On the road to perfection in education
THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION issued a release early on Friday morning which has come as a relief for a lot of persons in the education sector.
The release was a simple one. It announced that the reopening of schools for the new term would now be September 7, as opposed to the previously communicated date of August 31. While it gave no rationale for the deferment, it was later revealed that the government wants people to benefit from another Vat-free shopping day to help outfit their charges for the new school year.
We gather that the change of date was met with much relief by educators, many of whom are already preparing for the return to the classrooms. But by parents too? The August 31 date was unusual, and meant that a lot of the pre-recommencement exercises such as Professional Development Week (PDW) would have had to be brought forward, cutting into their much needed vacation time. The parents also have been given more time to prepare for back to school. Students will enjoy one more week at home, and for those moving on to secondary school the anticipation, or anxiety, has been merely extended.
The government also has a little more time to ensure that the road cleaning programme, which ensures that some of the more needy among us earn some extra cash to assist in the back to school preparations, can be completed and funds paid out. And there is the opportunity to take advantage of another Vat-free shopping day.
The back-to-school preparations are a constant reminder of the challenges faced by administrations governing poor countries like ours, and the necessity to seek and implement creative measures to undergird those who are most vulnerable.
The new education minister and his deputy have been fervently trying to make their presence felt and establish that they are here to institute change. And who can blame them? The term ‘Education Revolution’ has been all but prohibited. Change, or some say improvement, is the mantra. We saw the ministry abolishing registration/tuition fees, and promising to introduce a level playing field where the application of such fees are concerned.
While many principals have argued that they depend on these additional income to cover the cost of several administrative functions, including the purchase of supplies which the ministry either does not provide, or provides in inadequate quantities, many parents have openly welcomed the removal of these fees.
Minister Jackson, in a cryptic post on Facebook, responded to opponents with a backhanded, “Just say, thank you Minister” comment.
Some school administrators, we understand, have sought to mobilise support for a backlash to the decision to abolish the fees but that seems not to have generated the traction aimed for, and maybe the move has been allowed to die a natural death.
So, back to school we go in September. But whether it is a continuation of the 20 plus years of the ‘Education Revolution’ or a new approach which has not yet been specified, one senses a need for more consultation between the government and the administrators who are tasked with the day to day functions of making education work.
There are those who have been calling for a comprehensive overhaul of our education system- and that not just at the local level.
Here in SVG we have, without doubt, seen much progress in education, and on the road to perfection we all recognize that there is no finish line. Improvement is continuous.
Comments
