or we will have to take necessary action to protect the rights of our members if they are being infringed upon.”
Lovell explained that the issue mainly affected primary school teachers.
He said some would have been teaching for short periods while others were working for much longer periods.
Lovell said he will be seeking to have a meeting with the minister of education, the chief education officer and other education officials.
“Not reassigning a teacher, there would have to be some reason or rationale apart from the contract being up,” he contended.
“There is also a concern that teachers are being reassigned late and it gives little time for planning and preparation for the upcoming school term. That is an ongoing practice by the ministry where teachers are assigned to a school two weeks or a week before the term starts and then teachers are expected to go into classrooms and perform miracles.”
As it relates to the ongoing summer cleaning programme at the island’s public schools, the BUT president said that while the ministry reported on Thursday that the schools will be cleaned and ready to accept students two Mondays from now, he would have to wait until the term starts to determine if the cleaning programme was effective.
“We can’t be satisfied till the start of the school term and we have solid proof that the schools are actually ready,” he said “Regarding the schools that had environmental issues, such as St John Primary, we are still waiting to see the environmental report. In the absence of that report which was to be done, we cannot make any determination as if what cleaning was done was adequate to remedy the situation.”
On Thursday, Minister McConney told the media at the 2023 Barbados Scholarships and Exhibitions award ceremony that preparations are continuing to ensure schools are ready for students and teachers on September 18.
She said the ministry will also be providing training workshops to help janitors improve cleaning methods in order to reduce mould, particularly at schools where there were environmental issues throughout the last school year.
sheriabrathwaite@barbadostoday.bb
