New curriculum deferred as education reforms continue

The Ministry of Education Transformation will use the new school year beginning next month to prepare teachers and consult stakeholders before introducing a new curriculum, as it continues to roll out wider education reforms. 

With the 2026/2027 academic year less than three weeks away, Chief Education Officer Dr Ramona Archer-Bradshaw said the ministry had made “significant progress across the education system” over the past three years.

In a statement, she said: “More than 2 300 educators have been trained in areas including literacy, mathematics, digital learning, project-based learning, special education, social-emotional learning and assessment. More than 126 school leaders have also participated in leadership development focused on school improvement, strategic leadership, data use, quality assurance and behaviour management.”

As part of efforts to modernise the education system, Dr Archer-Bradshaw said the ministry had established the Digital Education Resource Unit and introduced digital learning resources such as BookFusion, describing the developments as “important steps in modernising how our students and teachers access and use learning resources”. 

She also reported progress on the National Teaching Standards, National Leadership Standards, Inclusive Education Policy, Curriculum Policy and revisions to the Education Act.

Dr Archer-Bradshaw highlighted infrastructure developments and early childhood education initiatives, including the Oceana Innovation Hub, The Climate School and school improvement projects.

“The Oceana Innovation Hub, The Climate School, school improvement initiatives and digital and physical upgrades are among the developments underway. We are also preparing for universal pre-primary education and have invested in teacher training and resources to strengthen play-based learning in early childhood settings.”

Turning to continuous assessment, Archer-Bradshaw explained that the proposed mechanism will form part of the Barbados National Assessment Framework, which is intended to provide a broader picture of student learning from nursery through secondary school.

“Continuous assessment is not an assessment tool in itself. It is a mechanism to support teaching and learning by providing information about student progress over time. This information can be gathered through a range of approaches, including tests, portfolios, projects, teacher observations, reflective journals and presentations.”

She noted that many of these approaches are already being used in schools.

“Many are already being used by teachers across our schools to support student learning. What will be different is how information gathered over time is used to support the transition from primary to secondary school. Under the proposed model, assessment information collected during the final two years of primary school will contribute to that transition.”

Dr Archer-Bradshaw said the ministry recognised that the success of assessment reform depended on the curriculum, teachers and students being adequately prepared.

Over the past year, the ministry had been reviewing and developing a curriculum intended to be more meaningful and relevant to students, while preparing them to become global citizens and remain rooted in Barbadian values, she said.

“The new curriculum places greater emphasis on critical thinking, communication, collaboration, confidence, creativity and problem-solving. These are skills our young people need not only to succeed academically, but to navigate an increasingly complex world.”

The chief education officer said the ministry would use the next academic year for consultation and preparation ahead of implementation of the new curriculum, whose introduction had previously been deferred. 

“We are therefore taking the next academic year to engage our stakeholders, complete the necessary preparation and ensure that our teachers are confident and adequately supported in delivering the new curriculum.”

She said the decision reflected the ministry’s commitment to ensuring “students… benefit from meaningful change, but we also want to ensure that the change is properly planned, understood, supported and sustainable”.

Dr Archer-Bradshaw said the ministry remained committed to creating “an education system that gives every child the opportunity to learn, grow and fulfil their potential”.

(LG)