Students attending the University of the West Indies (UWI) may now apply for a loan from the Student Revolving Loan Fund (SRLF) to finance the tuition cost of their programme.

This follows the Government’s decision to stop paying tuition costs for UWI students, which takes effect in September.

However, administrative manager Roslyn Shepherd has pointed out that the amount which can be approved for each loan is determined by the tuition cost of the specific programme being pursued.

“In the case of UWI students these limits are tied to the tuition costs of the various faculties.”

She said “continuing students at the UWI with existing loans from the SRLF may also apply for additional funds to cover their tuition costs”.

Stressing the need for prospective applicants to start applying early, the administrative manager, said: “The SRLF approves loans for the entire study period but disburses the loan in equal amounts over the period of study.  Early submission of applications is encouraged to facilitate timely processing and disbursement of funds to learning institutions.”

(BGIS/KJ)

Government will develop a blueprint to reform science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education across the system.

Dr Esther Byer-Suckoo

Minister of Labour, Social Security and Human Resource Development Senator Dr Esther Byer-Suckoo made this disclosure today during the opening ceremony for the Barbados Human Resource Development Action Planning Workshops in the Bridgetown Conference Room, Baobab Towers, Warrens, St Michael.

The minister pointed to the need to create a culture of research, innovation and entrepreneurship as a key component of the ministry’s Human Resource Strategy.

“STEM education opens new opportunities for innovation and can also generate new high-end jobs,” she said. “This strategy therefore, seeks to facilitate the development of highly skilled researchers, entrepreneurs and innovators.”

“To accomplish this, a blueprint will be developed to reform science, technology, engineering and mathematics or STEM education from the primary to the tertiary level and in continuing education. Government will also facilitate entrepreneurship education at all levels, provide for business incubation and encourage research,” Byer-Suckoo said.

The minister said the success of these particular initiatives would require a behavioural and cultural change and lamented that too many Barbadians do not now see themselves as entrepreneurs, innovators or researchers.

“Training interventions will be needed to . . . effect the necessary ‘mindset’ change which, ultimately, will allow us to achieve the overall goal of increased competitiveness,” Byer-Suckoo emphasised.

The minister spoke to the importance of public/private partnerships as it related to Government’s national human resource development and stressed to paticipants that “this week’s activity will form an important phase in developing strong linkages as you collectively seek to examine the current problems and opportunities and to chart a clear path forward in developing the human capital in Barbados”.

The workshops which began today will conclude on Friday, May 23.

Commercial banks in Barbados have come to the rescue of the hundreds of students who are likely to have problems with the payment of full tuition fees at the Cave Hill Campus of the University of the West Indies and may have to abandon their studies there.  

Students will have to pay tuition fees of between $5,625 and $16,618 annually, depending on the field of study, beginning September, following Government’s decision to only pay economic costs for Barbadians.

But the banks have intervened with the introduction of special funding packages and loan arrangements that include financial planning from nursery to tertiary.  And at least one bank is already reporting a “flood” of responses from families of unemployed students as well as part-time students who are working.

“The response has been fantastic. We have been receiving calls almost every day through our call centre; people have been visiting the branches,” CIBC FirstCaribbean International Bank Manager of Sales and Business Development for Retail Banking, Gregory Blackman told Barbados TODAY this afternoon.

“We have been pairing these students and parents and guardians with lenders and we have been giving people the guidance that they need in order to make that next step and put the arrangements in place to ensure the financing is not an obstacle when the new semester starts in August of this year,” he added.

He disclosed that his bank was offering a customised loan where the borrower has the option of paying only the interest during the period of study and then after graduation, is given an additional three months to start repaying both principal and interest combined.

“Our product is flexible in that it gives the client also the option to determine if they want to pay both…from day one; but it’s structured in this way, so it’s more affordable during the study period, that they can just chose to pay interest and it gives the client up to 10 years. So it’s an extended repayment period which tend to keep the payments low and affordable,” the CIBC FirstCaribbean International Bank manager added.

Blackman added his institution also gives advice to these clients on the kinds of loans that best suit their pockets.

His bank was one of the commercial financial entities which had been called in by the Cave Hill Campus management to make presentations to students.

Republic Bank was also one of those entities and its General Manager for Retail Banking Wavey Nicholls said it has a special window for tertiary education.

She said the bank has a loan repayment arrangement that makes it affordable for students to borrow.

“As far as the payment package referred to, there are loans…small loans that would fit into our regular loan package. So if anyone wanted loans in the region of $6,000 to $10,000…right now we have a package out there where they could borrow within that package and use it for education purposes,” Nicholls pointed out.

The bank executive revealed, too, that the bank had a loan facility where students or their families who borrow would have a moratorium on repayment.

“We have a moratorium period similar to the student revolving loan . . . but much more attractive where we will waive principal payment until the end of studies,” noted Nicholls.

Republic Bank’s senior manager for retail banking Sharon Zephirin added that they had a student suite that goes beyond loans into financial advice for saving and financial discipline.

She gave the assurance that her institution handled these clients on a case-by-case basis to ensure they were provided with the most affordable solutions to their funding challenges.

RBC Royal Bank is also providing a tertiary education loan facility, specially designed for students as well as a professional package catering to students pursuing professional designation.

Like other banks, RBC is partnering with the UWI to deal with the financing for the students.  First Citizens Bank is also offering an educational loan with low interest rates, deferred payment options and a repayment grace period following graduation. 

emmanueljoseph@barbadostoday.bb

In another two years, children between the ages of three and 11 will have access to their own museum.

Deputy director of the Museum and Historical Society, Kevin Farmer, made this disclosure yesterday while speaking at a press briefing at the office of the Minister of Culture, Sports and Youth Affairs, Sky Mall, Haggatt Hall, St Michael.

Minister of Culture, Sports and Youth Affairs Stephen Lashley in discussion with director of the Museum and Historical Society, Alisandra Cummins in discussion.

He stressed that once adequate space is found to house the museum, the youth should have their museum in time for the country’s 50th Anniversay of independence in 2016.

Earlier, Farmer presented Minister of Culture, Sports and Youth Affairs Stephen Lashley with a copy of “Plantation to Nation-Caribbean Museums and National Identity”.

Director of the Museum and Historical Society, Alisandra Cummins, presented Lashley with a copy of Volume 1 of the Journal Of The Barbados Museum And Historical Society which was published in November 1933, The current copy marks the 80th anniversay of the Museum and Historical Society.

Education and training institutions across Barbados will have to comply with specific standards when the national qualification framework is set up within the next year to address some  existing weaknesses.

The framework forms the second pillar of the Barbados Human Resource Development Strategy which is being funded by the              European Union.

The national qualifications framework is a mechanism by which national qualification will be recognized. It will require learning institutions to clearly outline various descriptions and levels of  those qualifications.

Valda Alleyne

During a media conference today at the Baobab Tower, Valda Alleyne, chairperson for the committee set up to oversee the process, explained that one of the main objectives was to allow Barbadians to use their qualifications to obtain employment regionally and internationally. It is hoped that it would also encourage continuous learning.

Alleyne, who is also the executive director of the Barbados Accreditation Council (BAC), said the task, which was being carried out in conjunction with the Ministry of Labour and other stakeholders, was at the design and development stage.

A group of consultants are currently carrying out consultancy work and the framework is expected to be ready by the middle of 2015. A national register is to be established a year later.

“The national qualification framework will mean that the training provider will have to be registered in order for their qualifications to be placed on the national qualification register,” explained Alleyne.

The framework will require training providers to outline certain specifics including enrolment numbers, a written mission statement, expected outputs at the learning and occupational levels, as well as clear definition of the various qualifications.

The framework will also address the issue of quality assurance.

“That is where the national quality framework will be critical in determining what is a Bachelor’s degree, what is a certificate, what is an Associate degree and what it means. It will be critical for all those qualifications to be described . . . . All of those requirements will be needed in terms of determining that qualification. And so, the providers must be registered . . . so the quality framework will set the descriptors,” said Alleyne.

She said the framework would also address matters relating to the approval process.

“That is also another quality assurance process where providers, before they deliver a new prgramme to the public, are expected to submit an application indicating the programme they will be offering, the level, the specifications of that programme in terms of the qualification to be award,” Alleyne added.

“It will be grounded in law. It will be legally grounded so that persons are forced . . . to comply.

“In Barbados you may find that persons go to a provider and pay their fees and they do not even get a leaflet saying what are the [expected] learning outcomes. Certainly the national qualification framework will address that… what are the learning outcomes, what you are expected to attain at the end of the day, what is the award, what the certificate is going to look like, who will award it, the awarding body. All of that is important. So there is room for improvement and we believe that the providers will get there,” she added.

Funding for the National Summer Camp Programme has been slashed, with the programme getting only a quarter of its usual budget this year. This means not only will the number of camps be reduced and their duration cut, but there will be no free meals.

But Minister of Youth, Culture and Sports, Stephen Lashley has offered the assurance that there will be no compromise in providing “a quality camp experience”.

Stephen Lashley

He announced at a Press conference this morning at his ministry’s Sky Mall, Haggatt Hall headquarters, that Government’s 2014 National Summer Camp Programme which has been under scrutiny, has taken a 80 per cent budget cut, getting only $700,000 this time around, compared to the $3.5 million which was allocated in 2013.

As a result, there will be 46 camps, down from 64 last year, all opening their doors for five weeks, and not six weeks as was the case in 2013.

“The provision of meals, which would have been provided through the caterers employed under the National Summer Camp Programme, represents that largest element of expenditure . . .  and unfortunately, this year, we are not in a position to provide those meals. That is a major change,” Lashley said.

He however pointed out that if there was a demand for prepared meals, arrangements would be made for campers to purchase their lunches.

“Based on the results of the registration process, we would then allocate an approved caterer . . . and, of course, we intend to manage the process where the meals, once there are required, will be produced at a reasonable rate,” Lashley explained.

Meantime he has assured more direct involvement in the camps by the staff of the Division of Youth in his ministry.

To this end, a committee, headed by the Director of Youth Affairs Cleviston Hunte, has been established and will be responsible for the management of the camps.

“All persons who are working in the Division of Youth will be deployed in very central ways in terms of ensuring the management and integrity of our camps,” Lashley stressed, adding that the hiring of camp directors and camp assistants had not been impacted by the budget constraints and persons recruited to work within the camps would be trained and required to adhere to the camp manual.

“There will be no compromise to the quality of our camps this year; we intend to provide a camp experience that is at a very high level. We have focused a lot of attention in previous years to exposing our young people to educational tours; this year that will still be a major component,” he added.

The minister said the majority of camps would accommodate children ages four to 12 and offer a variety of activities such as sports, culture, science and technology, personal development and social education in areas such as HIV awareness and drug abuse.

Specialised camps will also be offered again this year for children ages 13 to 15.

The camps will run from July 14 to August 15. (BGIS/RG)

Storytelling, a traditional teaching tool, should be practised in all nursery, primary and secondary schools across Barbados.

This is what Joy Adamson, senior education officer in the Ministry of Education, advocated as she delivered remarks at the St Boniface Nursery School’s Adventures In Storyland Book Character Day this morning.

Adamson noted that while many students were distracted by technology, and some even no longer favoured traditional books, it was important that the art of storytelling remained in the island’s school system.

She said storytelling transformed students, allowing their imagination to be expanded, improved memory and listening skills, and also taught them morals, standards, conflict resolution and life expectations, from an early age.

“Storytelling also introduces new vocabulary and we saw it demonstrated here this morning because the children were able to use different words and different terms. Through using the books that we have in our schools, even from the local folklore, you can get the children to learn new words and learn them in context,” she said.

Adamson added: “I think that we stress too much that we must be able to spell the word before we can use it. But as long as they understand the word and they understand the context which you should use the word, that is something that we want to encourage.”

The education officer also urged parents to continuously encourage their charges to read books.

During the session, the students of the St James school were dressed in various costumes, dramatizing story themes that included The Delightful Dalmatians, The Gingerbread Kids, The Rainbow  Kids, The Royal Kids, The Cheerful Chicks and The Celestial Care Bears.

Teacher Lydia Husbands-Browne was a “princess” today as she and her class told the story of The Royal Kids.

From the constant clapping and laughter, it was evident the audience thoroughly enjoyed and appreciated the students’ versions of the stories.

Giving an overview of the project, which was incorporated into the school’s Child Month activities, teacher Lydia Husbands-Browne explained that each story was selected to reflect a particular moral that the teacher wanted to highlight as it was sought to engage students, motivate, inspire learning, develop creative talents, encourage self-expression and foster a link between written and spoken language.

“Students learnt concepts such as the back and the front of a book. In terms of storytelling, they learnt the beginning, the middle and the ending of a story. Students
were taught about the characters of each book, they learnt about the books in terms of emotional aspects, if a character was happy, sad, glad, excited or even surprised. Students took the opportunity to repeat their favourite phrase from the story . . . ,” said Husbands-Browne.

Dozens of residents attended the retirement celebration held in honor of Winston Crichlow.

Educators across Barbados have officially bid farewell to their colleague Winston Crichlow, who has retired from the service after around 43 years.

Minister of Education Ronald Jones, was among those who spoke glowingly of the contributions of the Harrison College

Minister of Education Ronald Jones.

principal, who was hospitalised last year due to illness.

“Thank you for your contribution to education; thank you for giving of yourself,” the minister said during the retirement celebration held tonight at the Savannah Beach Hotel that was attended by dozens of people.

Chairman of the school’s board of management, Novaline Brewster, traced some of Crichlow’s achievements, including in the area of academics.

He should be justly proud, she said, adding that the retired principal was “A true leader and a decent human being.”

The Barbados Community College is no stranger to the BMEX stage as the talent of the institution has been showcased at a high level at the Expo over the years. Whether it is dance, music, art or fashion the BCC has always proudly delivered.

This year, members of the Bachelor in Fine Arts (BFA) Programme will take the mantle and demonstrate the benefits gained and the skills acquired from exposure to such a programme. The BFA degree in Graphic Design is a three year programme for students who are familiar with the elements of art and design. The programme aims to develop a personal design portfolio and the skills and abilities to engage confidently, proficiently and successfully within the graphic design industry and related areas of employment. Students must also develop critical and analytical problem solving skills as well as other transferable skills to prepare them for general graduate employment.

BCC students (left to right) Alan Lewis, Darien Cadogan, Elan Marie Jordan, Emmanuel Hunte and Roge Padmore.

Some of the work which will be on display at BMEX 2014 include a Coffee Book compilation of 13 Caribbean Folklore cultural characters such as Soucouyant and Heartman. Entitled Phantom Haven the bookpromotes and shines a divine perspective on legendary Caribbean folklore spirits.

Also on show will be a selection of toys and other graphic work.

“The programme advocates a strong work ethic, incorporated with experimentation and risk taking of ideas and materials” noted Ms. Shelly Mayers of the BCC. “It emphasizes imagination and enhanced individual expression through a variety of exercises using type and image. Students are exposed to theory as well as a range of production and media techniques that provides more scope in how work is executed. It also provides opportunities for the student to work on live projects in the field of design as well as participate in competitions.” Ms. Mayers added.

Many are seeing the value of this BCC programme and corporate Barbados is providing its support. Caribbean Label Craft for example, recently provided a scholarship for one student and this has been well received by the College.

“In 2014 we are pleased with our new partnership with Caribbean Label Crafts.” noted Ms Mayers “This scholarship is targeted at a first year student of the BFA and will assist them over the next two years. This scholarship will ease the burden with regards to printing and materials and design research.” She added.

Kwame Francis, winner of the first scholarship launched in 2014 (left), Greg Coles, Sales Director from Caribbean Label Craft (centre) and Shelly Mayers, Course Coordinator of the BFA programme in Graphic Design (right).

Caribbean Label Craft is also a sponsor of BMEX 2014 and so already has a strong tie to the Expo.

In true partnership, the musical talent of the BCC students will also be on show when the Expo hosts its official Opening Ceremony on June 6th, 2014. Guests will experience the dynamism of this five-person musical group as they move across genres from Pop to Caribbean music. Artistes will include Elan Marie Jordan on steel pan, Emmanuel Hunte on guitar, Roge Padmore on keyboard, Alan Lewis on bass and Darien Cadogan on drums.

Pay up or be named and shamed publicly. Minister of Education Ronald Jones issued the strong warning this morning to defaulters of the Student Revolving Loan Fund (SRLF), among them doctors, nurses and lawyers, who owe a whopping $28 million.

Speaking at a Press conference this morning, Jones put defaulters on notice that he intended to direct the SRLF management to take action if they did not begin coming in to settle their debt.

“You were facilitated; pay it back! Otherwise, I’m going to instruct or direct the chairman of the Student Revolving Loan Fund to put everyone of those names out in the papers because when people are nice to you and genuine, then you can’t be stabbing them in their backs by withholding the moneys,” the minister said.

“A word of warning to the wise must be enough. Pay back the money that you borrow. It’s unfair to guarantors, who might have reached [retirement] who’re living off their pension and for you to expect that they should pay because you’re not paying.”

Administrative manager Roslyn Shepherd said the fund had offered amnesty and worked out payment plans with defaulters, rather than opting to go the route of the court, which took longer.

The fund collected $95 million between 2004 and up to this period, with sureties paying less than one per cent of that amount. Shepherd also reported a 100 per cent increase in the number of people applying for loans since recent changes were instituted to facilitate students studying at the University of the West Indies, Cave Hill.

To help cope with the financing demand from the fund, Government has begun talks with the Caribbean Development Bank and the Inter-American Development Bank to
secure enough financing to cover a six-year period.

In the meantime, the Minister of Education said Government was changing the legislation governing the fund to facilitate people who were unable to meet the requirement for guarantors.

Asked if this measure would not compound the problems for the SRLF, Jones responded:  “We have been speaking with other countries . . . as to how to get the moneys back. We can’t go into the details, but there are some countries that can track you 6,000 miles away from your homeland; and inter-governmental cooperation, inter-agency cooperation, inter-employer cooperation, Barbados Revenue Authority to track you down, so that the funds are repaid.”
carolwilliams@barbadostoday.bb

Here is the list of the top 17 performers in the 2014 Common Entrance Exam, provided at a Press conference this morning at the Ministry of Education:

Jaimie-Lynn Taitt Gibson               Charles F Broome                 248.77 A   (TOP GIRL)

Kacie Corbin                                        St Winifred’s                          248.77 A   (TOP GIRL)

Yohance Lewis                                   St Cyprian’s                             248.77 A    (TOP BOY)

Thelema Grannum                           Hillaby Turner’s Hall            248.05 A

Shamoya Carty                                  Wills Primary School            248.05 A

Vanati Melwani                                St Angela’s                               246.76 B

Rheanna King                                   Eagle Hall Primary               246.63 A

Abeo Edinboro                                  St Winifred’s                            246.61 B

Aisha Waterman                              St Gabriel’s                                246.48 A

Shaliyah Wood                                 Wesley Hall                               246.04 A

Leonard O’Garro                              St Gabriel’s                                246.04 A

Abigail Davis                                    Christ Church Girls                 246.04 B

Teshara Walton                              George Lamming Primary     245.91 A

Jamilah Best                                    Hindsbury Primary                  245.91 A

Gavin Pennegan                             Charles F Broome                     245.89 A

Terren Jeyakumar                          Providence Elementary           245.89 A

Micheala Ward                             Providence Elementary            245.89 A

   Mathematics teachers have been put on notice that they have to go back to the classroom to upgrade their teaching skills because, as far as the Minister of Education is concerned, they’re not up to scratch.

  Ronald Jones said today he was dissatisfied with both students’ performance in this year’s 11-Plus mathematics exam and the way the subject was being taught in primary schools.

He expressed his concern and outlined the way forward at a Press conference this morning at his ministry, where he announced the exam results, including that Jaimie-Lynn Taitt Gibson, of Charles F Broome Memorial School; Kacie Corbin, of St Winifred’s School; and Yohance Lennox Frank Lewis, of St Cyprian’s Boys’ School, all scored 248.77 and an A in the exam to tie for top spot this year.

Jones said the ministry would be getting retired teachers involved in helping the current crop of educators to up their game and deliver mathematics “more dynamically, more assertively, so that some of the challenges which students encounter in the mathematics paper would disappear over time”.

The average score for mathematics this year was 57.6 per cent, which was marginally better than last year’s 55.4 per cent, but still worse than in 2012 and 2011 when the average score was 58.73 per cent and 60.92 per cent respectively.

Jones wants to see the average mark move to at least 70 per cent over the next two to three years.

“Teachers can prepare themselves for workshops over the next year or two, led by very competent deliverers of mathematics within the school system; and we will also look at maybe some specialization at the level of the primary school to ensure that students actually get the best teachers in the teaching of mathematics,”
he announced.

“We have had some offers by some very competent maths persons; they are retired now. We are going to bring them on board to go out into our schools, work with our teachers, lift the standard up. We can’t be satisfied that the mean is as it is,” the minster added, insisting that the performance this year had nothing to do with any particular “shock or surprise” in the exam paper since it has been set consistently over the last five years.

The minister also questioned whether diagnostic testing was being done, as required, in the schools.

“We applied the criterion reference test, which is a diagnostic test at Infants B and at Class 2. Therefore, the question must be asked: ‘what happens in our schools where a diagnostic test is in fact done, where you see the areas of difficulty?’ From Infants B when the child moves to Class 1, that is where all those corrective measures should have been put in place.”

“And then in Class 2 you do another diagnostic test to check to see if, in fact, they were corrected. It appears as if this is not happening and . . . we have to take a more determined and deliberate view, action in relation to what is happening in some of our schools,” he added.

Meanwhile, the minister pointed out that the maths problem was not unique to Barbados, noting that across the region there had been efforts to lift the standards in other Caribbean countries.

Jones said that 22 of the 3,729 students who sat the May 6 exam gained 100 percent in maths this year, which was slightly below the 30 pupils of two years ago.

As for the English, Jones said that of the 13 top performers, Rheanna King, from Eagle Hall, was the only one to score 100 per cent, with seven others getting 99 and the rest 98.

The minister said 96.3 per cent of the students were allocated to public secondary schools, using scientific means, while the others were manually allocated by the Ministry of Education, based on space availability.

Addressing the issue of parents seeking reallocation for their children, the minister said he expected parents to still be “bombarding the ministry” for reallocations “based on all kinds of theories”, but they would have little chance of getting their way.

“Every year I say it, and I can’t miss out saying this year. When the allocation is made, it is done scientifically, based on parental choice, and based on the capacity of the school to carry the numbers allocated,” asserted Jones, warning that parents who still request reallocation had only a “0.5 per cent” chance of that being honoured because there was simply no space.

Parents have until Friday at 4 p.m. to make their requests.

TOP GIRL – Charles F. Broome’s Jaimie-Lynn Taitt Gibson (centre) sharing her proud moment with teacher Carol Applewhite (left) and mum Carol Nicholls.

TOP BOY – Yohance Lewis of St Cyprian’s Primary could not believe his eyes when his dad O’Reilly presented him with his Common Entrance Exam results this afternoon.

TOP GIR L- St Winifred’s Kacie Corbin also scored 248.77 A to share in the top honours. Here, her principal Tony McConney looks on with pride, as Kacie is unable
to conceal her excitement.

emmanueljosephbarbadostoday.bb

An educator of 41 years is warning that the block and ghetto culture is taking over many of the island’s schools, with students as young as 12 on “a steady diet of marijuana” while their hunger for learning fades.

Principal Matthew Farley.

Outgoing principal of the Graydon Sealy Secondary School, Matthew Farley, raised the concern as he reported that school environments had become more hostile to teachers and principals, many of whom felt helpless to maintain control, and the police have had to be called in regularly to quell disturbances.

Addressing the St Lawrence Primary School graduation ceremony at the Accra Beach Hotel today, Farley said the parents of those troubled children had thrown their hands up in despair, leaving the education system to deal with their charges.

“There are 15 to 20 students in every secondary school who should not be in a mainstream school, because they defy the authority of teachers, of principals.

“Every day, my colleagues and I have to confront students between 12 and 16 who are on a steady diet of marijuana, who test as high as 200 and 300 and 400 and 900 nanograms per millimetre of urine. All we can do is send the students to the Edna Nicholls Centre for two weeks and they return to our schools and continue to feed themselves on marijuana, dose after dose,” he lamented.

“They are characterized by a violent aggression that drives fear in teachers, principals, security guards and everybody on the compound. Members of the Royal Barbados Police Force are called to many of our secondary schools regularly to . . . break up or avert fights and disturbances which may include weapons. Many teachers fear for their physical safety and for their property, as both male and female students threaten them to their faces that they would knock them down, shoot them, burn down their houses,” Farley added.

To support his point, he told the audience that two days ago he told a troublemaker at his school to hand over a cellular phone he was using “to bully first formers” and the boy not only refused but told him: “I is a different breed.”

Farley said that in spite of the best efforts by the Erdiston Teachers’ College, many teachers who come into primary and secondary schools are ill-equipped to handle these types               of students.

The principal, who will retire in August, also blamed parents for the problems facing the island’s children, saying that many of them paid no attention to what was happening to their sons and daughters in school.

He said while the majority of parents were “generally compliant and supportive of our schools”, the majority were not interested in Parent-Teacher Associations (PTAs) and “show little interest beyond what happens at the age of 11 and what happens at 16”.

“Many of our school-age girls are being sexually molested and ravished and robbed of their innocence at the hands of adults in their families and their communities. The repercussions of this show up in classrooms, and sometimes teachers are the only refuge to whom they have to turn. Very often mothers who should protect them are prepared to sacrifice their own flesh and blood on the altar of convenience and the almighty dollar,” Farley added.

While acknowledging that there were no quick fixes or any magic wand to wave the problems away, the long-standing educator made several suggestions that would lead to an improvement in the current state of affairs, including that: a counsellor and social worker be on staff at every primary school; each co-educational secondary school have two counsellors and ready access to social workers and psychologists beyond what is currently available; a second deputy principal be assigned to primary and secondary schools with rolls above 700; corporal punishment be retained as one of a range of behavioural management strategies alongside self-esteem-oriented building approaches; additional personnel, trained to deal with adolescents, be placed on school buses; and the establishment of an alternative, residential institution with psychologists, psychiatrists and social workers to accommodate students in every secondary school who are presenting major challenges to school management.

nevilleclarkebarbadostoday.bb 

Parents of students at the Ann Hill School have been urged by an education official to speak out and challenge the authorities where necessary to get the best for their children.

Education Officer in the Ministry of Education, Science, Technology and Innovation, Kaye Sargeant, gave the advice at this morning’s graduation ceremony at the Pine Hill, St Michael institution that caters to secondary school-age children with developmental delays and other disabilities.

Sargeant noted that many times there were people who complained about various situations even though the power to make change rested inevitably with them.

“[But] parents, teachers cannot do it alone. You must always work in collaboration with your class teacher. Support one another in the best interest of your child. You have been given the joy, the job, the time to raise a very special child, and some of your students are going onto further education and are going to encounter further challenges.

“We all know that this really is the beginning of their challenged life, as they enter into the outside world . . . without the support of the school and their teachers. For you parents, sometimes it may be very daunting as you think about what’s next. This is why I urge you to be the advocate on the behalf of your child. Challenge the authority . . . in a peaceful manner,” Sargeant said, while urging them not to depend solely on Government.

“Knock on the doors, pound on the pavements, ask that question. You sometimes need to ask that question. What can I have for my child? I always feel that parents are the strongest persons to advocate for their children. You know the challenge they face. You know what they need,” the official stressed.

Meanwhile, speaking to the theme Tomorrow’s Journey Begins Today, Reverend Adrian Smith of the Calvary Moravian Church beseeched the students to hold their heads up high and shun negativity.

Drawing reference to Psalm 1, he told then to take a step away from all of the negative people, “all those who would want to label you and say that you can’t”.

“You need to pull yourself away from persons who would always want to keep you down and tell you that you can’t; or look down on you because of what they think about you. I meet so many persons who are living under the shadow of what everybody else thinks of them.

“But you need to recognize that God said that you are wonderful, you are beautiful, you are special and you can do anything you want to do. You just have to put your heads to it and really work hard at it,” he added.

As the world becomes increasingly smaller, it has become even more competitive.

So, the staff at the Good Shepherd Primary School are aiming to prepare their students for that competitive environment by equipping them with the necessary tools to navigate.

And what better way to do that than to equip the students with a foreign language.

Today, that language was showcased when a Spanish Day was held at the school in Fitts Village, St James. And by the songs, dance, as well as displays exhibited this afternoon, it appears the school is making strides in this effort.

Principal Monica Walton told Barbados TODAY that activities such as today’s exhibition not only showcased the students’ talents but also their handle on the
course of study.

Principal Monica Walton made sure she too learnt about the different spanish speaking countries.

She emphasized that it was vital the children absorbed the language more often, and not just at the weekly sessions with Spanish facilitator Alexander Yearwood. So there are also charts and other displays of items from countries like Mexico, Columbia, Puerto Rico, Cuba and Argentina to immerse the students in the language.

“We are living in a bilingual society. If we want to communicate with our counterparts in the Caribbean, people from Cuba, people from Miami, Buenos Aires, Mexico, Colombia . . . we have got to know their language in as much as they have to learn ours. So that is why we have consistently persisted and pursued the teaching of Spanish here at Good Shepherd Primary School,” Walton said.

“It is extremely essential when we are grooming our children, we are grooming them for life. We are not grooming our children just to stay in Barbados. There are lots of transient families; people migrate, people travel, people move from location to location, based on work opportunities, based on relatives; they relocate all the time and based on all of those things we have got to equip our children with the languages. Young children, especially, learn languages very quickly and it is best for us to expose these children when they are relatively young to the language, so that when they go to secondary school they would have already had some foundation with regards to the teachings of the language,” she added.

Today’s showcase also featured tasty foods from Spanish-speaking countries.

Listening intently to all that is being taught.

Cuban Consul Orestes Hernandez was also present and gave the students some insightful information about Cuba, Cuban cartoons, food, music, dance, as well as the history behind the making of the Cuban flag.

Minister of Education Ronald Jones has accused adults of hypocrisy in not accepting responsibility for many of the problems facing the country’s students.

Jones levelled the charge today at the start of a two-day education conference that brings together industry stakeholders, including students, to look at ways to address deviant behaviour in schools, and chart the future of the sector.

“How many of us are guilty of making the already vulnerable desperate? Ask the question. How many of us in the brutality of our words destroy whatever little glimmer was trying to show through? Ask the question.

“It might not be you; but you can rest assured there will be somebody, somewhere, destroying that little light that is trying to show through; and in our hypocrisies we ask ourselves, ‘How de yute get so?’

“The youth get so because we made them so,” Jones told participants of the conference being held at the Lloyd Erskine Sandiford Centre.

The minister encouraged students to speak frankly about the issues affecting them without the fear of reprisal.

“Don’t hold back; speak the truth. God will bless you. Free yourself of what has been bothering you for years . . . . Tell your principals how you feel, with respect,” he advised.

The minister suggested that lack of consistent action had led to failures in the system, and promised that the conference, being held under the theme Facing Tomorrow With Today’s Students, would not be a one-off. At the same time, he sounded a warning that deviant behaviour in schools could not be allowed to hold the education system to ransom.

“Some of our teachers have been targets of violent acts within our schools, and we need to ensure that the educators and the delivery of the educational product are protected from the agents of deviance,” he said in a statement.

Chief Education Officer Laurie King too noted the apparent increase in bullying, and deviant as well as sexual misbehaviour among students.

“These behaviours result in the loss of valuable teaching and learning time. Discipline is the degree of order which is necessary for teachers to get on with the business of teaching and learning,” he said.

King said it was also time to stop the blame game and finger-pointing, and urged all stakeholders to accept responsibility for what is happening with students.

“The education of our young charges must been seen as the collective responsibility of all stakeholders if we are to develop strategies to ensure that we maximize the benefits or our education system. It is against this background that we feel it necessary to forge ahead with a comprehensive, coordinated and multi-sector plan to address these issues,” King said.

A retired secondary school principal is warning that unless Barbados goes back to at least single-sex classes, countless more Barbadian males will be “lost”. Desmond Browne, who has been named among nine Barbadians in the 2014 Queen’s Birthday Honours List, described co-education as a scourge to Barbados’ males.

In an interview with Barbados TODAY, he said it would be better for all involved if there were separate schools or classes for boys and girls, and questioned why there could not be a school to take in boys who scored a raw score of between 75 and 100 per cent in the Common Entrance Exam and another specifically for girls who fell into that category.

“I’m a believer in single-sex education. I don’t support co-education; I never have. Though I went to a co-ed school, over time I have come to support single-sex [education] because I think it is better. All the research on human development and human maturation suggests that boys and girls learn at different rates and different styles, and therefore when they are brought together I think it is boys who are disadvantaged,” said Browne who was principal at the Lodge School and then the St Leonard’s Boys’ School before retiring in 2008.

“I would like to see not necessarily every school as single sex [but] it should be an option. Provide an option where people can say they can send their son, if they want to, to get quality education,” Browne added.

He pointed to private single-sex schools in the [United] States, England and Australia, as well as Catholic schools, as institutions where students do extremely well.

Browne suggested that Barbados was ignoring the research that proved the usefulness of single-sex education.

“There is nothing wrong with comparing a top quality secondary single-sex boys with the girls and seeing what they achieve over time,” he said. “Foundation [School] tried it with single-sex classes to compare, but it was abandoned over time. That was never continued; so the debate continues. There is a cloud over co-education.”

The educator of more than 40 years said that with co-education boys do not feel free to be “boys”.

Instead, he said, because they were distracted by the females they wanted to be “cool and handsome”.

“. . . But boys at that stage should be sweaty and rugged,” he insisted.

“Even girls who may want to get involved in activity don’t want to do it in the presence of boys . . . . Nobody wants to be seen; they don’t want to expose themselves. So it inhibits certain aspects of school life, and then there are other things that boys will do on their own, by themselves, that they won’t do [with girls].”

“There are studies that show that drama, for example, is best done when boys are by themselves. In the past, boys put on Shakespeare plays and did the part of girls. I don’t think you will do that in a co-education. The intermixing of genders is so easy now, but I am talking about the athletics and academic performances. I think that those things are better done when the boys are by themselves.”

Browne also suggested that disciplining boys was also a major issue in co-ed schools. Noting his experience as principal of The Lodge School, he said he found that “co-education called for a mellowing of the different forms of punishment that one can give [and] the language of the classroom sometimes differs”.

“It interferes with discipline because boys always say that they are being unfaired,” Browne said.

There have been mixed views about whether Barbados should continue with co-education. But last December, while delivering a keynote address at St Leonard’s Boys’ School, Minister of Education Ronald Jones said the jury was still out on the effect which co-education has on the future of male students.

kimberleycummins@barbadostoday.bb

Please see also Page 12 within the 17/06/2014 digital ePaper edition at http://epaper.barbadostoday.bb.

School principals, church leaders, social workers, court officials and even media workers will face the court for failure to report cases of child sexual abuse, under a proposed mandatory reporting protocol expected to go before Cabinet by the end of this year.

When Child Care Board director Joan Crawford made this revelation at the opening of a two-day symposium on student sexual abuse at Hilton Barbados Resort this morning, it created a buzz among the packed room of stakeholders, who included those individuals who would be fined or imprisoned for breaching the protocol.

“There is a duty to report, in spite of the claim of confidentiality or professional privilege . . . . The only exception there is is that lawyer-client privilege; but all others are not considered that way,” she said.

“[The protocol] also states that mandated reporters, which are you [professional caregivers] are required to sign the document . . . . When it comes into effect, all of you are supposed to sign and indicate that you are going to report.”

“There are no ifs or buts. It will be that you . . . are bound to report,” she added.

The list of professionals who would be mandated to report suspected cases of child abuse include: dentists, dental hygienists, hospital personnel, coroners, mental health professional, church leaders, Sunday School teachers, police, social workers, parents and guardians, physicians and their assistants, nurses, child caregivers and probation officers.

Substance abuse counsellors, school administrators, guidance counsellors, the media, court officials, psychiatrists, psychologists, camp counsellors, constituency councils, lawyers and prosecutors will also be mandated to report under the proposed measure.

Crawford told school principals at today’s symposium that the possibility of being jailed for failure to report child sexual abuse cases were among matters she wanted them to seriously consider and provide feedback.

The child care administrator also addressed the issue of immunity for those who report.

Crawford said there would be protection for those who were looking out for the best interest of children in reporting their abuse.

“When you talk about reporting, the issue of immunity comes up. Mandated reporters are to be immune, both civilly and criminally, provided the report is made in good faith. Nobody is going to charge you or anything like that, if you believe and report it in good faith,” she gave the assurance.

“However,” Crawford added, “failure to report a suspected case should carry a sanction in the form of a fine, with the alternative of imprisonment. You see, these are things that I want you to consider when we are looking at reporting under the mandatory protocol. How does it impact the Ministry of Education and its agents?”

The Child Care Board director also told the ministry she wanted its officials to give their position on the 63-page draft document containing the provisions of the protocol before it went to Cabinet.

emmanueljoseph@barbadostoday.bb

The No. 2 at the Barbados Workers’ Union (BWU) has advised graduating students of the Grantley Prescod Memorial Primary School that when they set goals in life, they should think not only of themselves, but others as well.

Deputy general secretary of the BWU, Toni Moore, gave the advice to the 50 students as she delivered the feature address on the theme One Hope, One Goal, One Family at the school’s graduation at the Lloyd Erskine Sandiford Centre today.

Moore told the students that as they strove to live a successful life, it was important they not only focused on themselves, but also tried to encourage others to do the same.

She told them they must also be willing to work to achieve anything they wanted, noting that while there would be challenges and obstacles along the way, they should not give up, since there was no single path to success.

“Many of us are struggling because we have defined for ourselves certain objectives that we want to attain, but when the moment comes and the path that we think we are to pursue to achieve these objectives seems clouded, we become discouraged,” she said.

“If that path doesn’t work, you find another one because maybe the course you are on is not necessarily the course for you. We all have different goals and priorities; we all have different strengths and weaknesses.”

However, she added, the idea of “one goal, one hope” allowed different individuals to share the same aim.

“We all have different jobs. You all are going to different schools, you will be in different classes, you will make different friends; but together you can fulfil one goal and one hope. As long as you continue to hope and strive towards your goals, most of your goals and dreams will come to pass. The only failure is the one who quits; and if one way does not work, then try another. Believe in God and in your ability to achieve,” she said.

Moore used her career as a trade unionist as a perfect example of looking out for the best interest of her “brothers” and working towards a bright future for her country.

“Today I have never been prouder to be a trade union leader because what I do and why I do it is a lifestyle that speaks about brotherhood and being one and having one hope and one goal and being part of one family. I understand that when my brother hurts I hurt, when he rejoices I rejoice, and knowing that united we stand but divided we will fall,” she said.

“Being a voice to improve the well-being of the whole society, not just the hand, not just the head, not just the foot, not just the tummy, but the whole body and I am proud to be involved in a movement that will fight against all odds for a brighter hope, a brighter tomorrow for you, for me and for us all.”

Moore also encouraged parents to show keen interest in the development of their children, teaching them about setting goals and inspiring hope by being good examples.

The top student at Grantley Prescod Memorial Primary School was Ashley Phillips while top male student was Chad Howard.

Overall top student Ashley Phillips (right) collecting her prizes from Sherry Ann Bartlett of Lynch Insurance Brokers.

Sherry Ann Bartlett (left) of Lynch Insurance Brokers, presenting top boy Chad Howard with his prizes.

As the country continues to tackle youth unemployment, a workshop that will provide young entrepreneurs and potential trainers with guidance and support to generate viable and creative ideas to start and develop new green businesses, was launched today.

The week-long Business Labs Trainer of Trainers Workshop, targeting Youth Commissioners, was officially opened at the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Youth in Sky Mall, Haggatt Hall.

The United Nations Development Programme has continued its commitment to working with the ministry through collaboration with the Youth Entrepreneurship Scheme, The Youth Development Programme, The Young Americas Business Trust and MASHAV-Israel’s Agency for International Development and Cooperation- to deliver this type of training at this critical juncture in the development of the nation’s youth.

Minister of Youth Stephen Lashley said the training is in keeping with the mandate set out in the National Youth Policy to develop entrepreneurial awareness and enterprise creation among the youth as a viable means of reducing youth unemployment.

Given the outcomes identified, he said the training was a step in the right direction.

Stephen Lashley

“This training is tangible evidence that as the Government accelerates our strategy of restructuring the economy, bold steps are being taken to transform the mindset of our young people when it comes to creating opportunities for them to earn a living,” he said.

“This training will prepare the Youth Commissioners, in particular, for the important work of transferring vital business skills and ‘know how’ to our youth within the various communities across Barbados so that they can take maximum advantage of emerging opportunities in the new Barbados economy.”

It is hoped that the workshop will also stimulate innovation and generate entrepreneurial initiatives that positively affect the society.The workshop will offer technical skills and advice in business planning, marketing and branding; it will evaluate existing ventures to identify and pursue new opportunities.

By the end of the week, participants should have expanded their understanding of business entrepreneurship in practical planning, development, economics, operation, management and marketing terms.

Lashley encouraged the participants to make full use of the opportunity to develop both their business management skills and facilitation skills, to become virtual sponges and soak up all that the trainers have to offer.