Education

Alma Parris Academy The New Way Forward In Education

The Alma Parris Memorial Secondary School, now the Alma Parris Academy, has reopened with a new teaching approach and parents being more involved in the process. The aim is to produce students with the relevant skills for the real world.

This was disclosed yesterday by Minister of Education, Technological and Vocational Training, Kay McConney, after a walk-through of the institution at Major Walk, St. Peter.

Expressing gratitude to the Chief Education Officer, Dr. Ramona Archer-Bradshaw, and the team for the work that they have done, especially with the parents, Ms. McConney said: “We wanted that when we reopened … the Alma Parris Academy that we do so, not only with students, that we do so not only with teachers but that at the heart of the partnership has to be parents.

“And, we have taken the opportunity over the last several weeks to engage with parents more formally and informally, and the intention is that going forward, the partnership with parents has to be a central part of how we do education differently.”

She also noted that the school has an alternative curriculum, which is designed to make learning meaningful for the students there since the Ministry has been hearing from many students that “school is not always relevant”.

The Education Minister continued: “And, we therefore need to make sure that whatever they walk away from our school system with, whatever skills, that they are actually relevant and can be applied in the real world.

“And I am sure, as you did the walk-through, you saw several laboratories…. All the laboratories are compliant with the CVQ/NVQ, which means that our teachers here will be able to take the students all the way through to technical and vocational qualifications as well as academic qualifications because what we are saying is, ‘every single child can learn’. We simply have to create the right kind of environment with the right kind of teachers who understand how children learn differently and are able to respond to the child.”

Meanwhile, the Chief Education Officer, who spoke about the new curriculum, said it is about allowing the Alma Parris students to feel and experience love, and “to understand what it means to have fun” while learning.

“We want that when they leave here, that they are contributing citizens to our society…. What will be offered here from here on in is something different that will allow our students to reach their fullest potential,” Mrs. Archer Bradshaw added.

Acknowledging that some Barbadian students have been falling through the cracks, she said that over the past year and a half, the Ministry had engaged with teachers and some parents and tried to find out where students were having difficulties in the classroom. She indicated that those students who were the most vulnerable were identified, and are currently enrolled at the Alma Paris Academy.

Mrs. Archer-Bradshaw also disclosed the effort made to get the school ready and the new method of teaching and assessing the students.

“We also engaged our teachers at this school in extensive training. They’ve learned how to develop IEPs (Individualised Education Programmes); they’ve learned about social and emotional learning. We’ve also brought them into the Ministry so that they can understand how we are approaching education at this school.

“It is about loving these children; … teaching our children first, before you teach the subject. So, a lot of diagnostic assessment has gone into preparing these children for their education, and we will continue to do that because, you know, it is not a one-time diagnostic test, and that is it. We have to keep diagnosing them every time we teach them a concept. Every time we teach them a unit of work, we have to find out where there are, and employ methodologies that will reach these children,” she stated.

The Alma Parris Memorial Secondary School was closed in 2017. (PR/GIS)

Education

Programme Launched To Inspire Future Tourism Professionals

In a significant step towards shaping the future of Barbados’ tourism industry, Minister of Tourism and International Transport, Ian Gooding-Edghill, yesterday launched the All About Tourism Schools’ Awareness Programme, at the Lawrence T. Gay Memorial School.

Mr. Gooding-Edghill said the programme aims to engage young students in understanding the vital role tourism plays in the island’s economy and culture, and is intended to inspire curiosity and foster a deeper appreciation of tourism.

The Minister also emphasised the long-term vision behind the initiative. “This programme is important because as we look to the future, we want every child to understand that tourism is a key part of the economy, and it’s also a way to celebrate and preserve our history, our environment, and our way of life,” he stated.

He added that the programme will provide students with the opportunity to explore various career paths in the tourism industry, as well as highlight how individuals can begin in entry-level positions and progress to managerial roles, which emphasises the potential for young people to develop valuable skills and build successful careers within the tourism sector.

Speaking at the launch, Chief Product Development Officer at the Barbados Tourism Marketing Inc., Marsha Alleyne, stressed the importance of engaging young people from an early age.

“The tourism sector requires qualified individuals with the necessary knowledge, skills, and competencies to lead and transform it. Therefore, it has become critical to shorten this great gap by promoting tourism within education, starting with our primary schools,” she said.

Ms. Alleyne said the programme will be delivered in two 45-minute sessions, and at the end, students will be able to identify the benefits of tourism, the purpose of travel, key destinations, source markets, modes of transportation, careers in tourism, and business opportunities within the tourism landscape.

She disclosed that as the programme evolves, a “train-the-trainer” module will be introduced, which will allow teachers to deliver these lessons independently and ensure the initiative’s sustainability.

“We must recognise that a significant component of our human capital is the youth of our nation…. So, I invite each of you to fully participate in this programme, ask questions, explore, and let your creativity shine. Your enthusiasm is key to making this programme a success,” Ms. Alleyne said.

She added that with this commitment to engaging young minds, the programme aims to foster a new generation of tourism advocates and professionals in Barbados.

The programme is expected to reach 79 primary schools across the island by 2026, and will be introduced to children, aged seven to 10. It is intended to be both fun and interactive, and will incorporate various engaging activities, such as field trips, games, and creative projects. (PR/GIS)

Caption: (Back row, left to right) – Chief Product Development Officer, Barbados Tourism Marketing Inc. (BTMI), Marsha Alleyne; BTMI Chairman, Shelly Williams; Minister of Tourism, Ian Gooding-Edghill; BTMI CEO, Andrea Franklin; and Principal of the Lawrence T. Gay Memorial School, Brent Blackett, pose with students at the launch of the All About Tourism Schools’ Awareness Programme

Education

Barbados Cops Two Silver Medals At Caribbean STEM Olympiads

Barbados won two silver medals in the Math Olympiad component of the Caribbean Science Foundation’s (CSF) third annual Caribbean STEM Olympiads (CSO) held virtually from January 13 to 19, 2025.

Individuals and teams representing educational institutions or themselves competed in Math, Computer Coding, and Robotics & Electronics Systems Olympiads at three different age levels – 12 to 15, 16 to 18, and 19 to 21.

Fifteen-year-old Roshauna Clarke of Harrison College took second place in Level I of the Math Olympiad, while Simeon Green and Ian Francis of “Phi-re Phi-ghters”, who represented themselves but attend The University of the West Indies, Cave Hill Campus, placed second in Level III of the competition.

Interim Executive Director of the CSF, Professor Cardinal Warde, said: “I am impressed by the level of achievement of the participants. However, it is clear that the CSF needs to do more to enhance the quantity and quality of robotics and embedded systems in the region.

“To aid those Robotics & Electronics Systems teams that start early in preparation for the 2026 Olympiads, the CSF will issue a call for proposals to assist such teams in covering the upfront costs of components.”

Simeon Green of “Phi-re Phi-ghters” spoke about his experience. He said: “We really enjoyed preparing by doing a lot of practice, and even during the competition. Just the rigour of the Math we had to do was really interesting. You should have seen our faces when [we] got the question done. We really enjoyed participating.”

In the various competitions, the focus was on rewarding inventiveness, as well as critical, logical, and analytical thinking. In particular, the Math Olympiad was held in a Jeopardy-style format and covered the fundamentals of topics ranging from consumer Arithmetic to Vector Calculus.

The Computer Coding Olympiad tasked applicants with creating apps, games, and websites aimed at solving a challenge faced by Caribbean communities.

The challenges tackled by teams in the 2025 Olympiads included geohazards and climate change, cultural preservation, conservation science and ecology, inter and intra-country transportation, food safety and security, safe after-hours transport for women and youth, and financial education.

The Robotics & Electronics Systems Olympiad saw the Level I applicants building innovative systems from kits, while the Level III robotics and electronics systems teams were required to design and assemble their robots starting from the basic components level.

A total of 264 students from nine Caribbean countries registered for the 2025 Olympiads, making it the highest registration to date. After the preliminary rounds, 41 teams (98 students) made it to the finals. There were 34 finalists in the Math Olympiad, 39 in the Computer Coding Olympiad, and 25 in the Robotics & Electronics Systems Olympiad.

Medal certificates and cash prizes of US$500, $400, $300, and $200 were awarded to teams winning platinum, gold, silver, and bronze medals, respectively. The medals and awards ceremony, held on Sunday, January 19, revealed that Jamaica led the medal count with 10 medals, followed by Belize and Guyana with four each, and Barbados, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, and Trinidad and Tobago with two each.

The CSF is a regional, non-profit non-governmental organisation with the mission of assisting with the development and diversification of the economies of the Caribbean region by promoting STEM education reform and stimulating technology-based entrepreneurship. (PR/GIS)

Education

MOU SIGNED BETWEEN A & B MUSIC SUPPLIES AND THE UWI

Veteran music industry leader Norman Barrow believes that creativity, not competition, should be encouraged on the local music scene in order for the Barbadian brand to better penetrate overseas markets.
Barrow shared these views during a recent signing ceremony of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) between his company, A&B Music Supplies, and the University of the West Indies (UWI) Cave Hill Campus, said that sticking to the “traditional” ways of making and marketing music will not help local artists reach a global audience.
He said: “I am hoping that the opportunities provided for aspiring creatives will produce a different way of thinking, which will encourage them to realise that competing for a prize is not the way for us to get our music into the mainstream of international recognition.
“We must work together to make sure our music has global appeal. Machel Montano recently said: ‘We must improve the quality of our music, our writing, our marketing, and the quality of our message.'”
He explained, “I have always held the view that one of the main reasons that reggae music was able to become a recognised genre in the world of music, is because the Jamaican artistes never competed, and their writings were never guided by a set of rules. They were free to produce music that appealed to the world.”
He emphasized the need for a shift in focus, stating that while he respects past efforts, it is time to create music that can be marketed globally, which he described as essential for Barbados’ future.
The MOU establishes a partnership aimed at supporting students in the Faculty of Culture, Creative and Performing Arts by providing scholarships and other resources. It also includes the establishment of the Norman Barrow Digital Archives; this new archive is aimed at storing music Barrow has produced over the years across the region, and giving easy access to students who are seeking to further their research into varying genres.