Barbados faces a “national crisis” in its schools, with teachers’ leaders warning that chronic underinvestment in technology, rising violence and unresolved staff grievances are undermining education reform and threatening the future of the island’s children.
Speaking at the Barbados Union of Teachers’ (BUT) 51st annual general conference on Monday, held at the Radisson Aquatica Resort, president Rudy Lovell urged national investment in digital infrastructure and teacher wellbeing while raising the alarm over persistent systemic issues.
The theme of the conference was Beyond 50: Embracing AI in Education.
Artificial intelligence and emerging technologies must become central to the island’s educational development—but only if the necessary foundation is laid, Lovell suggested.
“We are excited to make AI the central focus of this year’s conference,” he told the conference. “It is not just a futuristic concept—it is already transforming education by personalising learning, streamlining administrative tasks, and providing data-driven insights. But to release its full potential, we need modern technology infrastructure.”
He warned that too many educators and students are being left behind due to “outdated technology and insufficient digital resources”, undermining the promises of digital education. To remedy this, Lovell called for immediate investment in high-speed internet, smart devices and modern digital learning environments.
“AI should be a central focus of education reform,” he said. “But reform without infrastructure is like a syllabus without content.”
The union also flagged technical difficulties experienced during critical academic periods with the OpenEMIS open-source education management information system used for grading and reporting. Despite upgrades, Lovell said, many educators remain unable to input marks and comments efficiently.
He said: “This issue must be resolved if we are serious about reform. Teachers cannot fulfil their responsibilities with broken systems.”
Beyond technology, the BUT president highlighted a list of long-standing grievances affecting teacher morale, including unresolved issues around appointments, contract regularisation, delayed increments and “punitive” taxation on late lump-sum payments. He stressed that many teachers remain demoralised by burnout, heavy workloads and inadequate support.
“Teachers are overworked, overwhelmed and under-supported,” Lovell warned. “We must prioritise the health and wellbeing of our educators—they are vital to the success of our education system.”
He reiterated the union’s call for the reinstatement of the term vacation leave policy to its pre-2014 status.
Lovell also addressed escalating violence and indiscipline in schools, describing it as a “national crisis” that threatens the safety and retention of educators.
“Teachers are being physically attacked, verbally assaulted and intimidated—not just by students but, alarmingly, by some administrators who fail to act on documented infractions,” he said. “This cannot continue.”
He also raised concerns about the growing presence of drugs, gambling and gang activity in schools, and called on parents to play a greater role in discipline.
During his speech, Lovell also questioned the government’s reversal on several key education reform promises. Among them is the scrapping of the proposed two-tier secondary school system of junior and senior “colleges of excellence”.
“We urge the ministry to clearly state why the programme was abandoned,” he said while commending the launch of the Alma Parris Academy for its personalised learning approach. “However, we must ensure similar investments are made across all schools—not just a few.”
The union also demanded an update on the stalled national discussion surrounding the abolition of the 11-plus examination. While critics argue the exam is a colonial relic promoting elitism and ignoring diverse learning needs, others warn against removing it without a suitable replacement.
“The debate continues,” Lovell noted, “but what is clear is the urgent need for reforms in primary education—more specialists, an updated curriculum, better parental involvement, and scaled-up literacy and numeracy interventions.”
In his wide-ranging address, Lovell also tackled the issue of prolonged teacher suspensions, calling for clear timelines and fair treatment.
“We unequivocally condemn any action by educators that violates the law,” he said. “But indefinite suspensions—especially when no wrongdoing is found—can irreparably damage a teacher’s reputation. All cases should be concluded within six to twelve months.”
Lovell also called on the ministry to deliver on overdue commitments, including long-promised updates on the Teaching Service Commission and advertising for vacant posts—measures critical to giving temporary teachers permanent status.
“We are still waiting. Real transformation demands more than promises—it requires delivery.”
(SZB)
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