BSTU: Call a meeting!

The Barbados Secondary Teachers’ Union (BSTU) is calling for a meeting with the Ministry of Education, Technological and Vocational Training without delay to discuss the reopening of schools.

President of the BSTU, Mary Redman explained that since the announcement that the start date of the second term would be pushed back on account of a spike in COVID-19 cases, the Union has had no discussions with the Ministry on the way forward. She indicated in an interview with The Barbados Advocate that while they were initially informed that there was to be a meeting last Tuesday, it never materialised.

“As a Union we are concerned that thus far the Ministry has not met with the teachers’ unions to discuss plans for this school term, since the disclosure of the increased infection rate in the country and the change in plans that had initially been discussed with us. The Ministry met with the principals in relation to what should happen this term and they were supposed to meet with us, but that has not happened up until now,” she said.

She made the point while noting that the last Government-related meeting the unions attended was with the Cabinet COVID-19 Sub-Committee, the day prior to the announcement of the cluster of cases at Her Majesty’s Prison Dodds and she noted what was discussed and agreed to then, will obviously change given the new circumstances regarding COVID-19 cases. With that in mind, she maintained that it is imperative that the teachers unions meet as soon as possible with the Ministry to come to an understanding for the way forward.

“There has been a total turnaround of what was initially proposed on the day we meet with the Cabinet COVID-19 Sub-Committee and since that change, there has been no meeting with the unions, and our members are very disturbed about that. Also as it relates to the organisation of school, principals are being left to organise in ways that differ from school to school and that is causing a bit of confusion in the system, even to the start date of classes,” she stated.

Redman said the BSTU is quite concerned that there does not seem to be any consensus between the Ministry and the principals as to when school will restart and what format it will take besides general online instruction.   

“That lack of uniformity caused a lot of problems in the third term of the last school year... There needs to be a single plan across the board and a plan that is realistic and practical and that does not disadvantage students or teachers,” she maintained.

The Union boss went on to say that with several exit exams on the horizon, including the 11 Plus and those administered by the Caribbean Examinations Council, it is vital that a plan is devised now with input from the teachers.

“The last school year we had, for all intents and purposes, consisted of two terms because that last term was supposed to have been revision and consolidation. Last term we lost two weeks and so far this term we are projected to lose two weeks, if the return date of January 18th is correct, but as a Union we still don’t know,” she stated.

The BSTU president’s comments came as she indicated that there are still teething problems regarding online teaching, adding that the “digital divide” has yet to be fully addressed. Redman indicated that there are still teachers and students who are without devices and connectivity.

“We have also the inability now to do the practical subjects and complete the school based assessments in the manner and timeframe that would normally be required. We have now the difficulty of completing the syllabi given the approaches to teaching and learning that we now have to use, and coupled with all that is the psychosocial impact of this pandemic to deal with, because more families are directly impacted,” she stated.

Even more concerning, Redman said, is that it is unclear whether the new strain that is said to be more contagious is present in Barbados. But even if it is not, she stated that with the increased number of cases, there are implications for returning to face-to-face instruction as was planned. Such, she noted, could put students and teachers with vulnerabilities at risk.

“There are a whole set of variables we need to meet with the Ministry and have a conversation about. I think such discussions would also have to include the parents and so the NCPTA [National Council of Parent Teacher Associations] should also be involved,” she added. (JRT)