The Democratic Labour Party (DLP) has slammed the government for a “dire state of neglect” in Barbados’ education system, accusing the Ministry of Education of failing students, teachers, and parents through poor planning, inadequate infrastructure, and lack of transparency.
Opposition spokesperson on education Felicia Dujon warned that ongoing issues, such as students forced into online learning and unsafe school conditions, could have devastating long-term consequences for the nation’s youth.
Speaking at a press conference on Monday, she zeroed in on issues at Grantley Adams Memorial School and St Luke’s Brighton Primary School which the Ministry of Education has been working to correct.
Addressing the situation at Grantley Adams Memorial School, where students were forced into online classes for the entire first term due to unresolved infrastructural problems, the DLP spokesperson expressed outrage at what she suggested was the government’s apparent indifference to the disruption this has caused.
“These students are being deprived because someone in the ministry did not believe it was important enough to ensure that those schools were prepared before students returned to school,” she charged.
Stressing that certain subjects, particularly technical and science-based courses, cannot be effectively taught online, Dujon added: “Students doing chemistry, technical drawing, or other hands-on subjects need to be in classrooms. They’re being deprived of critical components of their education.”
Dujon elaborated on the wider implications of prolonged online learning. “We have to look at the research and ask, are students actually learning the curriculum as they’re going along? Are they keeping up with their peers in other schools? This is a very concerning matter,” she said.
On the issue of St Luke’s Brighton Primary, Dujon highlighted the health and safety risks posed by inadequate maintenance. Teachers and students have reportedly fallen ill due to environmental conditions, raising alarm over the government’s commitment to providing a safe learning environment.
“We cannot have teachers and students falling ill at an institution that is governed by the government,” Dujon said. “When children and teachers are being sent into an unhealthy environment, then we have concerns.”
She also criticised the lack of accountability for school maintenance, questioning the roles of government agencies: “The questions we need to ask are: Who are the project managers responsible for the upkeep of the schools? The Ministry of Housing is also responsible for the upkeep of schools. What is happening in terms of these issues?”
“We’re seeing many of those challenges because the ministry did not take into consideration that they have to do constant maintenance of those schools,” Dujon added.
The DLP spokesperson warned that the government’s failures could have devastating long-term effects on students’ educational outcomes, particularly as many are already struggling to meet higher education prerequisites.
She also called on the ministry to conduct proper assessments to gauge the effectiveness of online learning and ensure that disadvantaged students are not left behind.
(RG)
