FOD calls for year-round student support

The opposition Friends of Democracy Party (FOD) has urged the government to match back-to-school celebrations with sustained support for students, citing school-maintenance failures, assistance for neurodivergent students and unanswered questions over nursery registration.

In a message for the new academic year, education spokesperson Patricia White said: “As you begin a new school year, I encourage you to do so with pride, confidence, and a renewed sense of purpose.

“Do not allow your circumstances to limit your dreams or define your future. Your present situation is not your final destination.”

But White also raised concerns about administrative shortcomings, infrastructure failures and long-term support for vulnerable children.

While acknowledging the welcome celebrations across schools, White questioned in comments to Barbados TODAY whether the festivities would translate into meaningful assistance for neurotypical and neurodivergent pupils alike.

“I love the whole shebang with the stiltwalkers and the music, but I also need them to focus on guaranteeing that they will give the children the support that they require all throughout the school year,” she said. “My central concerns are really how this will translate into tangible and sustainable support for students who are struggling with conditions like ADHD.”

White criticised the administration over ongoing school-maintenance issues, pointing to the immediate closure of Wesley Hall Primary School due to unfinished refurbishments and rodent infestations.

“Children deserve better than to be delayed in their return to school or pushed to another campus due to delays in refurbishment.

“Every year this happens. By now, the government should have established a preventative maintenance programme that reduces the likelihood of these displacements.”

She called for a rigorous auditing process to track contractor progress throughout the summer break, rather than waiting to inspect until the eve of the school term.

But the government’s new national breakfast programme earned the FOD spokeswoman’s praise: “Many students have gone to school on empty stomachs in the past, and you simply cannot learn or focus if you are hungry. A nutritious meal gives them a solid start to the day. I just hope it works out well and remains sustainable.”

She urged the Ministry of Education to clarify the operational framework of its Universal Access to Education policy, noting that details surrounding nursery registration remain unclear.

“While I welcome the initiative, we are still completely lost on the administrative framework surrounding it,” White said. “Research clearly shows that children who enter nursery or preschool at an early age are far better equipped to succeed later in life, but we need full transparency on how this will work practically.” (RR)