EDITORIAL - Uplift school plants

Public schools will restart next week with teachers returning to the classroom on Monday January 9, and students on Tuesday January 10 for Term II of the academic school year. 

 

While kudos must be given to the Parent Teacher Associations (PTAs), individuals and even corporate entities who saw it fit to spruce up a few school plants over the holidays, it must be said that there are many more schools on the island that could truly do with an uplift or upgrade.

 

Perhaps the PTAs can join forces with alumni associations and the business community to do more to enhance the island’s educational institutions, as it is clear that Government cannot do it all. We are not even referring to the schools with continuing environmental problems, just school plants on the whole that look a bit run down and are in need of some level of maintenance.

 

Granted, numerous schools have been around ‘since Adam was a lad’ – whether at the primary or secondary level – and it is understandable that the plants will depreciate. However, Barbadians whose children stand to benefit from free education should not have to wait on the Government to make a decision as to when or if it will step in and have some work done on a school. Many of the school principals can take the bull by the horns and initiate some kind of drive to assist their schools. 

 

This is where the private sector can come in as well and adopt a school or two and assist with the process of upgrades. A splash of paint and a few changes to broken doors and windows can go a long way in making the infrastructure at some schools more appealing to the eye, and it can certainly help in enhancing the teaching and learning environment by making the school a more conducive place in which to do business.

 

There are many individuals and groups in Barbados that also utilise school facilities for various events – town hall meetings, branch meetings, dinners and social events etc. For sure, some of these people and groups can get together and encourage like-minded individuals to give back and ensure that the schools which aid in serving them, benefit financially or otherwise. Volunteers can work to upgrade the schools as well, once the nod is given by principals and Ministry officials. If the parents of the children who attend the schools are involved in a trade – carpentry, masonry, tiling, etc. – would it be so hard to encourage the willing ones to group up and spruce up the school plants? 

 

Whilst some persons may argue that the children aid in running down the facilities, you can be sure that if they are made to participate in a few of the beautification exercises, they may be more prone to protect their handiwork.

 

While it is clear that every single thing that needs fixing at a school cannot be achieved by asking community spirited people to volunteer, for sure, many can agree that if persons pool together and some private sector companies work alongside them, then Barbadians will have some success when it comes to enhancing the very institutions to which they send their children to spend most of their days. You can also be sure that teachers and other staff members at these institutions would also welcome the enhancements as well.

 

So in 2017, let’s puts hands and hearts together and do our part to uplift our school plants, rather than simply waiting on Government to take the lead.