No teacher walkout at Frederick Smith, say ministry, BSTU

Claims that teachers at Frederick Smith Secondary School walked off the job on Monday have been firmly denied by the Barbados Secondary Teachers’ Union (BSTU), the school’s Board of Management, and the Ministry of Educational Transformation.

In a joint effort to clarify what transpired, all three bodies have insisted that the situation was handled collaboratively and that no walkout occurred.

This follows an earlier report by Barbados TODAY that stated teachers had left the compound amid concerns over ongoing construction. 

In a statement released Wednesday, the ministry said, “The Ministry of Educational Transformation stands with the Chairman of the Board of Management, Rev Dr John Rogers, and President of the Barbados Secondary Teachers’ Union, Mary-Anne Redman, in refuting these claims.”

“Agreement was reached on the way forward, which permitted the school to be closed over the next few days to allow the contractor the time requested to complete the necessary works to bring the premises up to standard with health and safety requirements.”

The ministry added that it continues to work closely with all education stakeholders to “ensure that teaching and learning can continue in environs that are fit for purpose”.

“The ministry… seeks to relieve teachers of any inference of them abandoning their commitment to the students, Principal and Board of Management at the school,” it added.

The BSTU, in a separate recorded statement, said the report caused “great consternation” among its members and clarified that teachers had met with the Board of Management on Monday morning.

According to the union, the school was formally dismissed after lunch to allow contractors the time needed to complete the work and for the cleaning process to be completed.

“There was no need for staff to walk off the job,” the union said. “The situation was handled effectively by the principal and deputy, as reported by the BSTU’s third vice-president, who was a teacher there and played a vital role in the resolution of the matter.”

The union also noted that the delays stemmed from deeper structural issues uncovered during the holiday repairs, which could not be effectively addressed in time for the scheduled reopening.

The school will remain closed for a few days while the necessary work continues. (SM)