Send scholars to UWI!

WINNERS OF BARBADOS SCHOLARSHIPS should be required to pursue studies at the three campuses of the University of the West Indies (UWI), and sixth forms should be added to all secondary schools, says a major report on education in Barbados.These are among several recommendations contained in a comprehensive report designed to form part of a new educational policy in Barbados.The report, which was investigated and compiled by the National Advisory Committee on Education, was presented to Minister of Education Ronald Jones yesterday at the Ministry by members of the committee.Dr Pearson Broomes, in presenting the report, noted that it focused on five principal areas – the provision of adequate and affordable educational opportunities, enhancing the quality of education, improving student performance and certification, making school a rewarding experience and ensuring that each child benefited from the educational experience.In relation to the national scholarships, Broomes pointed out that the recommendation was that the scholarship be tenable only at the three campuses of the UWI and only national development needs should be pursued. However, he stated that if a field of study was not offered at UWI, the student could go elsewhere but the studies pursued must still be relevant to the needs of Barbados.The committee has also ruled out the establishment of the University College of Barbados, stating that the UWI must remain the sole university. It has, however, recommended the expansion of programmes at the Barbados Community College and the revisiting and refocusing of programmes and matriculation needs at the Samuel Jackman Prescod Polytechnic, since it found that institution was excluding students that it was originally designed to cater to.The report also recommends a sixth form and a maximum of 800 students at every secondary school. It has also asked for two schools to be taken out of the secondary system and be made special institutions catering to skills such as agriculture, mechanics, music and fine arts.In terms of the Common Entrance Examination, the committee has advised that it remain but be reformatted to include a national standardised test to be administered from Infants to Class Four. It also called for a full zone system to be introduced with all the secondary schools divided into three zones.Broomes noted that the committee found that there was deep seated class snobbery on why the exam should be kept. He charged that “Barbadians abhor the idea that their children from upper social standing should fraternise with children from lower social standing. Logic suggests that all schools are equal and all receive the same resources,” he said.Other recommendations include the retaining of corporal punishment but with its administration being limited to principals; making principals more accountable to the Ministry of Education; the establishing of an alternative residential institution for deviants; and the instituting of a one-time caution fee to be paid by all students.Minister Jones noted that the report, which took two years to compile, will be discussed at the level of Cabinet and with all stakeholders before it is made available to the public and implemented. (MB)