Making Education Non-Partisan: Time for Solutions

little while ago, the Government of Barbados proposed education transformation that has the whole country, indeed, the region, talking. This transformation includes changes such as the removal of the Common Entrance Examination as the means of transferring students from primary to secondary education; the introduction of a different system of transfer; and a new schooling structure that involves the concept of middle schools.

 

Many have openly criticised some of the initiatives proposed by the Government, and I, for one, added my voice to the discussion, supporting the call for reform and transformation, recognising that it can no longer be business as usual. I strongly believe that we must shed the colonial cloak that has gone beyond just masking injustices in education across the region. This cloak has woven itself firmly into our education system. I believe that it must go!

 

At the same time, while I support some things, I am also critical of others. I expressed uncertainty about the junior secondary school configuration that was proposed, which in my opinion is nothing more than a middle-school system. But I have not closed my mind to any of the proposed changes. Instead, I am advocating for evidence! Show me the research evidence to support the choices made; to convince me (and the country) that they can work. In expressing my concerns, I called for proper consultation to determine what is the best that can be fashioned for Barbados, taking into consideration its context, its resources and its short-, medium- and long-term goals. I said it back then, and I still believe that Barbados can be a beacon in education transformation for the rest of the English-speaking Caribbean.

 

With all that being said, there is something vital that is missing. It is not clear to me what are the views of other important stakeholders on the proposed education reform/transformation. To lessen the current contention, and to help the transformation process move forward, it is essential for us to hear from these other stakeholders, including the opposition parties, the trade unions, particularly the teachers’ unions, professional organisations such as the principals’ associations, parent bodies, and of course, the students themselves. I would also include here private sector organisations and employers whose potential pool of employees will be affected by this transformation.

 

Currently, what I am hearing from the stakeholders who actually make statements about the transformation appear to be ad hoc comments that have the potential to be inflammatory and divert attention to the trivial. I believe that what is needed are well-thought-out statements that give a more definitive indication of their stance on particular issues related to the transformation. Chief among these issues are: (1) Do they agree or disagree with the suggested abandonment of the common entrance examination as the means by which students are transferred from primary to secondary education; (2) if they agree, what alternative evidence-driven approach(es) would they suggest; and (3) if they disagree, on what empirical research evidence do they do so. To my mind, these are the most critical issues that need to be addressed immediately. This calls for objective examination of these issues so that intelligent, informed discussions can be had. If it is clear on which points the various stakeholders are in agreement with the government’s proposal and where they differ, this can provide a basis for seeking to resolve contentious issues that hamper progress. But this must be done in a non- partisan manner, where the interest of the nation’s children and future supersedes party politics and self-interest.

 

For example, an objective study of the underlying purpose of the common entrance examination, and its role in serving the interests of our former colonisers would inform current decisions. Then, the citizens and policymakers of the country can determine whether they want to maintain the colonisers’ agenda to stratify the society and cultivate the so-called “brightest and best” to keep their institutions operational in their best interest whether they were present or not, or whether in the spirit of independence, Barbados shapes its own agenda based on concepts such as equality, equity, fairness, respect, inclusion and participation. Using research evidence, objective informed decisions can be made as to whether we want to maintain an education system that marginalises the majority of our students/youth, so much so that they appear to have become disconnected from their communities and uncaring of their neighbours, or do we want to throw off the encumbrance that is the common entrance examination.

 

I hear some people voicing their concern about the transformation, asking questions such as “Why should bright children be ‘deprived’ of education at the top schools?” But do we really want to maintain a system that promotes elitism and stratifies society in ways that are destructive and antithetical to the social and economic growth that the country needs? Or should we be thinking of ensuring that all schools are good schools, adequately resourced to meet the diverse needs of all students, whatever their characteristics? In my opinion, once we have come to some mutual understanding and agreement on this issue, we will have cleared one of the biggest hurdles that impede forward movement on the transformation. What would then be left is to negotiate the “how”; how we can best achieve the goals set for education in the country.

 

But I want to be very direct. While we know the government’s position on the matter of the education transformation, we have no clear indication from the opposition parties. I would want to believe that all parties would be delighted to secure the best education for the people of this country. The key, though, is for all stakeholder groups to objectively put their heads together to determine what is a “good” education system for Barbadians; the purpose of education in Barbados; and appropriate ways of achieving this purpose. This is in fact how the education transformation was achieved in the country that people in the region are constantly looking to, Finland. So, I suggest, rather than trying to adopt all the things that Finland has in its system, we instead adopt the process that that country followed, and in a similar way, find what is best for Barbados. I believe that with openness, objectivity, and realistic timelines, it can be done!

 

S. Joel Warrican is a Professor of Education and the Director of the Caribbean Educational Research Centre at the University of the West Indies, Cave Hill.