Today the students in Barbados’ schools will be completing the first week of the new academic year 2013 to 2014, while our teachers will be completing their second week at school after having returned to school one week earlier.
I would like to take this opportunity to wish our students and teachers a very successful year.
But I have a very serious question for the Barbados Secondary Teachers’ Union (BSTU) through its president Mary Redman. How are teachers from Alexandra School and their replacement doing since their transfer?
And, above all, please let the public know how the students at Alexandra did during this year’s CXC examinations! For one of the union’s objections was that the transfers were done at the wrong time, during the middle of the school year when students were preparing for CXC examinations, especially the School Based Assessments (SBAs).
I would hope that we do not have to wait until speech day at Alexandra School. And if that is so, only parents and invited guests would know. The public will not be invited. As one who supported the transfers, I want to know!
Come on, the union and the Ministry of Education have a responsibility to the general public to let the public know about those results.
Prime Minister Freundel Stuart was right when the decision was made to transfer those teachers. He had to act with those transfers for two main reasons. One – he was going into a general election and had to do something about the Alexandra situation for it had been going on too long. Two – after spending over $60 000 on the Frederick Waterman Inquiry, he had to make sure that it was not seen as just another commission.
I am sure that it would not be seen by the public as a waste of money for we got results. Since the removal of principal Jeff Broomes and some teachers, we are not hearing anything about Alexandra these days.
One wonders if Alexandra School is still in Barbados, but we continue to see and hear Broomes!
To all students, you must value your education for it will continue to be a form of upward mobility; good luck!
