Blackman touts ambitious education overhaul as he heads to Parliament

Chad Blackman, the newly elected Member of Parliament for St James North who has returned as Minister of Educational Transformation, has set out a sweeping vision to modernise the island’s education system, vowing to move beyond colonial legacies and prepare students for the challenges of the 21st century.

His plans, unveiled on the steps of the House of Assembly after a decisive by-election victory, centre on strengthening literacy, numeracy, and global skills while reflecting Barbadian identity.

He said: “We have a system where we’ve inherited, largely, one that reflects a lot of British ideas. Not saying that they’re bad, not at all but it has to now reflect the interests of Barbadians, the vibrancy of Barbadians, our ideologies.”

The goal is to build an education system that produces confident, competitive, multilingual citizens who can “think on their feet and create global solutions anchored by what they’ve been taught and learned at school”, he added.

Blackman underscored the importance of strengthening basic skills in his broader plan for reform: “Numeracy is going to be a key thing.

“So whilst we’re doing a lot of the big endeavours, we also have to ensure that a lot of the basic things we can get right, so that we have a comprehensive education system that can prepare the country for the future.”

Blackman was speaking to reporters on Tuesday morning ahead of his first appearance in the House since winning last week’s St James North by-election with 84 per cent of the vote.

The moment was made more special as he was met with a warm welcome from students and supporters.

Several pupils, some in uniform and waving national flags, lined the Parliament courtyard to greet the first-time MP.

Among them were children from his alma maters, Shirley Chisholm Primary (formerly Vauxhall Primary) and Christ Church Foundation School, as well as students from Gordon Greenidge and St Alban’s Primary Schools.

They were joined by his parents, Delvin and Jacqueline Blackman, and supporters from his constituency, many of them decked out in Labour Party red to show their support.

In a symbolic gesture, deputy head girl of St Alban’s, Rakila Haynes, pinned a corsage to his lapel before he entered the lower chamber.

Blackman said: “It’s really a humbling feeling to be here. The process to get here was rigorous, but this now begins the formal side of representation, especially in the context of Parliament. I want to again thank the residents of St James North. They’ve placed significant confidence in me, and I don’t take that for granted.”

He said his constituency work has already begun: “I began hosting a clinic last week, meeting people, hearing their concerns, and starting to act on the plans we outlined. The mandate was clear. Now it’s time to deliver.”

Commenting on his previous role in the Senate, Blackman said the experience helped prepare him for the work ahead.

“I’ll miss the Senate, sure. But that helped prepare me. Now it’s time to represent the people who elected me.”

He noted the expectations placed on him, especially stepping into a seat long held by the Barbados Labour Party, but said he was ready.

“And I know what this means. It’s time to work,” he said. (SM)