THE MORE I READ, the more fascinated I become about the period 1937-1966, which Sir Hilary Beckles referred to as “From Colony To State” in his history of Barbados.
It is fair to say that the foundation for modern Barbados was laid during this period with the establishment of several institutions, the passing of legislation and the framing of socio-economic reform.
One gets the impression that there was a deeper understanding of the issues among our labour and political leaders. There was a richness to the process of giving and receiving knowledge, even though the education system was in no way as structured and formalised as it is today. The thirst for knowledge was however in evidence.
In many ways, there is an envy. It stems from wishing to be part of the foundation, notwithstanding the obvious odds against social mobility at the time. It baffles that with so little, the people appreciated so much. It fascinates to know that you will leave something better than how you found it. As much as we now enjoy an easier existence, there is concern for the future.
In the midst of the journey, the progress of women is especially noteworthy. The post-Independence period has witnessed their growth, especially after 1970. The growth is particularly evident in the labour force. In this regard, the pioneering work of Professor Joycelin Massiah has to be recognised.
Using the concept of general worker rate, she revealed a heavy involvement of females in the labour force in the early part of the last century. She also observed “signs of divergence begin to appear from 1946 and by 1970, rates of males are almost twice those of females”. Some concern was expressed about the chances for increasing the female participation rate in the future. It has happened.
The circumstances surrounding the increased participation of females in the labour force are very worthy of investigation. An understanding of these trends is critical to an appreciation of the socio-economic reform that took root in the post-World War II period in Barbados.
Prof. Massiah’s conclusion from her 1984 study, Employed Women In Barbados: A Demographic Profile, 1946-1970, that education will play a large part in determining the relative strength of representation of the sexes in the labour force, was prophetic.
She noted: “From the available data it is evident that female worker rates by education continue to be less than those of males, but they are increasing, particularly for women in the higher educational categories.”
The continued growth in the female participation rate, over the last 45 years, gave rise to female workers outnumbering males for the first time in 2015. In addition, there is also evidence that women are filling the professional jobs in increasing numbers. Of course, this is a reflection of the changing enrolment numbers in the tertiary level institutions, especially at the University of the West Indies.
Remarkable
The rise of females in the tertiary educational institutions is even more remarkable, when it is recognised that there are more males than females under the age of 25 in Barbados. Although, the number of boys taking the Common Entrance Exam has outstripped the number of girls for quite a few decades, the population statistic above is not widely known.
If the figures above on population and education cannot be refuted, then there is an obvious correlation between education and economic progress. The women are proving it every day in this country. Take a look at who is driving more cars, owning more homes and saving more money.
This brings me to the obvious conclusion that human capital will continue to the strongest base upon which to build and develop a sustainable economic and social system in Barbados. What’s the use of having sound primary and secondary school systems and not a tertiary system that truly links education to the world of work?
The recent policy of the Government has caused much confusion and frustration, but it has also saved the Government much more than the intended $35 million. This resulted from the drastic reduction in enrolment and the arithmetic is rather easy to do.
It is unbelievable that a post-Independence Government, given our very recent history, would lack the vision to understand that access to education and health must not be compromised at any stage in our history. Such access must be as sacrosanct as the country’s exchange rate, and this is why effective economic management is an indispensable part of the political process.
The process requires preparation – read Prof. Massiah and Sir Hilary for starters.
• Dr Clyde Mascoll is an economist and Opposition Barbados Labour Party advisor on the economy. Email: [email protected]
