Exam no-shows prompt DLP education overhaul call

A troubling trend of students failing to sit exams after paying for them suggests a need for a major overhaul of the education system if it is to be effective and proactive for students, the Democratic Labour Party’s spokesman on education declared on Friday.

Felicia Dujon made the comments in response to Major Michael Boyce, the principal of Deighton Griffith Secondary School, who called attention to the development.

Dujon criticised the Ministry of Education for a lack of strategic planning and an inadequate response to the lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on students.

She said: “We are nearly four years past the disruptions caused by the pandemic, yet the system continues to suffer from poor decision-making and underinvestment. What has happened to the students placed online from schools like Grantley Adams, closed due to environmental issues? Who is tracking their progress and ensuring they have the tools to succeed?”  

The DLP spokeswoman also said the recent closures of schools like Grantley Adams Secondary due to environmental problems reflected systemic neglect, adding that the sudden shift to online learning left many students without proper tools or support should be an area of major concern to all Barbadians.

“These closures aren’t isolated events – they’re symptoms of chronic neglect and poor maintenance,” she said. “Students are now struggling academically, emotionally, and socially. Their inability to sit exams confidently highlights a system that has failed to restore their trust and confidence.”

Dujon suggested that several changes should be brought forward, including implementing robust monitoring and evaluation systems to track student progress, particularly for those displaced by school closures, in a bid to return education to stability. She also called for the allocation of resources to maintain school environments and prevent closures owing to neglect, trained personnel and accessible technology in online learning, and psychological and academic counselling to rebuild students’ confidence and engagement.

She added: “The Ministry of Education must act now to prevent another generation from falling through the cracks. Our children deserve better, and the nation cannot afford further neglect of this critical issue.” (SB)