Education

Whole-Of-Country Approach Needed To Address Violence In Schools

There are many layers to the challenge of violence in schools, and it will take the efforts of everyone working together in a ‘whole-of-country’ approach to overcome.

Minister of Education, Technological and Vocational Training, Kay McConney, stated this in a recorded address to the nation, over the weekend.

Noting that ‘it takes a village to raise a child’, she said her Ministry recognises that partnership with the village is crucial, and more support is needed to provide children, teachers, and parents with the support they need.

“There is concern about violent acts which have happened in some of our schools recently. Members of the public are feeling worried for the safety of our children and worried about violent behaviour in the wider society that is making its way into the school environment,” she stated.

According to Minister McConney, children live what they learn and they bring to school some of what they learn even outside of school – the good and the bad.

She added that while school must first and foremost focus on delivering quality education that caters to all, the Ministry cannot get away in these times from being increasingly vigilant, and placing greater emphasis on safety and security.

She said weapons do not belong in the hands of children, but revealed that there are instances where children admitted that they were encouraged by an adult to carry a knife or a scissors to school for protection.

The Education Minister further stated that fighting must not be the first option for resolving conflict, simply because some of children have not yet learnt how to cope when they get angry. As a result, a boiling point has been reached, where bad behaviour is bubbling over into learning time, creating far too many disruptions at the primary and secondary levels.

She disclosed that the Ministry of Education had partnered with others over the last four to five years to ‘ramp up’ the number of qualified persons in the Ministry’s Student Services Unit, which deals with psychological and social support to students, parents, teachers, and guardians.

“What we did is, we have recognised it is not just about dealing with violent behaviour at the beginning, but it is also about us giving the necessary support as our students seek to cope… The many layers that education touches means that we must continue to work collaboratively with each other in what I call an ‘all-as-one’ effort,” she said.

Ms. McConney mentioned that some strong school leaders/principals have taken a firm stance on discipline and have been able to rein in bad behaviour and successfully manage the level of disruptive incidents at their schools. She added that the same effort needs to be replicated across the [school] system.

In reference to numbers received from within the Ministry, she said less than one per cent of the total school population, approximately 300 plus children, in a school system that has just below 40,000, nearly 37,000, are the ones giving trouble. Minister McConney added that while this percentage may seem relatively small, it is still too much.

She pointed out that while every secondary school has some form of security, it needs to be strengthened not only in the numbers of the security personnel, but in proper planning, risk management, training in best practices, and in the use of appropriate equipment suited for school environments.

Similarly, in primary, nursery and special education schools, a security audit conducted by the Ministry showed that just over half have an appropriate level of security in personnel, cameras, systems of practice and equipment.

While admitting that there is much work that needs to be done regarding the physical security of schools, Ms. McConney said the Ministry had conducted security audits of schools and a draft National School Security and Safety Policy had been prepared and was now being finalised, thanks to the support of a wide-ranging coalition of partners.

This coalition comprises representatives from the Barbados Defence Force, The Barbados Police Service, the Defence and Security Division, the Barbados Fire Service, the unions associated with the school system, the National Student Council, the National Council of Parent Teacher Associations, and the Ministry of Education. (PR/GIS)

Education

Culinary Arts Student ‘Cooks Up’ A Scholarship

A first-year Culinary Arts student at the Jean and Norma Holder Hospitality Institute (JNHHI) is the latest recipient of the Peter Barker Memorial Scholarship.

The $2,500 scholarship is given annually to students in the General Catering Certificate or Associate Degree in Culinary Arts programmes.

This year, 31-year-old Natasha Wilkinson was selected for the award. Natasha was inspired to pursue culinary arts after helping a man with health issues by cooking for him, which sparked her passion for the profession.

“This scholarship would help me. I would more than likely take the money and invest it into some kind of venture so it can give me a return as I continue to study rather than just spend it up,” Natasha said.

The scholarship was created by Dr. Nigel Barker, in memory of his late brother, Peter Barker, who passed away in 1995 while a student at the JNHHI.

Explaining the rationale behind its existence, Dr. Barker said he asked himself a few questions. He said: “I thought, how do I bring some value, he was 28 years old, to a life that was ended very short and I then decided I would add value to other people’s lives through his memory, so that’s how it came about.”

Acting Director at JNHHI, Lynette Francis-Thornhill, explained that the scholarship is based on financial need and a strong commitment to Culinary Arts.

She noted the number of applicants this year was lower than expected, with only two students vying for the award. Ms. Francis-Thornhill explained that students often hesitate to apply for scholarships due to concerns about financial disclosures and the potential requirement to repay funds if they do not complete their programme.

She emphasised, however, that scholarships like this one are crucial for supporting students, especially in fields like culinary arts, where additional costs like uniforms and equipment can add up.

“While education in Barbados is free at the point of delivery from nursery to tertiary, there are still costs associated with doing the programme. So, definitely it would be of assistance when they have these opportunities for persons to be able to get through their programmes more comfortably, which then provides a freeness of the mind and enables them to focus more on their studies and worry less about material concerns,” she stated. (PR/GIS)

Education

BAC Monitoring Impact Of AI On Higher Education

The Barbados Accreditation Council (BAC) is very closely monitoring the impact that artificial intelligence (AI) is having on higher education institutions (HEIs) in Barbados.

To this end, the Council has been conducting research into the impact of AI so far, and assessing the positive and negative factors and challenges it may present in the future. This relates to both external quality assurance agencies (EQAAs) like itself, and also for the local HEIs it recognises.

Research & Development Officer I with the Council, Jonre Waterman recently made a presentation on the topic: ‘Investigating The Adoption of Artificial Intelligence in Higher Education In Barbados: The Opportunities for Innovation and the Implications for Academic Integrity’.

He made the presentation to delegates in attendance at the 20th Annual Conference and General Meeting of the Caribbean Area Network for Quality Assurance in Tertiary Education (CANQATE).

The conference was hosted by the University Council of Jamaica and held at Pegasus Hotel in Kingston Jamaica under the theme: ‘Twenty Years of Promoting Quality in Higher Education: Development, Impact and Opportunities for a Sustainable Future’.

In his presentation, Mr. Waterman said while there are some noteworthy benefits that come with AI within higher education, from the institutional and academic perspective, the reality is that there are also some challenges for such institutions.

Among the key concerns, he says HEIs will have to ensure that students are not utilising the technology to give the impression that their breadth of knowledge is greater than it really is, whenever they are tasked with turning in reports or doing exams and papers.

“As it relates to the use of the AI-powered technologies…it’s not going anywhere. Global institutions will continue to incorporate AI-powered tools into their teaching and learning process. What this will do is advance the quality of the higher education process and HEIs that fail to address this run the risk of being left behind on the quality curve. This presents a challenge for EQAAs like the BAC as it seeks to assure and enhance the quality of the local higher education space,” he said.

“As it relates to the academic integrity concerns, the biggest fear is the ability of students to subvert the rigour of the academic process in favour of skipping straight to the finishing line and receiving qualifications and awards that do not speak to their actual level of knowledge and understanding.”

Mr. Waterman said a failure of HEIs to respond to this will create a scenario where the quality of the higher education process would be eroded.

He says the BAC has come up with some recommendations to help address its AI-related concerns. “These include conducting assessments to determine the capacity to incorporate emerging technologies such as AI that can improve the quality of educational offerings.

We understand that based on your size and scope, for some institutions there may not be any feasibility for AI-powered or any that would actually provide any significant improvements to your quality…but you can’t just say so without conducting that assessment. So, our recommendation is that you conduct that assessment; then you can determine whether there is any use to the institution, but it must be done first.”

He said another important recommendation is for higher education institutions to assess vulnerabilities of academic integrity to emerging technologies such as AI. He also noted an important recommendation that the Council itself undertake going forward: “Also, as the BAC, there exists scope for us to review our quality standards to ensure that they adequately call upon institutions to address and respond to technological advances.” (PR/GIS)

Education

ACTIVE TALK PANEL DISCUSSION

A look at learning deficits in early stages

The need for transformative changes in the region’s education systems, particularly to address learning deficits at early stages, was a key focus during the UNICEF Eastern Caribbean and Barbados National Students’ Council (BNSC) #ActivateTalk panel discussion. Held on recently at the University of the West Indies Cave Hill Campus, the event centered on the theme: “Navigating the Challenges of Higher Education in the Eastern Caribbean and the Importance of Regional Integration as a Viable Solution.”

Jean-Benoit Mahnes, UNICEF Representative (ad interim) for the Eastern Caribbean, highlighted troubling statistics about secondary education outcomes, noting that only a third of students across the region achieve the qualifications needed to advance academically.

“In the region, not just Barbados, too few students are achieving good enough results at the secondary level,” Mahnes said. “Additionally, the parameters of success can be too narrowly defined—it’s not only about becoming a lawyer or doctor. Society needs people with diverse skills and aspirations. We know that we need to do better, and we know we can do better.”

Mahnes also underscored the importance of democratising access to educational technology and fostering regional integration in education while maintaining respect for individual cultural identities.

“Can we access technology in a way that can be democratised? What role does educational integration and standardisation play? We want all children to have the same chance, whether they’re in Barbados, St. Lucia, or Grenada, while avoiding a one-size-fits-all approach. Culture, perspective, and environment must inform education systems,” he said.